"play a ball better"

Counterspell

Registered
"play a ball better" or he plays 2 balls better than me, etc.

Donny says in the interview below that he could only improve a ball better at most. Donny already runs multiple packages, so what would a ball better imply?

How is this measurement determined? I was reading an old interview of Donny Mills on Massiveunderstatement.com

Here is a quote from Donny Mills;

Would you ever consider cutting back or quitting work in order to better your pool game?


No way! Not until I retire. With my ability I could get a ball better at the most. - See more at: http://massiveunderstatement.com/?p=11036#sthash.qmvONgDS.dpuf
 

victorl

Where'd my stroke go?
Silver Member
I always understood becoming a ball better as meaning you could give your old self a wild ball and still win (for example the 8 in 9-ball).
 

rrick33

Rick
Silver Member
I tend to think that "a ball better" is related to the average balls pocketed per inning over an extended series of attempts or the duration of a tournament where they track the data.

They have calculated these stats since at least the 1970's.
 
Last edited:

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've always thought of 9-ball being the gauge for that. I sort of agree with Victor's answer but I'm not sure about the wild ball thing. I thought it meant that you could spot your old self the 8 ball.

You can even gauge it against other players you play frequently. You give them the 7 ball now and when you get one ball better, you could give them the 6.
 

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
im not an instructor
but another way to think of it is for example
i used to beat the 6 ball ghost but now i beat the 7 ball ghost
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
im not an instructor
but another way to think of it is for example
i used to beat the 6 ball ghost but now i beat the 7 ball ghost
I think this is a much better way to gauge improvement than "I could give my old self the 8 ball". Among other advantages it is roughly independent of the table difficulty.
 

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I think this is a much better way to gauge improvement than "I could give my old self the 8 ball". Among other advantages it is roughly independent of the table difficulty.

thanks bob.....:wink:
 
Top