Oldest video of a billiards game

hang-the-9

hang-the-9

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Who here may know or have some ideas of what the oldest video of a cue sport game (3C, 14.1, whatever) is? And is it out there to see somewhere?
 
Cuebuddy

Cuebuddy

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I have a collection of very old videos that I purchased 25 years ago but they are on 8 track...maybe VCR🤓. I would like to convert them.

Cuebuddy >>>has a lot of things that I would like to do.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

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hang-the-9 said:
Who here may know or have some ideas of what the oldest video of a cue sport game (3C, 14.1, whatever) is? And is it out there to see somewhere?
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I recall seeing a film of Maurice Daly on YouTube that must have been from the 1930s or before. There are also some of Greenleaf in newsreels and shooting or trying to shoot trick shots.

Here is a silent newsreel without any date (and too many crowd shots):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFFCoDoydP4

Here is Hoppe and Cochran filmed in 1935 (probably posed shots) and narrated in 1960:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5zp4SetBQk

Here is Greenleaf struggling with trick shots:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqMUqyH1gY4
 
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Straightpool_99

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Cameron Smith said:
I don't know the date, but it's likely to be early 1930's

Highlights Tom Newman vs Walter Lindrum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D9FKQ-T790

Here is a 1 min video of Greenleaf running some balls. I've never seen this before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86ADMkiNOh4
Click to expand...

Watching Greenleaf play is great, wish there was more to be seen. I've seen the trickshot stuff, but would have been great to see an actual game, more than this short clip that is possibly staged? His stroke is weird. Very smooth action, pump handle motion and long follow through. He's flowing beautifully, looks like he's never going to miss.

Like the table too. Looks like it plays fast and "modern", but I can see that the talc "pigs" were around back then too...Looks like a snowstorm hit that table.
 
C

Cameron Smith

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Straightpool_99 said:
Watching Greenleaf play is great, wish there was more to be seen. I've seen the trickshot stuff, but would have been great to see an actual game, more than this short clip that is possibly staged? His stroke is weird. Very smooth action, pump handle motion and long follow through. He's flowing beautifully, looks like he's never going to miss.

Like the table too. Looks like it plays fast and "modern", but I can see that the talc "pigs" were around back then too...Looks like a snowstorm hit that table.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think most footage from matches from that era were staged. They layout Greenleaf had looks like how you spread them out by hand.

In terms of the stroke, I agree he has an interesting approach and even Tom Newman in the other clip has a stroke that deviates a bit from the modern cue action. It’s neat to see these guys on film after reading so much about them. The Billiard players in particular probably play about as well anyone has played anything on a table with balls and cues.
 
Tin Man

Tin Man

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roll off

trentfromtoledo said:
Here is Hoppe and Cochran filmed in 1935 (probably posed shots) and narrated in 1960:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5zp4SetBQk
Click to expand...

Thats crazy! I have one of those Tables, Brunswick "The Champ" ,but, the pocket version. Rare table, it in fact does not even show up in their archives!!

Cool video

TFT[/QUOTE]


All of these are fun videos, thanks for sharing!

The roll off on the first billiard shot was startling. I was watching the ball approach the end rail thinking "Why would they choose a miss for a highlight reel?" Then I saw the ball dribble back and make contact and I groaned. Sure have to appreciate how perfectly consistent our new equipment plays.

Anyway, all great things. Yeah, Greenleaf didn't look textbook by our standards today, but it was a different game back then and he helped pave the way. Great shooting.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

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Tin Man said:
... The roll off on the first billiard shot was startling. I was watching the ball approach the end rail thinking "Why would they choose a miss for a highlight reel?" Then I saw the ball dribble back and make contact and I groaned. Sure have to appreciate how perfectly consistent our new equipment plays. ...
Click to expand...
That was an ivory ball. I imagine for the actual competition they would have used better-balanced balls.
 
Fatboy

Fatboy

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And all this time I thought the big money match that Jay Helfert and Fred Flintstone played in Bedrock Billiards was the oldest known pool video(remastered from chiseled slate) was the oldest known video. Was like 1000 years ago.

J/k

Fatboy

PS: great thread.
 
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