What game did you grow up with?

[YOLO]

I should probably add a poll to this but don't have time... I'm off to play some pool One of my reasons for asking: Many of the recent threads are related to "What game would attract the most viewers, etc, etc, etc.". For me it's 8 Ball.

I grew up playing 8 Ball. As a matter if fact, in my youth, I never knew there where other types of games played. All of my friends played 8 Ball. Everywhere I went they were playing 8 Ball (bars, not rooms).

In the recent polls I have voted 8 Ball. It's what I play, for better or worse. I am very open to other games, just don't play them for a variety of reasons that are not relevant for this discussion.

So, what was your game of choice when you starting slapping the balls around the table in your earlier days?

A quick follow up question: What are todays youth (the future of pool players and audiences) playing today across the country? I would think that if you want them to watch you should be presenting what they want to see, a game they know. Not knocking BB or any other game, it just seems like common sense to me.

 

[pwd72s]

Those who knock 8 ball don't understand the nuances of the game.

 

[Pidge]

Snooker from the age of 6. Didn't know any of the American pocket billiards games existed. I missed out! As I grew into my mid to late teens and started hanging around bars I moved onto English pool. Tables are half the size of what I was used to, 8 ball is played on them, and there was always an abundance of drunks willing to play for money. Now I don't seem to have a primary game, I float between any type of pocket billiards, even some 3C every now and then.

Any game appeals to youngsters IMO as long as they have the people playing that attract young players. For me it was Alex Higgins and Jimmy White. If they played chess, I'd probably be a decent chess player by now.

 

[YOLO]

Those who knock 8 ball don't understand the nuances of the game.

I think you are missing the point (even though I agree with your comment).

 

[Nine ... corner]

When I was growing up it seemed to me that there were only two games ...

8 Ball and Straight Pool

The second question about today's youth I would believe ...

9 Ball and 10 Ball

 

[Cory in DC]

Grew up with 8 ball; still like it but I prefer 1P. And bonus ball (lots of 1P-style strategy but with a faster pace).

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I grew up playing Rotation and Eight-ball, and occasionally Snooker. I truly wish I had known about One Pocket, earlier.

 

[DAVE_M]

My dad taught me to play 15 ball rotation when I was seven. I took a liking to 8-ball and started to play one pocket when I reached college. Now I'm more into playing 14.1.

 

[Str8PoolPlayer]

Grew up outside St. Louis. We had a 5x10 Brunswick "Kling" in the
Parlor and I was "allowed" to play at age 8. Straight Pool was THE game
with Rotation as an aside. Never played 8-Ball before joinIng the Navy in 1960.
I will play any and all of the games these days, but still prefer 14.1 or 1 Pocket,
and 4-6 hrs. of Snooker per week. 8-Ball League is OUT for me.
Seems the younger crowd prefers 9-Ball, then 8-Ball.
Hard Times (SacTown) tried 10-Ball for a while and eventually
returned to 9-Ball for their weekly/ monthly Tournaments.
As long as I'm playing "something" I'm a happy camper.

 

[RRfireblade]

Straight pool, think you youngsters call it 14.1 today.

The was no other game growing up.

 

[Johnnyt]

Mostly rotation,14.1, and 3 cushion billiards followed by 8 ball. My favorite was 3 cushion but not many gambled on it so I moved to 8 ball in the bars and 9 ball in the poolrooms. Johnnyt

 

[JB Cases]

Bar room 8 ball and golf on the snooker table.

 

[scratchs]

Rotation,str pool,bottle pool, bumper pool..then 8-ball..spanish rotation..
but mostly str pool an 8-ball..didn't play nine ball until I was in my forties.
played snooker for a while..not much of a following here..I play lots of golf
from time to time..for a while I had a few that would play one pocket..or banks
with me..buts these days it seems to be 8-ball an 9-ball..thou
I've notice a interest in 10-ball in the last year or so amongest
the gamblers..
have a good weekend.

 

[GoldCrown]

1 Ball (in the corner) or Odd Ball on Sat afternoon.....$.25 a way.

 

[TRWpool]

I grew up playing One Pocket, Nine Ball, and Straight Pool. I picked up Bank Pool, Near Ball, and some Snooker and Billiards. I would play Eight Ball but not much of it unless I was in one of the bars looking for action. The problem I had with 8 ball was that the rules change everywhere you go. It might take a half hour to get the rules straight depending on where you are playing.

Tom

 

[BRussell]

I grew up in the 1980s playing 8-ball and then after taking it more seriously in the 1990s playing mostly 9-ball.

Apparently my dad grew up in the 1950s in rural Illinois playing snooker. Who knew?

 

[FordSVTCobra]

9 ball mostly

 

[randyg]

14.1

randyg

 

[dr9ball]

I grew up playing bank pool and 9 ball.

 

[dwalding]

I spent my first 5 yrs playing 9 ball and some 8 ball, because it was popular. I switched to One Pocket in 1995, and never looked back since. But for the sake of improving my One Pocket game, I practiced Straight pool as well, and it helped. My suggestion is that if you wish to learn 9ball, then practice 1 pocket, your safeties, defense, and ball speed will improve. If you wish to learn 1 Pocket, then practice straight pool, if you wish to learn 8 ball, then play one pocket, straight pool and nine ball. Now you have offense, defense, and ball pocketing skills.