The Snap Magazine

billiardhistory

Billiard History Buff
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Folks,

I posted this on the Main Forum before I realized there was a forum dedicated to Billiard and Pool History, which would have been more appropriate for the subject.

Anyway, I basically wanted to let people who might be interested know that there is a new memorial website dedicated to The Snap Magazine. If you're not familiar with The Snap, it was one of the most popular billiard magazines back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and is desribed in various venues as "the best of all pool publications," and as being "among the best billiard publications ever."

The Snap was known for its humorous and frank, no-holds-barred editorial tone, often publishing articles that did not sanitize or gloss over things like hustling, gambling and other topics most billiard publications of the day shied away from. The Hustler column alone was often worth the price of the magazine, since it profiled many well known billiard stars, telling honest stories about their early backgrounds as road men. With columnists, instruction writers and contributors like Benny "The Goose" Conway, Buddy Hall, Grady Mathews, Johnny Archer, Mike Massey, Ray Martin, David Howard, and many others, various issues of The Snap now read like a virtual history of the sport.

Anyone interested in billiard history should find the site worth at least a few minutes of their time. It contains articles on the magazine's history and other aspects of its development and lifespan, plus a section showcasing each individual issue, with stories about how they were conceived and put together, plus scanned graphics of the covers (with enlargements if you click on the cover), of the tables of contents, and of a selection of articles.

Because getting hold of Snap back issues is a rather expensive proposition today (many sell for up to $150 each, and a complete set might run you $1500 or more), those who do not own copies can learn a lot about the magazine and its history by visiting this website. If anyone is interesed, the site is located at:

http://www.thesnapmagazine.com/

There is also a Wikipedia page about The Snap at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snap_Magazine
 

STORMINORMAN

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
like everything in life cost continues to go up up up i have 3 issuses of the snap , 1 of which is the szamboti monthly that are 4 sale and a complete edition of billiard digest , 6 issuses, from 1978 in mint condition and other magazines
 

OneArmBandit

Registered
I just had someone Email me that The Snap Magazine archive/memorial was on line. I just logged in here for the first time in years to see if anyone had posted a link to this archive.

It's worth a look.

FWIW I was the "Production Editor" for the first issue, really just helping out doing the prepress film work.
 

billiardcue

11th Commandment
Silver Member
This magazine was the best pool magazine ever written. It was written by pool players for players and told it like it was.

I know Tom Shaw, Mike Panozzo and J.R. Calvert probably don't agree - all three publish excellent billiard magazines.

It's a shame that it only lasted 13 issues.

I have two complete sets for sale if anyone has an interest in them.
 

John Disque

Banned
Have 6 Issues

This magazine continues to sky-rocket in value and I'm entertaining the thought of releasing my collection, which includes 6 issues.

If anyone is interested - please respond.
 

billiardcue

11th Commandment
Silver Member
'The Snap' magazine

This magazine was the best pool magazine ever written. It was written by pool players for players and told it like it was.

I know Tom Shaw, Mike Panozzo and J.R. Calvert probably don't agree - all three publish excellent billiard magazines.

It's a shame that it only lasted 13 issues.

I have two complete sets for sale if anyone has an interest in them.

The final edition - Volume 3 number 1

snapmag_vol 3.jpg

Volume 1 numbers 1-6

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Volume 2 numbers 1-6

snapmag_vol 2.jpg
 

billiardcue

11th Commandment
Silver Member
The final edition - Volume 3 number 1

View attachment 427418

Volume 1 numbers 1-6

View attachment 427416

Volume 2 numbers 1-6

View attachment 427417

I have the following issues of “The Snap” magazine available:

1 - Complete set (13 issues) never mailed, pristine condition - $1,000.
1 - Complete set (13 issues) with mailing labels, excellent condition, Volume 1 Number 1 is a limited edition numbered reprint - $800.
2 - Volume 1 Number 1 limited edited numbered reprints pristine condition - $200.
1 - Volume 1 Number 2 pristine condition - $200.
 

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member

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Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I have extra copies of nine of the issues. My email: bobjewett@sonic.net

The site that was linked above with the history of the magazine and such seems to have been abandoned, presumably because it costs money to keep a site registered. Now it's filled with crap. Or maybe there was a copyright issue. Whatever the case, archive.org captured the site in 2010. Here it is:

http://web.archive.org/web/20101214044316/http://www.thesnapmagazine.com:80/

They have captured some other dates as well. I don't know if there were any significant changes.

If you use archive.org, remember to give them some money. Donations are voluntary and appreciated.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
In case anyone needs to fill out their collection, I have all but issue #2 available.
 

book collector

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I just had someone Email me that The Snap Magazine archive/memorial was on line. I just logged in here for the first time in years to see if anyone had posted a link to this archive.

It's worth a look.

FWIW I was the "Production Editor" for the first issue, really just helping out doing the prepress film work.

I worked prepress for about 30 years.I did most of my apprenticeship in a non union company, so I actually did about everything you could do in a printing company including hand set type.
Amazing that it was still being done for wedding invitations and specialty things . I was doing that in the late 60s
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I still have most issues available. $20 each plus shipping. Send me a PM.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
The first link is in German. Don't think it is about Snap.
A common problem on the internet is that web sites stop paying the rent. The person running the site loses interest, stops working on the site, and eventually abandons it. That's what happened to the first link in the first post above.

There is an organization that tries to save every web page that has ever existed. It is called archive.org. They have saved multiple copies of the original website linked above. Here is a link to the last version that was about Snap:

https://web.archive.org/web/20120309042524/http://www.thesnapmagazine.com/

That was from March, 2012. The following version of the site, in May, 2012, was a "This Account is Suspended" notice.

I was particularly amused by the prices they have listed there for old copies of "On The Snap" under the "Values" tab on the link just above. They say a full set of the 13 issues is valued at $1500. They may also have been selling bridges.;) Partial list of their values:

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