Transition from 10ft to 9ft Pool tables

[axejunkie]

That would be uncommon…the break at straight pool was considered a disadvantage.

I recall Danny said if your break was good enough on the 10 foot, your opponent's shot at the open ball was a disadvantage, but of course that doesn't consider any possible dead balls.

 

[Jimmorrison]

It was a 9-foot table. I'm pretty sure all of the US Open 14.1 tournaments have been on 9-foots. So far as I know, there were no tournaments after the 1940s that used 10-foot tables.

By 1966 10-foot tables were already fairly uncommon in pool halls. I think that most of the rooms that opened in the pool boom in the 1960s were 9-foot tables. I never saw a new 10-foot table at that time (except for 10-foot snooker and carom tables) and 8-foot tables were much less seen. I did play in one room that opened in the 1960s that had maybe 12 8-foot tables and no 9-foot, but it was more of a family room.

What happened to all those tens? Had to be 1000s of them around the country. Where did they go?

 

[measureman]

What happened to all those tens? Had to be 1000s of them around the country. Where did they go?

Now that's a good question.

 

[Bob Jewett]

What happened to all those tens? Had to be 1000s of them around the country. Where did they go?

I think I've seen one carom 10-foot that looked like it had used pool slates. I guess it would be possible to recycle the slates for 9-foots. Someone in the mechanics forum may know.

 

[pt109]

What happened to all those tens? Had to be 1000s of them around the country. Where did they go?

Those 5x10s would have the old bolting system so they would be undersize….they could be adapted easily….…
…….like the over-size 8-footers were.

 

[Jimmorrison]

I have no actual knowledge concerning this, but I would bet someone repurposed most of the material from those tables. The slate for sure. Back in the 70s, some friends and I, purchased the local elementary school. Had one year to clear the lot. It was a crazy amount of work, but we made a lot of money. Took the place apart by hand. The slate chalk boards, were one of the better money makers. The gym floor brought more cash, but was ten times the work. I can’t imagine those tens thrown in a hole, horrific thought.

 

[Poolhall60561]

I remember being in Bensingers in Chicago in the early to mid 70’s. The place was in a large basement and was full of 10 pocket tables. The place was kind of a dump. In the dark back of the room there were lots of 10 ft disassembled tables. The slates were stacked up. There may of been 50 or more tables stored in there. The house man was in a small box in the middle of the room passing out the balls. It was a smoky room. We played on a 10 ft pocket table. The table was in rough shape. We were kids and they weren’t going to give us a nice table.

 

[maha]

there are still a lot of old tables in storerooms covered in dust.

 

[AtLarge]

... Mosconi is said to have taken the break and played the head ball in the side pocket in exhibitions. I heard he also did that in a minor tournament. ...

According to his autobiography, Mosconi's high run prior to the 526 in March, 1954 was 365 in November, 1953 off his own opening break (1-ball in left side pocket). He said the shot might be makeable one time in three, but that it is too risky for a tournament.