When did pool become a game?

Billiards began as a lawn game similar to the croquet played sometime during the 15th century in Northern Europe. It has evolved from that point into the present-day style of billiard/pool table and rules.

When was pool first played in America?

It is believed that the Spaniards introduced billiards to the Americans in 1565, although the game was not very popular initially. Between the years of 1878 and 1956, however, the game skyrocketed in popularity, with players becoming famous by competing in annual championships.

Who invented the game of pool?

Who Invented Billiards and Pool? Despite its European roots, pool is now seen as a quintessentially American game. The early history of billiards in the United States is somewhat vague. However, it's safe to say that early English and Dutch settlers would have brought the popular game over with them.

What was the original name of the pool game?

The first was English billiards which became American four-ball billiards, essentially the same game but with an extra red object ball to increase scoring opportunities.

What was pool called in 1922?

They used to be called "banks" because they slightly resembled the banks of a river. Billiard players discovered that the balls could bounce off the rails and began deliberately aiming at them, and therefore the "bank shot" was born!

A Brief History of Billiards and Pool

What do Americans call pool game?

billiards, any of various games played on a rectangular table with a designated number of small balls and a long stick called a cue. The table and the cushioned rail bordering the table are topped with a feltlike tight-fitting cloth. Carom, or French, billiards is played with three balls on a table that has no pockets.

What is the oldest pool table?

The earliest documented record of a billiard table was made in 1470. In an inventory of the possessions of King Louis XI of France, his table was said to have contained the following: a bed of stone, a cloth covering, and a hole in the middle of the playing field, into which balls could be driven.

What is pool called in England?

pool, also called life pool, British billiards game in which each player uses a cue ball of a different colour and tries to pocket the ball of a particular opponent, thus taking a “life.” Players have three lives and pay into a betting pool at the start of the game.

What is the difference between billiards and pool?

Billiards is played on a table without pockets. The game only has three balls, which are red, white (with a spot), and another white one (without a spot). Pool involves a table with six pockets. You need 15 balls, but some people play with just nine.

What is a pool table without pockets called?

Carom billiard is played on a billiard table without pockets and with a set of 3 balls: one red and two white of which one is marked. The player must use the cue ball to make contact with the other two balls on the table in order to score 1 point.

What is the most popular pool game in the US?

Eight-ball, the most commonly played form of pool (as distinct from blackball, a.k.a. British eightball pool)

Were there pools in the 1950s?

The existence of swimming pools in one's own backyard was rare until the 1950s. In 1952, there were only 17,000 swimming pools in the United States according to the National Swimming Pool Institute. By 1958, that number had grown to more than 133,000.

Who is the greatest pool player ever?

What is the white ball called in pool?

The name is a reference to how many balls need to be pocketed to win the game, but all 15 balls are used. All of the striped and colored balls are referred to as object balls, and the solid white ball is the cue ball.

Why do Americans call pool billiards?

Originally the game was called Billiards and is, of course, still referred to as such by the pros. The term billiards comes from the French. The root words are either 'billart' which is one of the sticks or 'bille,' which means ball. The sport had its beginnings way back in the 15th century in Northern Europe.

Why are pool balls red and yellow?

One reason the pool balls were changed to two colours was that it was easy to replace Red or Yellow balls if one went missing. Rather than break a set up just for one numbered ball.

Is English or American pool harder?

With the larger pockets and balls, American pool is an easier game to pick up and learn, especially good if you have children you're looking to get into the game. The game is also a good deal faster with the smoother cloth.

Are American pool balls bigger?

The Balls. As with their tables, American pool balls are bigger than British ones by ¼ inch. It may not seem like much of a difference, but at 2 ¼-inches, they're heavier and can therefore carry more forward momentum when rolling than the 2-inch British pool balls.

What is the life expectancy of a pool table?

Generally, 20-25 years, although some cushion rubber lasts longer. If the pool table has seen direct sunlight, cushion life will be greatly reduced. We have also seen pool tables less than five years old that have “dead” cushions. It is unusual but it happens.

What is the top of a pool table called?

Top Rails – The top surface of the table, no covered by cloth, from which the cushions protrude toward the playing surface. The head and foot rails are the short rails on those ends of the table; the right and the left rails are the long rails, dictated by standing at the head of the table and facing the foot end.

What is a Chinese pool table?

The Chinese 8 ball pool table is 9 feet long. Full-sized 2 ¼” American pool balls are used in the game. The rules are slightly tweaked, as explained below. The cut in the pockets of a Chinese 8 ball pool table resembles that of a Snooker table.

What are pool players called?

Most billiard players are called exactly that - “billiard players”, or sometimes “pool players” or even “players” when the context is understood. A really good pool player, however, is often referred to as a “pool shark”.

What is dirty pool game?

The idiom dirty pool is often used in politics to mean smearing or slurring the reputation of an opponent. The word pool, in this case, refers to the game of pool, which involves striking balls with a cue on a felted table.

What is the 3 person pool game called?

Cutthroat or cut-throat, also sometimes referred to as three-man-screw, is a typically three-player or team pocket billiards game, played on a pool table, with a full standard set of pool balls (15 numbered object ball s and a cue ball ); the game cannot be played with three or more players with an unnumbered reds-and- ...

What is the most famous shot in pool history?

but this stunt now famously called the z-shot is considered the most famous shot in pool history.