10 footers

H

Highroller54

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Was wondering, why is the industry moving away from 4.5 x 9 foot tables to 10 footers?

Does it have something to do with telecasting/TV or something else?

Thanks
 
Highroller54 said:
Was wondering, why is the industry moving away from 4.5 x 9 foot tables to 10 footers?

Does it have something to do with telecasting/TV or something else?

Thanks
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My take on things is that for a long time Earl had been saying no one could beat him on a 10ft table.

A few years back Shane and Earl matched up in Ohio on a converted 10ft snooker table. That match created quite a buzz. (there was also much talk about the quality of that conversion, or lack there of)

Since that match the it never completly died down. Many people swore 10ft tables were a dead subject and never going to make a comeback. (pre World War II major pool titles were decided on 10ft tables) Others like myself hope that they do. I personaly do not think pockets tighter than 4 1/2 are a good thing. I think that moving to the larger table is the answer. (I could even go for what Diamond calls league cut pockets on the 10's)

The Diamond Pool Table Co. stepped up and built 4 tables last year for a special invite 10ball tournament. Again lots of buzz and a great event.

So, lately there has been a small movement in the 10ft dirrection. I'm excited about it.
 
I'll just mention Greenleaf for the sake of conversation...

Today, what 19 year old kid has won any world titles for 14.1?

On a ten foot table?

And if so, how many in a row?

I totally realize that I'm in the minority here, but, the ten footer, in my mind, is the way its supposed to be.

Until we match, or exceed, records of the past, all the technology in the world means nothing.
 
IDK but I like the Diamond 10s.I hope the pros play on em more.IMO pros on 7s is good only if they don't play ever bar table event.

I can't wait to play some 1p on a Diamond 10 footer.
 
Earl and Shane matched again this past week on a 10' Gold Crown. They went hill-hill race to 25.

MoonshineMattK said:
My take on things is that for a long time Earl had been saying no one could beat him on a 10ft table.

A few years back Shane and Earl matched up in Ohio on a converted 10ft snooker table. That match created quite a buzz. (there was also much talk about the quality of that conversion, or lack there of)

Since that match the it never completly died down. Many people swore 10ft tables were a dead subject and never going to make a comeback. (pre World War II major pool titles were decided on 10ft tables) Others like myself hope that they do. I personaly do not think pockets tighter than 4 1/2 are a good thing. I think that moving to the larger table is the answer. (I could even go for what Diamond calls league cut pockets on the 10's)

The Diamond Pool Table Co. stepped up and built 4 tables last year for a special invite 10ball tournament. Again lots of buzz and a great event.

So, lately there has been a small movement in the 10ft dirrection. I'm excited about it.
Click to expand...
 
ctyhntr said:
Earl and Shane matched again this past week on a 10' Gold Crown. They went hill-hill race to 25.
Click to expand...

I watched as much as the stream would allow.

After reading you post in another thread about the table used in that match I did some research. Tate has part of his palmercollector site dedicated to Brunswick and the 1952 catalogue lists the Centennial being avaliable in 10ft pocket but not the Anniversary. Couldnt find anything decisive yet as to Gold Crown's being built in 10ft pocket.
 
Someone else commented that the 10' GC was converted from a snooker table. I don't know what are the tell-tale signs. Next time I go back to Steinway, I'll take a closer look at the table.

Last week, Earl and Darren Appleton were playing scotch doubles against Johnny Archer and Dennis Hatch on that same table.

MoonshineMattK said:
I watched as much as the stream would allow.

After reading you post in another thread about the table used in that match I did some research. Tate has part of his palmercollector site dedicated to Brunswick and the 1952 catalogue lists the Centennial being avaliable in 10ft pocket but not the Anniversary. Couldnt find anything decisive yet as to Gold Crown's being built in 10ft pocket.
Click to expand...
 
I believe one or two 10 tables would do alright in an action room or a room where there are a lot of regular hard core players. If I still had my room I'd put in a good used Brunswick first to test the waters. I would let the players know that if the 10 foot stays full and a good profit comes in from it I would buy a new 10' Diamond or a brand they like in that part of the woods. IMO I think 10' tables are back in a limited roll ending up with one or two in the better rooms. Johnnyt
 
MoonshineMattK said:
I watched as much as the stream would allow.

After reading you post in another thread about the table used in that match I did some research. Tate has part of his palmercollector site dedicated to Brunswick and the 1952 catalogue lists the Centennial being avaliable in 10ft pocket but not the Anniversary. Couldnt find anything decisive yet as to Gold Crown's being built in 10ft pocket.
Click to expand...

We have a 10 ft. GC in my town, I believe it to be original. As a former, now part time mechanic I have had this table apart a few times and the rails have not been changed. The problem with converting modern snooker rails to pool rails is the thickness of the rail.

Wow, have not hit a ball on that table in about 10 years and now I have a jones for it. Man that place is a dive... Thanks a lot Guys:cool:
 
Agree

MoonshineMattK said:
My take on things is that for a long time Earl had been saying no one could beat him on a 10ft table.

A few years back Shane and Earl matched up in Ohio on a converted 10ft snooker table. That match created quite a buzz. (there was also much talk about the quality of that conversion, or lack there of)

Since that match the it never completly died down. Many people swore 10ft tables were a dead subject and never going to make a comeback. (pre World War II major pool titles were decided on 10ft tables) Others like myself hope that they do. I personaly do not think pockets tighter than 4 1/2 are a good thing. I think that moving to the larger table is the answer. (I could even go for what Diamond calls league cut pockets on the 10's)

The Diamond Pool Table Co. stepped up and built 4 tables last year for a special invite 10ball tournament. Again lots of buzz and a great event.

So, lately there has been a small movement in the 10ft dirrection. I'm excited about it.
Click to expand...

Some top players at that event said the table was a train wreck ( Youngstown Event ) but it was later said the promoters were sending it to some expert in S.C. To have it redone. I am guessing once Diamond came in and made a real 10 footer they scrapped the idea of trying to salvage the old snooker table.
 
Never forget those who came before us to pave the way.

Mr. Bond said:
I'll just mention Greenleaf for the sake of conversation...

Today, what 19 year old kid has won any world titles for 14.1?

On a ten foot table?

And if so, how many in a row?

I totally realize that I'm in the minority here, but, the ten footer, in my mind, is the way its supposed to be.

Until we match, or exceed, records of the past, all the technology in the world means nothing.
Click to expand...



You should consider your words more carefully before telling one of the great care takers of the game to "deal with it".


vapoolplayer said:
So we should play on 8 ft tables with 6" pockets until someone runs 527 before we can move on???

14:1 is dead as far as a large scale game. Deal with it. Has nothing to do with talent or skill level of players......times change.
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vapoolplayer said:
14:1 is dead as far as a large scale game. Deal with it. Has nothing to do with talent or skill level of players......times change.
Click to expand...

It will never be the game of choice in tournaments again, but it seems that every week I read an interview of another rotation player that is starting to get interested in it. It is great to watch on the 10 foot table IMO.

It's not like Diamond is abandoning the 4 1/2 x 9, but the 10' table they had set up at SBE sure drew the attention of plenty of both amateurs and pros. I think they all like the challenge, and when a legend like Earl comes out and says he'll beat everybody on the 10 footer, well, that's really laying down the gauntlet.

Diamond says they now have a steady source of 30mm thick 10' slate to make one-piece tops in quantity. They would not be sourcing this material if they thought this was just a flash in the pan. Look for them to start appearing with increased frequency.
 
franko said:
Some top players at that event said the table was a train wreck ( Youngstown Event ) but it was later said the promoters were sending it to some expert in S.C. To have it redone. I am guessing once Diamond came in and made a real 10 footer they scrapped the idea of trying to salvage the old snooker table.
Click to expand...

The table was bought from a room in charleston, SC for the Earl / Shane match. I don't think any work was done to it between it leaving the room and them playing on it. When I took my rails to Mark Gregory in Atlanta to have them made perfect, he was midway through doing the necessary work on the Earl / Shane table's rails to make them play right. It wasn't scrapped, but I haven't a clue where it lives today.
 
franko said:
Some top players at that event said the table was a train wreck ( Youngstown Event ) but it was later said the promoters were sending it to some expert in S.C. To have it redone. I am guessing once Diamond came in and made a real 10 footer they scrapped the idea of trying to salvage the old snooker table.
Click to expand...

My understanding is that Mark Gregory straightened out the rails on that Gold Crown and it plays perfect now. Mr. Gregory posts on the forum under the name perfectpocketz. If you search around there are pics of his work and the pics do better justice than anything I could say.


This is a Centennial snooker conversion by Mark Gregory:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=277736&highlight=centennial+ready+action
 
UOTE=MoonshineMattK;4115721] My take on things is that for a long time Earl had been saying no one could beat him on a 10ft table.

A few years back Shane and Earl matched up in Ohio on a converted 10ft snooker table. That match created quite a buzz. (there was also much talk about the quality of that conversion, or lack there of)

Since that match the it never completly died down. Many people swore 10ft tables were a dead subject and never going to make a comeback. (pre World War II major pool titles were decided on 10ft tables) Others like myself hope that they do. I personaly do not think pockets tighter than 4 1/2 are a good thing. I think that moving to the larger table is the answer. (I could even go for what Diamond calls league cut pockets on the 10's)

The Diamond Pool Table Co. stepped up and built 4 tables last year for a special invite 10ball tournament. Again lots of buzz and a great event.

So, lately there has been a small movement in the 10ft dirrection. I'm excited about it. [/QUOTE]

I'm with you. I hope they do come back. I understand some of the problems but we are not making golf courses smaller. There is the NFL & there is Arena Ball. They are not the same.

Pros should play on 10' tables & all major championshps should be on 10' tables. That should be the standard 'official' pro table, with standard pockets. Smaller tables with standard pockets should be for the less than pro level players. For pros, those tables should have slightly smaller pockets to be considered an 'official' pro table. The game needs standards, including the cue ball. But... that is not condusive to manufacturers making money so the BCA or who ever the governing body is or becomes if one ever truely developes will not set tight standards.

If I remember correctly a 88 x 44 table was called a regulation table & a 90 x 45 table was called an official table. Back then 2 & 1 inch made a difference. If you wanted something to be 'official' it could not be on a table smaller than 90 x 45. Now there playing on tables less than 84 x 42. And... I do 'real eyes' that smaller tables are more congested, but that does not make much of a difference in 9 & 10 ball.

Obviously all of the above are just my humble opinions.

Regards
 
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Where I play at Executive Billiards in Indy there is a converted 10 footer and it gets a fair amount of use, but I don't think you'd find many people saying it is their preference. I like to practice on it from time to time, but playing games or matches on it just isn't that much fun. My point is I think how psyched some people are about ten footers may change if you got a chance to play a few sets on one.
 
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