Luther Clement Lassiter Jr. (November 5, 1918 – October 25, 1988),[1][2] nicknamed Wimpy, was an American pool player from Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

[9][page needed] As a young man, Lassiter became afflicted with a condition which he termed "the swolls"; it would follow him throughout his life.

This was a condition in which Lassiter's lips would puff up and become red and swollen when an attractive member of the opposite sex approached him with affection.

Rudolf "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone remembered his friend's condition well: "[Lassiter's] lips would be all puffed up and at first I thought it was from wiping off the lipstick.

Their town of preference was Norfolk, Virginia, which was known at the time as the highest-rolling place for pool hustlers, card players, and gamblers in general.

It was during this time that he developed his confidence and skill necessary to begin competing on the professional level with the greatest pocket-billiard masters of the day, including Willie Mosconi and Irving Crane.

[9] After the sudden decline of the gambling action in Norfolk around 1948, Lassiter was forced to begin competing professionally in pool tournaments held across the country.

The players who competed in the 1982 tournament were Lassiter, Joe Balsis, Babe Cranfield, Jimmy Moore, U. J. Puckett, Irving Crane, Minnesota Fats, and Willie Mosconi.

After Lassiter defeated Willie Mosconi to put the exclamation point on the tournament, commentator for the match Allen Hopkins remarked to co-commentator Chris Berman, "This is no surprise to me; Wimpy's a great nine-ball player.

After defeating U. J. Puckett earlier in the same tournament, Lassiter said in response to Berman's praise of his playing, "Well, I'm the youngest and I'm still lucky.

"[12] When another hall of famer, Ed Kelly, was asked who was the toughest player he ever played against, he responded that it depended on the game but that if it was nine-ball, "it would have to be Luther Lassiter .... Wimpy was the best ....

To escape his loneliness, Lassiter would often ride his bicycle a couple of blocks away to the home of his younger brother Clarence and wife Barbara, to and hang out and play with their two sons.

[3] Clarence's wife, Barbara, said after his death: "I knew two or three people in my life who I thought would go to heaven – with no doubt – and [Wimpy] was one of them.