For those who have followed the game for decades
- Thread starter Jimbojim
- Start date
20's and 30's was probably more billiards than pool as we know it.
In the 40's to early 50's poolrooms were near almost every town. There were no drug pushers. No tv. No computers. No video games. The YMCA had tables.
Today there's a reversal of those days. Smokin' wacky tobbacky and watching tv or a computer pool game, takes far less effort than actually learning to play.
.
Today there's a reversal of those days. Smokin' wacky tobbacky and watching tv or a computer pool game, takes far less effort than actually learning to play.
.
Me thinks there's a lot of mythology about pool and its profile back in the Depression Era and earlier...OP asked about a "plethora of tournaments"...as far as "pro" tournaments, those were few and far between, monopolized by the industry (Brunswick/Collender, et al) and were small, invitational round robins (less than 15 players) that took place in several pool rooms and took weeks to complete. Balkline was the main game for much of that time, with 14.1 coming on as a more "watchable" game. As far as booms go, the biggest I heard about were WWII era and just after, with all the service men coming home and a general explosion of interest...then it kind of died away until the Hustler boom in the early 60s, then the late '80s saw the Color of Money boom, coupled with the small Busch League getting sold and folded into the APA and it seemed like every bar with a small bar box had at least three teams and were recruiting players from all over the area(s). I played during that transition and we were turning players away every day. As far as pool rooms/action, most places you had to get there early to get a table, or you could forget about it...the weekly tournaments in Columbus, GA were way bigger than most regional ProAm tournaments today, with Calcuttas in the $5k range and beyond...even in a small town like Leesville, Lousiana, there were at least 5 weekly bar box tournaments that drew at least 30 players. Now there are more regional tours where an amateur can play a top pro, back then, you hardly ever saw them, they had their own tour...but then you had somewhere to play for cash tournaments, leagues or action in every direction virtually every night. So, I'd say the true hey day for pocket billiards was the '90s, with the '40s running a close second. (and I only saw the '90s for myself, so I'm biased. 
)
)I don't believe that leagues ruined tournament. Maybe to some small degree. Leagues are played in bars by mostly less experienced, less skilled people. The bar league players want to play a few games and have some drinks. These people don't play in tournaments that I see.
A D level player is usually not looking to match up against and A or B. This is the way I see it. Maybe in some towns it is different.
A D level player is usually not looking to match up against and A or B. This is the way I see it. Maybe in some towns it is different.
I know several A level and even a couple of AA level players that play leagues...I know you said "mostly", but I'd point out that there are plenty of known monsters that play leagues as well as bigger tournaments, even cashing at Turning Stone or DCC. I am often surprised talking with players at regional tour events who mention their "Wednesday Night" team, etc. Anything that gets folks to a pool room to spend money is a good thing for the sport, IMHO.
From what I understand there are quite a few A and open level players playing in league. In Leagues like apa and tap it is possible because the skill levels are capped. A 'true' 7 might have to play and open level player who is also a 7.
I feel these types of players ruin leagues. In one league the players on one team were covering all costs of an open level player. The player kept all money won. He had nothing lose. The team was renting this open player. The won the tap nationals. They finished second in the dream team tournament.
In leagues like NAPA there is no cap. If I played the same open level player it would be and 8-2 race. He would still be favored.
I want to play in a competitive league. Players a little better or a little weaker than I am.
I feel these types of players ruin leagues. In one league the players on one team were covering all costs of an open level player. The player kept all money won. He had nothing lose. The team was renting this open player. The won the tap nationals. They finished second in the dream team tournament.
In leagues like NAPA there is no cap. If I played the same open level player it would be and 8-2 race. He would still be favored.
I want to play in a competitive league. Players a little better or a little weaker than I am.
I don't know about the 20's and 30's, but around 1944 poolrooms started to pop up as the men came home from the 2nd WW. Pool got anther shot in the 1960's after the book and movie "The Hustler" came out. There was another pop (a good one) in the 1970's from COM that lasted to about 1988. Then the slide started with poolrooms closing and more bars getting the bar boxes. Johnnyt
PS: Leagues are good for the billiard industry over all, but home tables helped kill the many 6-10 table rooms that were in many towns... IMO.
PS: Leagues are good for the billiard industry over all, but home tables helped kill the many 6-10 table rooms that were in many towns... IMO.
The most "golden era" was probably from 1880-1930
The great depression was the spark that started the fire of doom. The entire billiard industry was cut in half from 1928-1930, and it has never fully recovered.
good old days
Pool was huge over 100 years ago, with crowds of thousands watching matches.
Movies contributed to giving pool a bad name in the 1940's and '50s.
The biggest single boost to pool since then was the introduction of the bar table in the '60s (remember the opening scene in "The Hustler"?). Small tables made the game available to millions.
There were at least three national pool league organizations going strong long before "The Color of Money" (I'd been playing in pool leagues for 23 years by 1988).
Reasons pool has not done as well in recent years?
League organizations with crazy rules and lousy pay-outs.
TV viewers prefer violence in their sports.
The big money-makers in the pool industry have not given back their fair share.
BILLIARD ESTABLISHMENT OWNERS CATER TO DRUNKS AND DON'T SUPPORT THE GAME.
Pool was huge over 100 years ago, with crowds of thousands watching matches.
Movies contributed to giving pool a bad name in the 1940's and '50s.
The biggest single boost to pool since then was the introduction of the bar table in the '60s (remember the opening scene in "The Hustler"?). Small tables made the game available to millions.
There were at least three national pool league organizations going strong long before "The Color of Money" (I'd been playing in pool leagues for 23 years by 1988).
Reasons pool has not done as well in recent years?
League organizations with crazy rules and lousy pay-outs.
TV viewers prefer violence in their sports.
The big money-makers in the pool industry have not given back their fair share.
BILLIARD ESTABLISHMENT OWNERS CATER TO DRUNKS AND DON'T SUPPORT THE GAME.
60's- 90's
Pool rooms were illegal n Texas when the Hustler came out. They had to be private
clubs. They sprang up everywhere. I had over 20 membership cards from Dallas
clubs alone. The 60s,70s had by far the most easy action. Everyone wanted to
be like Paul Newman. People who could not hit the end rail gambled. At the Cotton
Palace I can think of 20 or so full time pool hustlers, and that is just one place. The
place was so packed with players,stake horses, sweaters, etc you literally had to
part the crowd to shoot. That's just one place, every pool room had them.
Everyone wanted to live a little bit on the edge.
Up scale rooms started, with restaurants, dress codes, no gambling, cussing, ladies
welcome, blah, blah, blah. They all went busted. Some players would hit the bars
and there would be 20 quarters lined up with everyone gambling, play until 2;00 am
when they closed then head for some all night pool room. It slowly started dying out
as cheap tournaments, and leagues started. To get any real competition you had to
gamble, but then the easy scores (the ones that kept money in your pocket) could
get their play out playing all night a cheap tournament, or league. Then TCOM gave
it a boost but for me it was never like the 60s and 70s. I like a lot of the old timers
miss those times. You were one of those guys that the nice people whispered about
you were part of something very unique, living on your wits, flush one day busted
the next with no worries, you knew you pump right back up,or move back in with
mom. Seems like so many today want to make pool a true gentlemen game, but
that was tried when it was at its peak and it didn't work and it never will. I don't
think pool would have boomed if Paul Newman wearing a bowling shirt, leaped from
his chair after Fats busted him, ran over and gave him a hardy hand shake (with
eye contact) and told him what a great match, and what a truly fine fellow he was.
Naw, he passed out drunk, falling on the floor, probably in his own waste, Yeah
and we loved it.
jack
Pool rooms were illegal n Texas when the Hustler came out. They had to be private
clubs. They sprang up everywhere. I had over 20 membership cards from Dallas
clubs alone. The 60s,70s had by far the most easy action. Everyone wanted to
be like Paul Newman. People who could not hit the end rail gambled. At the Cotton
Palace I can think of 20 or so full time pool hustlers, and that is just one place. The
place was so packed with players,stake horses, sweaters, etc you literally had to
part the crowd to shoot. That's just one place, every pool room had them.
Everyone wanted to live a little bit on the edge.
Up scale rooms started, with restaurants, dress codes, no gambling, cussing, ladies
welcome, blah, blah, blah. They all went busted. Some players would hit the bars
and there would be 20 quarters lined up with everyone gambling, play until 2;00 am
when they closed then head for some all night pool room. It slowly started dying out
as cheap tournaments, and leagues started. To get any real competition you had to
gamble, but then the easy scores (the ones that kept money in your pocket) could
get their play out playing all night a cheap tournament, or league. Then TCOM gave
it a boost but for me it was never like the 60s and 70s. I like a lot of the old timers
miss those times. You were one of those guys that the nice people whispered about
you were part of something very unique, living on your wits, flush one day busted
the next with no worries, you knew you pump right back up,or move back in with
mom. Seems like so many today want to make pool a true gentlemen game, but
that was tried when it was at its peak and it didn't work and it never will. I don't
think pool would have boomed if Paul Newman wearing a bowling shirt, leaped from
his chair after Fats busted him, ran over and gave him a hardy hand shake (with
eye contact) and told him what a great match, and what a truly fine fellow he was.
Naw, he passed out drunk, falling on the floor, probably in his own waste, Yeah
and we loved it.
jack
GoldenFlash
Banned
What is this "fair share" you're talking about and who decides what it is?
The "fair share" police, maybe??