6 Unknown Billiard Facts

jason

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Billiard and the Law

The billiard game was outlawed for many years and in different countries: still at the early days of billiard, the game was accused of being immoral. Therefore, this faulty activity and its devoted players were chased by the Church. On the early history of American billiards, when the term "pool room" was still a synonym for horse betting parlor, the game was illegal in many states. Even Thomas Jefferson had to hide a billiard table in his residency.

1st World Championship

Nevertheless, the first world championship in sports history was the 1873 World Billiards Championship. William Cook won the title. John Roberts was the runner up.

Billiard and Celebs

Other historic celebrities who had owned a billiard table include King Louis XI and Mary the Queen of Scots (whose billiard table cloth was used by her assassins as cerements). Captain Mingaud, whose responsible for inventing the leather cue tip, had a billiard table in his prison cell.

Pool halls History

The first public pool hall in history was built in England during the end of the 18th century. The pool hall featured one billiard table with one pocket. The biggest pool hall in history was built in Detroit in the 1920s; it featured more than 100 tables in addition to an exhibition room attached to a 250-seats theatre hall.

Billiard's French Origins

The term "billiard" is derived from the French word for mace – billiart. Before the cue stick was invented (the term "cue" also has French origins. Queue, is tail in French), a wooden mace with a handle, similar to a tail, was used to shoot the balls. For a long period after the cue stick invention, only men were allowed to use it; women billiard players were automatically accused of misusing the cue and ripping the table cloth.

Billiard's 1st Female Champion

The first woman who won in World Billiard Champion was actually a man. The woman billiard champion, who was known by the name of Frances Anderson and for outplaying (almost) every man and woman in both the American and European billiards world throughout the first centuries of the 20th century, came out as a man that was born under the name of Orie and created quite a stir on the 1920s billiards circle.
 
I didn't know billiards was outlawed for years and immoral! Unbelievable.
 
Billiard and the Law

The biggest pool hall in history was built in Detroit in the 1920s; it featured more than 100 tables in addition to an exhibition room attached to a 250-seats theatre hall.

Anyone have more info on this? Where was it located, the name, is the building still there?
 
Billiard and the Law


Billiard and Celebs
Other historic celebrities who had owned a billiard table include King Louis XI and Mary the Queen of Scots (whose billiard table cloth was used by her assassins as cerements). Captain Mingaud, whose responsible for inventing the leather cue tip, had a billiard table in his prison cell.



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Mary queen of Scots also had a table in her prison cell. And Capt. Mingaud actually asked to be held in prison longer so that he could keep perfecting his tip and his game.
 
Billiards fatality

I heard that someone died trying to put a cue ball into his mouth.

I heard there has only ever been one fatality in the game of billiards - namely, a player once put a cue ball in his mouth for a bet and was unable to get it out again - poor fellow. Is this true?

There have since been people who can perform this feat (SAFELY!), but I wouldn't recommend trying!

Can anyone verify this information?

Thanks.
 
Mary queen of Scots also had a table in her prison cell. And Capt. Mingaud actually asked to be held in prison longer so that he could keep perfecting his tip and his game.

Correct.....Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned by her cousin Queen Elizabeth of England (2nd cousins) and later executed for conspiring to overthrow Elizabeth.


Terry <decendant of a clan sworn to defend the life of Mary Queen of Scots son.:smile:
 
I heard there has only ever been one fatality in the game of billiards - namely, a player once put a cue ball in his mouth for a bet and was unable to get it out again - poor fellow. Is this true?

Seems I remember seeing this on 101 ways to die....I do forget the details,seems the CB was of the bigger variety maybe...not sure?? Not a new bar trick for the dude,just his last one.
 
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Anyone have more info on this? Where was it located, the name, is the building still there?

Detroit Recreation. I believe it closed in about 1970. Several floors with pool tables on one, billiard tables on another and snooker (6x12's) on a third.
 
I didn't know billiards was outlawed for years and immoral! Unbelievable.

It was likely the gambling aspects of the game that were considered immoral this probably blended over to outlawing the game in some places. Remember kings of France,England and elsewhere played and gambled at the early forms of billiards on a regular basis. By the mid 1800's though I'm pretty sure any laws prohibiting pool were localized since the White House had one of the early Brunswicks.:thumbup:
 
Great Info....Wow, all new to me. Thanks for the quick education on the begining of Billiards.

Gave you some GREENIES for a wonderful post!!
 
It was likely the gambling aspects of the game that were considered immoral this probably blended over to outlawing the game in some places. Remember kings of France,England and elsewhere played and gambled at the early forms of billiards on a regular basis. By the mid 1800's though I'm pretty sure any laws prohibiting pool were localized since the White House had one of the early Brunswicks.:thumbup:

I'm just saying, thank God we are not living in those times.

That being said, our times are still very primitive and foolish compared to what is coming.
 
At the height of the snooker boom in the Far East there was a club in Singapore which had 40 tables..............on each floor.

It had ten floors.

The locals used to play gambling with only three reds, booking the table off and on after every rack.
 
I am going off the top of my head, but I believe when first imprisoned Mary complained that it was cruel and in-human for her to not have access to her billiard table. Obviously her request had merit, her billiard table was soon shipped to the island.

Also the first US tournament was held in New York in 1866 and won by a Canadian, (Cyrille Dion) here is a picture from the Harpers Weekly when they covered it. Another tid bit, later his brother Joseph(also pictured) was thought to have gone insane, but some figured he was poisoned shortly before an important match. Billiards was obviously quite important back then.

Mike
 

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