BILLIARDS

HISTORY

Billiard equipment improved rapidly in England after 1800, largerly because of the Industrial

revolution chalk was used to increase fiction between the ball and cue stick even before cues had tip the

leather cue tip which a player can apply a side pin to the ball, was perfected by 1823 visitors from

England showed Americans how use pin which explains why it is called “English” in the United States but

nowhere else (The British themselves refers to it as “side”) the two piece cue arrived in 1829 slate

became popular as a material for table beds around 1835, God year discovered vulcanization of rubber

in 1839 and by 1845 it was used to make billiard cushions a two-to-one ration of length to width became

standard in the 18th century. Before then, there were no fixed table dimensions by 1850 the billiard

table had essentially evolved in its current form the dominant billiard game in Britain from about 1770

until the 1920’s was English Billiards, played three balls and six pockets on a large rectangular table the

British billiard tradition is carried on today primarily though the game of snooker, a complex and colorful

game combining offensive and defensive aspects and played on the same equipment as English Billiards

but with 22 balls instead of three. The British appetite for snooker is approached only by the American

passion of baseball it is possible to see a snooker competition every day in Britain.

The word “pool” means a collective bet or ante many non-billiard such as poker, involved a pool

but it was to a pocket billiards that the name became attached the term “poolroom” new means a place

where pool is played but in the 19th century a poolroom was a betting parlor for horse racing pool

tables were installed so patronts could pass time between races the two became connected in the

public mind but the unsavory connotation of “poolroom” came from betting that took place there, not

from billiards.
Origin

Dating to approximately 1800, English Billiards called simply billiards in many former British colonies

and in the UK where it originated was originally called the winning and loosing carambola game folding

in the names of three predecessor games, the winning game, the loosing game and the caramboly game

an early form of straight rail that combined to form it the games features both cannons (caroms) and

the pocketing of balls as objects of play English billiards requires two cue balls and a red object ball the

object of the game is to score either a fixed number of points or score the most points within a set time

frame though there is no name directly linked to who invented the game of pool, King Louis XI of France

billiards in its numerous forms goes back to at least the 14th century the first historical references to a

game that was likely precursor to modern billiards described an outdoor lawn game that also shared

similarities croquet and originally called the winning and losing carambola game folding in the names of

three predecessor games the winning game, the losing game and the Micheal Phelan is considered by

many to be the father of American Billiards as a player inventor manufacturer and tireless popularized

of billiards he played in and won the first billiards stakes match in 1859 and holds many patents for table

designs and cushion.

Reflection

Billiards of any various games played on cloth-topped, cushion railed rectangular table by driving small,

hard balls against one another or into pockets with a long stick called a cue carom of French billiards is

played with three balls, two white and one red on a table without pockets billiards is more than just a

game it’s a fascinating reflection of strategy,physics, and precision the angles and trajectories involved

provide a unique blend of challenge and satisfaction, requiring both analytical thinking and fine overall

billiards offers a rich tapestry of enjoyment and learning opportunities for players of all skill levels.