Guns and Billiard Balls

[Scaramouche]

The first plastic was a bioplastic. In the mid-19th century, a British billiard ball company determined that at the rate African elephants were being killed, the supply of ivory could soon be exhausted.

The firm offered a handsome prize for a product ... derived from a a more abundant raw material. Two New Jersey printers, John and Isaiah Hyatt won the prize for a cotton-derived product dubbed collodion.

Ironically, collodion never made it as a billiard ball: The plastic, whose scientific name is cellulose nitrate, is more popularly known as gun-cotton, a mild explosive. When a rack of cellulose nitrate pool balls was broken, a loud pop often resulted. Confusion and casualties ensued in saloons where patrons were not only drinking but sometimes armed.

David Morris
The American Prospect

 

[pawnmon]

I know a few people I'd like to fix up with t set of those balls.

 

[PlynSets]

The first plastic was a bioplastic. In the mid-19th century, a British billiard ball company determined that at the rate African elephants were being killed, the supply of ivory could soon be exhausted.

The firm offered a handsome prize for a product ... derived from a a more abundant raw material. Two New Jersey printers, John and Isaiah Hyatt won the prize for a cotton-derived product dubbed collodion.

Ironically, collodion never made it as a billiard ball: The plastic, whose scientific name is cellulose nitrate, is more popularly known as gun-cotton, a mild explosive. When a rack of cellulose nitrate pool balls was broken, a loud pop often resulted. Confusion and casualties ensued in saloons where patrons were not only drinking but sometimes armed.

David Morris
The American Prospect

The story I read in the Billiards encyclopedia read something like this?

I believe it was Brunswick that determined the ivory supply would soon be exhausted, and offered a "cash prize" to any person who could come up with a suitable replacement for ivory billiard balls. A german engineer (can't remember his name) actually "invented" a material (later to be known as a basic form of plastic?) and Brunswick awarded him the cash prize.. And in the process had initial patents on "plastic" itself. That's how plastic was invented, and as well why in products pre 40's early 50's you never saw any plastic, but shortly there after there was an explosion of plastic in various products..


I've heard that "pop" story somewhere else as well though? Who knows..

DJ

 

[Cornerman]

The story I read in the Billiards encyclopedia read something like this?

I believe it was Brunswick that determined the ivory supply would soon be exhausted, and offered a "cash prize" to any person who could come up with a suitable replacement for ivory billiard balls. A german engineer (can't remember his name) actually "invented" a material (later to be known as a basic form of plastic?) and Brunswick awarded him the cash prize.. And in the process had initial patents on "plastic" itself. That's how plastic was invented, and as well why in products pre 40's early 50's you never saw any plastic, but shortly there after there was an explosion of plastic in various products..


I've heard that "pop" story somewhere else as well though? Who knows..

DJ

The plastic pioneer is John Wesley Hyatt, the co-founder of the Hyatt Billiard Ball Company (which used to produce Brunswick Centennials) and is known in the plastics industry as the Father of Modern Plastics. His invention, was the initial synthetic replacement for ivory in billiard balls he called "celluloid."

He was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame for meritorious service in 1971. So, his story should be well known in the industry.

John Wesley Hyatt was born in New York state.

Fred