Maybe my first post didn't get read well enough, I know it was long, but YES, hustling IS a form of deception..... just like the baseball player that gets hit by a pitch, hobbles down to first, calls out the trainer then takes off for second on the first pitch and makes it easily. This man has just deceived 30 thousand fans, and the pitcher and catcher, and everybody loves him for it. My point is, when a pool player deceives, they are looked down upon. I think we as players have a really odd habit of wanting other players to look bad, i'm not sure why, hence this thread.
This doesn't really happen in baseball the way you describe it. Some guys don't get hit, but the umpire thinks they do and gives them the base. Even if the baseball grazes the uniform, it's considered HBP (hit by pitch) and the player is awarded a base. So the player may not think he got hit and he's certainly not going to argue, but your scenario just doesn't happen these days.
Having said that. I don't think the hustler connotation affects pool in any way. There are hustlers in all walks of life, people who are only interested in separating you from your money, and pool is no different.
The "problem" with pool is simply that pool tables are hard to come by. Growing up and living in small towns, the only tables are in bars or bowling alleys and typically the bowling alleys had the tables in the bars!
Also, pool is hard and people are lazy. There's not enough financial incentive (like there is in other sports) to devote the time (if you have the access to a table) to becoming a top-flight player. To get more money into the game, you need more viewers. To get more viewers, you need interesting matches. To have interesting matches, you need commentators who can keep a person interested. Most matches that I've seen on youtube are pretty damn boring. The commentators don't know what to say or repeat themselves or whatever. Listen to baseball on the radio, those announcers know what they're doing (well, some do anyway...)