"Center ball"...what exactly does it mean?

[jsp]

So I was reading the other center ball thread, and it seems there is no clear consensus on what exactly is meant by the term "center ball"?

So what do you think it means?

EDIT: 4th option should read..."(could have roll on impact with OB)"

 

[av84fun]

"CENTER BALL means what it says which is a stroke through the spherical center. The only other definition that makes any sense is a stroke on the vertical center line...but that adds a qualifier (vertical) that is not included in the phrase.

The other two definitions are entirely inapt since the conditions described may or may not be associated with any sort of center ball hit.

Regards,
Jim

CB is struck only on vertical axis (no sidespin, could have roll/draw)
CB is struck in a way that it departs from OB on tangent line (no roll, could have sidespin)
CB is struck in a way such that it has absolutely no roll or sidespin when contacting OB
CB is struck through the spherical center of the CB (could have roll on impact with CB)

 

[AZE]

Center ball = no left, no right, center... and you can include 'center with low' or 'center with high'.

 

[soulcatcher]

"CENTER BALL means what it says which is a stroke through the spherical center. The only other definition that makes any sense is a stroke on the vertical center line...but that adds a qualifier (vertical) that is not included in the phrase.

The other two definitions are entirely inapt since the conditions described may or may not be associated with any sort of center ball hit.

Regards,
Jim

CB is struck only on vertical axis (no sidespin, could have roll/draw)
CB is struck in a way that it departs from OB on tangent line (no roll, could have sidespin)
CB is struck in a way such that it has absolutely no roll or sidespin when contacting OB
CB is struck through the spherical center of the CB (could have roll on impact with CB)

I agree. Center Ball means no sidespin, no draw and no follow on the cue tip contact. It may slide or roll into the OB, depending on how far away it is and the speed you hit the cue ball with, but it will be sliding on initial contact of cue tip.

 

[PKM]

Obviously you can define it either way if you want, but if someone says they try to stay in the center of the CB when they play, it makes more sense that they are including the vertical axis. No one hits dead center on a significant percentage of shots.

 

[Zoltor]

"CENTER BALL means what it says which is a stroke through the spherical center. The only other definition that makes any sense is a stroke on the vertical center line...but that adds a qualifier (vertical) that is not included in the phrase.

The other two definitions are entirely inapt since the conditions described may or may not be associated with any sort of center ball hit.

Regards,
Jim

This, I kind've noted this in the other thread, as a few people seemed to be a bit confused, as what is meant by "center ball".

 

[Zoltor]

AZ wouldn't load correctly, so I accidently double posted, can a mod delete this post.

 

[mullyman]

My image of a center ball hit is hitting the ball in the center. No high or low, left or right. Center means center and it's not up to pool players to go around changing the meaning of words. Center doesn't mean high or low on the vertical axis. That would be above center, below center etc.... Since this is the way I define center ball I say 110% that not one person in this world plays center ball on every single shot that they shoot.
MULLY

 

[TX Poolnut]

Center ball means you have one too many.

 

[TXsouthpaw]

Center ball means you have one too many.

lol, thats a good one.

 

[TXsouthpaw]

oh yeah and center ball, means hitting the center of the ball? which means it may have roll on it after contact with the OB.

 

[mullyman]

oh yeah and center ball, means hitting the center of the ball? which means it may have roll on it after contact with the OB.

Of course it could have forward roll on it after contact, depending on the distance and if it's sliding when it hits the ball or not.

Look, the argument isn't about using follow and draw with no sidespin. The argument is concerning using center ball and center ball is the dead center of the cue ball. No one sticks strictly to the center of the cue ball. Center doesn't mean follow or draw, those are above center and below center. That's why I say that on a shot like this (see diagram)

CueTable Help

You are not going to get the desired position using center ball. The regular cue ball is using follow, on the vertical plane, and the A ball is using center ball. Things like this are what I mean when I say that people don't use center ball. Center means center.
MULLY

 

[Patrick Johnson]

It can mean one of three things:

1. without sidespin (on vertical centerline)
2. center of the equator (action depends on cue elevation)
3. without sidespin or immediate follow or draw (hitting "through center of mass")

But only center vs. sidespin (definition #1) leads to much interesting conversation.

pj
chgo

 

[s0lidz]

To hit center ball means to hit the spherical center with no follow, draw, or english. Cue ball may achieve forward roll naturally but the actual hit was on the very center.

 

[SpiderWebComm]

My humble opinion...

To say you hit a shot with center ball (exact center)... it's NOT very descriptive or useful since the affects of the CB vary greatly depending on the length of shot.

Therefore, when someone says a shot should be made with center ball... I automatically think from the OB...forward. "Center ball" as described as hitting the exact center of the CB makes no sense when discussing a shot since everyone's stroke, speed and style equate to different CB motion/action upon impact. OB---forward. That's how I see it.

If the CB is rolling forward upon impact, you're not on the tangent....and that's what the meaning of life is.