14.1 Origins (Continuous Pool)

[Mr. Bond]

This is an interesting article that was published during the formative years of the 14.1 game we know today...with the question raised of possibly adding more balls to a rack.

The well-informed writer, John Creahan of Philly, actually gets a little raw with his accusations about the game's "intent"...

" The main idea of it [continuous pool] was to give a false importance to pool by making the playing of it in matches similar to ordinary billiards"

" When Frey established the continuous pool game he destroyed all vestige of pool "

I find it at least a little bit amusing


Sporting Life Nov 15 1890

 

[Cameron Smith]

Very cool! I love the overreaction. These are great to read with hindsight. One of my favourite (non pool related), 19th century overreaction was the bemoaning the improved speed of postal delivery. He complained that now you can a letter and get a response within a week, people just send short poorly thought out letters. No one takes time to have a good conversation with a piece of paper and pen anymore. He would have blown a gasket over email lol.

Back on topic, the 19th century is a fascinating time for billiards. The development of the leather tip and use of chalk completely revolutionized the game such that they spent the next 80 years adjusting and changing rules to keep up with the ever increasing skill level of the players.

 

[Bob Jewett]

I don't think the game then had what we know now as the inter-rack break shot. I believe they ran all the balls off the table at one point per ball and then broke open a new rack with a smash break.

 

[sheffield6]

English pyramid pool - now known as snooker

 

[Cameron Smith]

I don't think the game then had what we know now as the inter-rack break shot. I believe they ran all the balls off the table at one point per ball and then broke open a new rack with a smash break.

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D06E1DD1330E233A25755C2A9669D946196D6CF

This article would seem to suggest there wasn`t a smash break used. This is an article from new york times illustrating Keogh's idea to implement an open break (break ball). In the title it says "keogh would do away with safety play", and later Keogh says "The balls are at first broken as usual...". Finally he contends it will help establish runs and averages. If players used a contemporary smash break, they would already have had runs and averages unless they alternated the break. But if they did use an alternate break I would expect this article would have made mention of it.

All this seems to indicate that there was a safety break at the start of every rack.

 

[alstl]

Interesting article, thanks for posting it.

 

[Bob Jewett]

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D06E1DD1330E233A25755C2A9669D946196D6CF

This article would seem to suggest there wasn`t a smash break used. This is an article from new york times illustrating Keogh's idea to implement an open break (break ball). In the title it says "keogh would do away with safety play", and later Keogh says "The balls are at first broken as usual...". Finally he contends it will help establish runs and averages. If players used a contemporary smash break, they would already have had runs and averages unless they alternated the break. But if they did use an alternate break I would expect this article would have made mention of it.

All this seems to indicate that there was a safety break at the start of every rack.

I suppose we need to ask Shamos or Ursitti, but I vaguely recall that the high run for the old style of "continuous" was more than 15, and maybe was held by de Oro. For normal play averages wouldn't mean much since the first shot of each rack would usually be a safe.

 

[Cameron Smith]

I suppose we need to ask Shamos or Ursitti, but I vaguely recall that the high run for the old style of "continuous" was more than 15, and maybe was held by de Oro. For normal play averages wouldn't mean much since the first shot of each rack would usually be a safe.

I tried looking through Ursitti's website but couldn't get the tournament records to load.

Though I did find this,

http://www.charlesursitti.com/archive/books/30GamesPoolBilliards.pdf

It lists continuous pool on page 7,

"The break can be closed only, without the option of the open break break, but certain features must be agreed upon. The players may break alternatively in succeeding frames; the one who makes the last ball of each frame may have his choice as to whether he or his opponent shall break next; or the new tournament style loose ball break may be played."

Although this doesn't settle the matter, I still feel it alludes to a closed break at the beginning of each of successive frame. I also have seen on wikipedia that the article on straight pool indicates that players started using safety breaks as the ability to run balls increased. However I can't find a source on the article. Though that would explain why there was a high run of more than 15 if they once used an open break. But I have to imagine making balls on the break playing on a 10 foot table with clay balls and slow cloth would be very very difficult.