"A Brief History of the Game of Billiards" -- fascinating & entertaining article

[arnaldo]

Written by renowned billiards historian, Mike Shamos some years ago for the Billiards Congress of America. I'm posting the link to it here for the enjoyment of newer AZBers and any players who've never seen the article (or would like to re-read it):

https://bca-pool.com/page/39

Arnaldo
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[Catalin]

"Billiards historian"??? What a bunch of nonsense, just like the article which is full of errors.

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[Cornerman]

"Billiards historian"??? What a bunch of nonsense, just like the article which is full of errors.

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I’ll bite. Can you cite some examples? Shamos is one of our sport’s premier billiard historians and archivist. I’m sure if there are errors, Mike Shamos wouldn’t want them to be out there.

 

[VIProfessor]

I’ll bite. Can you cite some examples? Shamos is one of our sport’s premier billiard historians and archivist. I’m sure if there are errors, Mike Shamos wouldn’t want them to be out there.

Other inquiring minds would also like to know.

 

[justnum]

Concurrent to the development of billiards around the 18th century is the rise of Napier, Bernoulli, Euler, Laplace, Lagrange , Watt, Carnot, Cauchy and Weirstrass.

Of the group billiards would have been a great model for Lagrange and Cauchy to demonstrate higher level thinking.

The pool table is puzzle of special math concepts. From basic kinematics to more advanced notions.

 

[Cornerman]

To

Other inquiring minds would also like to know.

To be fair, The articles missteps with mention of “14.1 Continuous.” I believe someone accidentally put the “14.1” in there. The first “Continuous Pool” game didnt have the 14 and 1 concept, which was added by Jerome Keough years later. I’m sure Shamos knows that information as well as anyone.

 

[westcoast]

Thanks for posting- very clear and succinct

 

[ShootingArts]

Thanks Arnaldo!

A little light reading on pool is always welcome. I continue to read your Joe Frazier quote in your signature too although I have probably read it over a hundred times. I much admired Joe in his heyday. If we could have matched them both up in their prime I think a Joe Frazier/Mike Tyson fight would have been one for the ages.

Hu

 

[arnaldo]

Thanks Arnaldo!

A little light reading on pool is always welcome. I continue to read your Joe Frazier quote in your signature too although I have probably read it over a hundred times. I much admired Joe in his heyday. If we could have matched them both up in their prime I think a Joe Frazier/Mike Tyson fight would have been one for the ages.

Hu

Absolutely agree, Hu! You know your boxing. And their pre-match quotes to reporters during the days leading up to that matchup would have been gloriously appetizing

Arnaldo
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[VIProfessor]

Thanks Arnaldo!

A little light reading on pool is always welcome. I continue to read your Joe Frazier quote in your signature too although I have probably read it over a hundred times. I much admired Joe in his heyday. If we could have matched them both up in their prime I think a Joe Frazier/Mike Tyson fight would have been one for the ages.

Hu

Ooh! What a match up! I like Tyson in the early rounds due to his speed, power and head movement (at THAT stage in his career). But God help Tyson if it goes past round six!

 

[Bob Jewett]

To be fair, The articles missteps with mention of “14.1 Continuous.” I believe someone accidentally put the “14.1” in there. The first “Continuous Pool” game didnt have the 14 and 1 concept, which was added by Jerome Keough years later. I’m sure Shamos knows that information as well as anyone.

The online article was edited down from Shamos' much longer article that he prepared for the BCA 50th Anniversary edition of the Rules and Records book. Whoever did the editing combined the two games by mistake. I doubt that Shamos would have made that error.

 

[Bob Jewett]

And if anyone is interested in getting a copy of the 1998 BCA commemorative rule book that has that extended article, here you go. Delivered to your house for under $10. (I also have some extra copies of both the paperback and the hardback versions, but I can't beat the current online prices.)

AddALL used book and out of print book finder

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www.addall.com

 

[Cameron Smith]

What is interesting to me about pool history is just how long pool has been struggling to find the right game for competition. There has been pockets of stability at times but compared to something like Carom and Snooker, Pool has been pretty chaotic. 3 cushion was firmly established by the 1920s and snooker began supplanting English Billiards by the late 20s. Neither have ever looked back.

 

[Cornerman]

The online article was edited down from Shamos' much longer article that he prepared for the BCA 50th Anniversary edition of the Rules and Records book. Whoever did the editing combined the two games by mistake. I doubt that Shamos would have made that error.

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Thanks for the confirmation, Bob. I thought that was the case.

 

[arnaldo]

Thanks for the confirmation, Bob. I thought that was the case.

I'd appreciatively bet the house on just about any postulation by Freddie, Bob, SJM (Stu), Hu, or AtLarge -- to name just a few of the dozen or so AZBers who are always near the center of the bullseye on an amazing variety of pool issues.

Arnaldo
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