anybody know how the thing came to pass?
measles ball origin
- Thread starter evergruven
- Start date
Was Aramiths version of a "practice" ball.
IIRC, it was introduced at a US Open for television to show spin for the viewers. Might have been Buddy and Keiths match 2003, cant remember for sure.
Wasnt originally meant to be a regular cue ball.
The ball with six red spots was introduced for 3-cushion billiards to show the spin on TV, especially for the WBA events. At first they were hard to get and presumably harder to manufacture. I believe they were first used about 2000.
Here is a video of them being used at the Conlon Worldcup in Las Vegas in 2001:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O66HZDk3SIs
Here is a video of them being used at the Conlon Worldcup in Las Vegas in 2001:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O66HZDk3SIs
thanks for the replies. I was inspired to ask because a guy I met today claimed to invent a "ball with dots on it" forty years ago.
he said the dots were small and were used for aiming purposes, rather than to show spin.
I think the measles ball is pure garbage.
Did you meet this guy in a booth at Super Billiard Expo? There was a guy selling cueball with spotted symbols to help you aim.
thanks for the replies. I was inspired to ask because a guy I met today claimed to invent a "ball with dots on it" forty years ago.
he said the dots were small and were used for aiming purposes, rather than to show spin.
They are the same as the red logo ball, they just have some dots on them
They are invaluable for practice. I don't care one way or another in competition. I know a lot of people are off put but them, only because they look different. For a time I was convinced they were a little more lively that other cb's as it seemed a little easier to make it dance, but I was mistaken.
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The first time I saw one was when Jim Rempe was endorsing them as a practice ball. That had to be 25 or 30 years ago.
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I met him at a thrift store actually, a stranger who spotted me wearing a triangle rack as a necklace and thought to say hi
apparently the guy worked as a scientist/trick shot artist back in the day.
I like the measles ball most of the time, but have discovered that it confuses my aim when using a snooker cue.
thanks for the replies!
Like the Skittles colored ball sets, regardless of how they originated they are a totally unnecessary revision to traditional colors other than being a better color palette for television. It could be argued that the measles ball changes the game since the spin is easier for you and your opponent to see. Nobody needs either for a home table...natuarally I use a measles cue ball, Cyclops TV balls and Tournament blue cloth at home just in case the cameras show up.
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I don't prefer the mumps balls!
I'm just guessing a TV producer saw close up shots of the original ball coming to rest which looked like it was just sitting there and lacking the "action" that was still playing out. "He" most likely called up Aramith who had a great idea how to make a better ball out of new material that nobody really cared about and since they were all great ideas they made a product that would be sold on TV and reruns forever by existence and get every pool player to buy one because the pros use it.
Just guessing though...
I have mine, don't you?
The measles ball was almost entirely eradicated in the US for some time. Then a group of players based mostly on false information or religious belief chose to no longer have their cue balls vaccinated. This is why we have seen a resurgence in Measles Balls both in the US and World Wide. Now you see them every where!