Back in the old days.

[Chopdoc]

Back in the old days they typically played on larger tables with shorter cues. Figure that out.

But of course, carom games were more popular. I sometimes reflect on the idea that Reyes played carom for a few years before breaking into pool and ruling the world.

While we are at it, why do carom cues seem to be in general more expensive than pool cues?

We recently had a post about a certain masse shot being nearly impossible. What would Reyes say? What would carom/billiard players say? You will tear the cloth? one in how many attempts? What would Ralph Greenleaf say?

Discussion?

 

[Chopdoc]

 

[straightline]

Carom guys might tend to be better heeled? Also way less volume here.

On piquets; I can't get enough speed without thumping the cloth. On vertical masses, simply letting the cue down with minimal force works for anything low powered - even tight yoo eez.

 

[pt109]

Shorter cues have stronger hits.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Doctors made house calls, with a Black Magic Bag, and arrived in Buick or Horse Drawn Carriage.

 

[mikemosconi]

Guys were just not as tall from 1900 to the 1960s in general and a 57 inch cue was probably an ideal cue length at the time.
I am 5 foot 9 and a 57 inch cue always felt better in my hands in terms of overall balance.

 

[Chopdoc]

Guys were just not as tall from 1900 to the 1960s in general and a 57 inch cue was probably an ideal cue length at the time.
I am 5 foot 9 and a 57 inch cue always felt better in my hands in terms of overall balance.

The average adult male in the US since about 1960 is 5'9" (this graph does not show that but is a good reference for the change over time in the 20th century) You hit the average on the mark at 5'9". You say 57 is perfect for you, but typical cues today are 58.

So, you are correct about the change in height up to 1960, but there are still some unexplained aspects about cue length I think.

 

[JPB2]

Guys were just not as tall from 1900 to the 1960s in general and a 57 inch cue was probably an ideal cue length at the time.
I am 5 foot 9 and a 57 inch cue always felt better in my hands in terms of overall balance.

Carom cues are still typically 56”. I think many cues were shorter way back when, like 54-55 in the carom crowd. Not totally sure of 1920 specs though…

 

[briankenobi]

Can someone point me to this post about the seemingly impossible masse shot?

 

[pt109]

The average adult male in the US since about 1960 is 5'9" (this graph does not show that but is a good reference for the change over time in the 20th century) You hit the average on the mark at 5'9". You say 57 is perfect for you, but typical cues today are 58.

So, you are correct about the change in height up to 1960, but there are still some unexplained aspects about cue length I think.

I’m 6 feet with a 6-3 wing span. When I was a young snooker player, Brunswick of Canada only supplied 60 inch cues, on the misconception that a longer table needed a longer cue….I kept fiddling with that length till I found that 57 inches was right for me…the shorter length gave me the power I needed. I eventually acquired a carom cue…56 inches with 11.5 tip with a carom taper….found I could play better with 57 inches.
I shortened every pool cue to 57 also. I feel that a cue should accommodate what you want to do with the cueball, and it’s up to the player to adjust to that, no matter how tall or short you are.

 

[14oneman]

Back in the old days they typically played on larger tables with shorter cues. Figure that out.

But of course, carom games were more popular. I sometimes reflect on the idea that Reyes played carom for a few years before breaking into pool and ruling the world.

While we are at it, why do carom cues seem to be in general more expensive than pool cues?

We recently had a post about a certain masse shot being nearly impossible. What would Reyes say? What would carom/billiard players say? You will tear the cloth? one in how many attempts? What would Ralph Greenleaf say?

Discussion?

Grew up playing on 5' X 10' Brunswick Centennials'....STILL my preferred size for a table...

 

[Chopdoc]

I’m 6 feet with a 6-3 wing span. When I was a young snooker player, Brunswick of Canada only supplied 60 inch cues, on the misconception that a longer table needed a longer cue….I kept fiddling with that length till I found that 57 inches was right for me…the shorter length gave me the power I needed. I eventually acquired a carom cue…56 inches with 11.5 tip with a carom taper….found I could play better with 57 inches.
I shortened every pool cue to 57 also. I feel that a cue should accommodate what you want to do with the cueball, and it’s up to the player to adjust to that, no matter how tall or short you are.

That's interesting.

I have a Brunswick of Canada Snooker cue. It is 57 inches.

 

[Chopdoc]

Can someone point me to this post about the seemingly impossible masse shot?

Thread 'Impossible shot?'

May 17, 2025

https://jollyfurydragonballer.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F782462742512680960

• j2pac
• Replies: 27
• Forum: Main Forum

• 
• 
• 

 

[tim913]

I swear I saw Stu in the front row of one of those pics

 

[djoverboard]

this thread reminds me of a related question. Why do carom cues often have a wood pin (wood to wood) joint? And in relation why do pool cues not?

 

[Chopdoc]

this thread reminds me of a related question. Why do carom cues often have a wood pin (wood to wood) joint? And in relation why do pool cues not?

Another very good question.
Some have metal pins, and a few pool cues have wood pins. But clearly the standard is carom cues have wood pins.

Mysterious?

 

[Chopdoc]

Shorter cues have stronger hits.

They do? Our jump cues are indeed very short. My jumpiest jump cue isn't legal, it's too short. Made by Joss in the early 90's.

 

[MitchAlsup]

Doctors made house calls, with a Black Magic Bag, and arrived in Buick or Horse Drawn Carriage.

You could also pay your bill with live chickens.

 

[Bob Jewett]

this thread reminds me of a related question. Why do carom cues often have a wood pin (wood to wood) joint? And in relation why do pool cues not?

Carom cues developed in Europe, mostly. I'm guessing the wood working tradition there had something to do with it. Two piece pool cues in the US seem to have started with metal pins. Rambow? Before him?

 

[Bob Jewett]

In the old days...

Pool halls -- at least the major ones around here -- had all three kinds of tables. The rec center where I started had all three but the snooker tables were only 10-foot, and the pool tables were only 9-foot. The Palace had about five carom tables, 9- and 10-foot pool tables, and 12-foot snooker tables.

Since the different tables emphasized different skills, you could learn in more depth.

Only bars had bar tables.