In The Kitchen

[Island Drive]

Does anyone know what century/decade this expression came into being?

It feels like it was Before the depression, I feel confident our world created this Fun saying.
Sounds like a gambling/expression to lighten up the moment$$$$$$ of your wallet deflation.
I find it interesting that Pickle Ball has chosen this word, but not really. Kitchen saying, sounds allot less Military than GET ''behind the line''.
I remember Grandma telling us kids during a Big/Thanksgiving/Christmas meal to ''get out of the kitchen'' as we would sneak in and try to get a cookie or something when her back was turned.

 

[sjm]

My understanding is that in less affluent homes that didn't have a true billiard room, the pool table would sometimes stretch to the edge of the kitchen, so some shots would have to be played, essentially, from in the kitchen. Hence, the part of the table from which one often had to step into the kitchen to shoot came to be called the kitchen.

 

[alphadog]

OP , so glad this isn't about ladies playing pool.

 

[FeelDaShot]

My understanding is that in less affluent homes that didn't have a true billiard room, the pool table would sometimes stretch to the edge of the kitchen, so some shots would have to be played, essentially, from, in the kitchen. Hence, the part of the table from which one often had to step into the kitchen to shoot came to be called the kitchen.

I've heard this before too. The room would be too small for the pool table so you would have to stand in the kitchen entrance when you break.

 

[Island Drive]

OP , so glad this isn't about ladies playing pool.

You shoulda seen the men in Germany Worlds/Konigswinter, 93?
Opening festivities, before the women came out and danced.
A large group of men with skirts and all the bling....to entertain the players from around the globe.
The men, it felt to me, did an opening festivity mocking kinda dance, they All dressed up just like the gals did that followed their gig, must of been German Humor. Was odd for me to see grown men in mustaches doing this for entertainment, felt odd. Was all in good fun, but unusual for this young American being in ''that moment''. Souquet and Mika came on the scene then.

 

[Island Drive]

My understanding is that in less affluent homes that didn't have a true billiard room, the pool table would sometimes stretch to the edge of the kitchen, so some shots would have to be played, essentially, from in the kitchen. Hence, the part of the table from which one often had to step into the kitchen to shoot came to be called the kitchen.

Then Whom in the Pickle ball world chose to use this billiard term for court play. You can run into the Pickle kitchen and hit a ball, but your not allowed to stay there and return another volley.

 

[sjm]

Then Whom in the Pickle ball world chose to use this billiard term for court play. You can run into the Pickle kitchen and hit a ball, but your not allowed to stay there and return another volley.

Calling the term "the kitchen" a billiard term is a stretch. The more familiar slang use of the term "the kitchen" is from Harry Truman's speech in which he said "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." The kitchen, in this instance, refers to a place or situation in which the pressure is highest, a place or situation one shouldn't approach unless one accepts the inherent risks of entry.

 

[Island Drive]

I like it, but the pool table was around long before Truman was borne.

 

[sjm]

I like it, but the pool table was around long before Truman was borne.

Yes, and the apostle Matthew and Jesus were around before Abraham Lincoln.

In Matthew 12:25, we find: "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand"

Yes, some 1800 years later, Lincoln, in his legendary "House Divided" speech, also noted that a "house divided against itself shall not stand."

... and yet nearly all of us attribute this usage to Abraham Lincoln.

 

[Island Drive]

..................

 

[pt109]

I assumed the term ‘kitchen’ came from the beginning of 8-ball leagues.
……when I started in the 60s, I never heard the term….it was ‘behind the line’ or the snooker related ‘in balk’.
I quit playing for a few years and when I came back, ‘kitchen’ was much used.

 

[Korsakoff]

My understanding is that in less affluent homes that didn't have a true billiard room, the pool table would sometimes stretch to the edge of the kitchen, so some shots would have to be played, essentially, from in the kitchen. Hence, the part of the table from which one often had to step into the kitchen to shoot came to be called the kitchen.

The Wiki of Cue Sports Terms agrees with you:

Kitchen: The area on the table behind the head string.[5]

The origin of the term has been the subject of some speculation but the best explanation known is that in the 1800s, many homes did not have room for both a billiard table and a dining room table. The solution was a billiards table that had a cover converting it into a dining table. Kept in the dining room, play on such a table was often restricted by the size of the room, so it would be placed so that the head rail would face the connected kitchen door, thus affording a player room for the backswing without hitting a wall.

A player was therefore either half or sometimes fully (literally) "in the kitchen" when breaking the balls.[1] See also baulk.

 

[cjr3559]

I wish we could glean insight from Robert Byrne about it’s usage. He seems a likely person to have resurrected it during the 1970s.

 

[Island Drive]

I'm more curious as to whom made the decision in Pickle Ball to utilize this billiard term?

 

[hurricane145]

in the 1800s, many homes did not have room for both a billiard table and a dining room table. The solution was a billiards table that had a cover converting it into a dining table.

The fancy eatin' table!

 

[spartan]

So let's ask so called "expert" chatGPT.

So apparently originated from snooker and its miliary roots. and not orginated from pickleball.

What about the kitchen in pickleball? chatgpt has no idea

So we go to good old google and this says kitchen in pickleball originated from shuffleboard

The Pickleball Kitchen: What Is It And Why Is It Called The Kitchen??

Pickleballers everywhere can be heard referring to the kitchen while playing. This term can be a cause for confusion among some players who have never heard it.

www.amazinaces.com

So we go back to chatgpt again to ask about origin in shuffleboard and it now has few origin stories. As chatgpt usually hedges its answers, have to take them with pinch of salt

 

[Cornerman]

I wish we could glean insight from Robert Byrne about it’s usage. He seems a likely person to have resurrected it during the 1970s.

Quite sure Byre wrote that “in the kitchen” was the same as Post #12 or similar. I’ve always understood the same that somehow, the placement of the pool table with such that someone breaking would be standing in or near the kitchen

Incidentally, my first pool table… I also put it in the living room, which was open to the kitchen and dining area just like thousands before did. I also was literally breaking from the kitchen.

 

[arnaldo]

Quite sure Byre wrote that “in the kitchen” was the same as Post #12 or similar. I’ve always understood the same that somehow, the placement of the pool table with such that someone breaking would be standing in or near the kitchen

Incidentally, my first pool table… I also put it in the living room, which was open to the kitchen and dining area just like thousands before did. I also was literally breaking from the kitchen.

You're all too young to know the true origin.

It's called the kitchen in several sports for the very logical reason that it's where you SERVE from -- as with the kitchens of all homes, no matter how basic or ultra-luxurious the housing may be.

Arnaldo ~ I'm in my ninth decade and I heard that fact from my Lithuanian immigrant great-grandfather who was estimably skilled at a dozen sports.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

[Island Drive]

Nice read thx.....

 

[tomatoshooter]

So let's ask so called "expert" chatGPT.
View attachment 704567

So apparently originated from snooker and its miliary roots. and not orginated from pickleball.

What about the kitchen in pickleball? chatgpt has no idea
View attachment 704569

View attachment 704571

So we go to good old google and this says kitchen in pickleball originated from shuffleboard

The Pickleball Kitchen: What Is It And Why Is It Called The Kitchen??

Pickleballers everywhere can be heard referring to the kitchen while playing. This term can be a cause for confusion among some players who have never heard it.

www.amazinaces.com

So we go back to chatgpt again to ask about origin in shuffleboard and it now has few origin stories. As chatgpt usually hedges its answers, have to take them with pinch of salt
View attachment 704572

I'd take that with a grain of salt. I guess some lawyers used chatGPT to write one of their filings. Apparently chatGPT made up fictitious cases and cited them as precedent.

It's called the kitchen in several sports for the very logical reason that it's where you SERVE from -- as with the kitchens of all homes, no matter how basic or ultra-luxurious the housing may be.

I had always heard the other story about standing in the kitchen door but yours makes a lit more sense. If you have to stand even partially in another room to break, there are going to be a LOT of shots where you are bumping into walls, enough to take all the fun out of the game.