1. When did they start numbering the object balls?
2. What was the reasoning for numbering them?
2. What was the reasoning for numbering them?
2 questions about the object balls
- Thread starter Positively Ralf
- Start date
You could say round white ball with the yellow stripe banked into the opposite side pocket... or you just say... 9 cross side. :smile:
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I believe the earliest numbered ball game had to do with assigning a score to the various balls. I don't know if they ran 1 through 15, or if it was more like snooker (1 point for some balls...maybe 5 points for a couple of balls).
15-ball pool started sometime around 1870 I believe. According to some history thing I read, the original game was called 61-pool, or what we'd call Rotation today (the 61-point competitive version, not the practice drill), and obviously you'd want to write the point value of the ball on it. Shortly after, a betting game for three players called Kelly Pool came along. I'm not sure when solids and stripes became a thing, probably around 1900, when 8-ball pool started.
True, in 8-ball it seems you don't need the numbers. You could play Blackball like in the UK where you just have reds and yellows, and the black. But I could never adjust to a cue ball that is smaller than the object balls, seriously what the hell.
True, in 8-ball it seems you don't need the numbers. You could play Blackball like in the UK where you just have reds and yellows, and the black. But I could never adjust to a cue ball that is smaller than the object balls, seriously what the hell.
You could name them.
"Joe in the side pocket off Harry."
"How about a game of Sam-ball?"
"Damn, Wayne and Debbie are dead to his pocket. I hope he doesn't see 'em."
This was the original (?) form of eight ball that was marketed in the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. rule book in 1925. I think it was a ploy to sell different ball sets. It used reds and yellows. That is also what was used at several national eight ball championships run by the BCA around 1980 or so. At that time the balls were called "Casino Eight Ball". Of course the BCA rules were not call-shot at that time.
Ralf, can you name the game where numbered balls have no significance (nor color, for that matter)? :smile:
One-ball one-pocket
That raises a question I never considered: Is English Blackball a call-pocket game?
If I say "red in the corner pocket" how do you know which red ball I'm referring to? You might assume I mean the first-ball-contacted direct into the pocket...while I mean a combo to the red ball sitting next to the pocket.
Sorry to sideline your thread, but it's one of those things that will keep me awake at night. :grin:
Found the answer. No it is not a call-pocket game: http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/index.asp?id=120
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Russian Pyramid, duh. Now there's a strange-ass game, after the break there's no designated cue ball, you can smack any numbered ball into any other numbered ball and if either one of them pockets it's all good.
Sorry Ralf. The answer is Bowling. Bowling.
Vanna, could we have our next contestant, please.
Sorry Ralf. The answer is Bowling. Bowling.
Vanna, could we have our next contestant, please.
Ah, man, that's not fair....this is a pool forum....and I really needed the money...:crying:
Gimme me another chance...uh, how about some gin rummy?
ze game of bankzzzzzzz lol
Wrong....."seven, cross side....eight, two in the corner....etc."
One-ball one pocket...numbers don't matter.