"play a ball better"

[Counterspell]

"play a ball better" or he plays 2 balls better than me, etc.

Donny says in the interview below that he could only improve a ball better at most. Donny already runs multiple packages, so what would a ball better imply?

How is this measurement determined? I was reading an old interview of Donny Mills on Massiveunderstatement.com

Here is a quote from Donny Mills;

Would you ever consider cutting back or quitting work in order to better your pool game?


No way! Not until I retire. With my ability I could get a ball better at the most. - See more at: http://massiveunderstatement.com/?p=11036#sthash.qmvONgDS.dpuf

 

[victorl]

I always understood becoming a ball better as meaning you could give your old self a wild ball and still win (for example the 8 in 9-ball).

 

[rrick33]

I tend to think that "a ball better" is related to the average balls pocketed per inning over an extended series of attempts or the duration of a tournament where they track the data.

They have calculated these stats since at least the 1970's.

 

[FranCrimi]

I've always thought of 9-ball being the gauge for that. I sort of agree with Victor's answer but I'm not sure about the wild ball thing. I thought it meant that you could spot your old self the 8 ball.

You can even gauge it against other players you play frequently. You give them the 7 ball now and when you get one ball better, you could give them the 6.

 

[bbb]

im not an instructor
but another way to think of it is for example
i used to beat the 6 ball ghost but now i beat the 7 ball ghost

 

[Bob Jewett]

im not an instructor
but another way to think of it is for example
i used to beat the 6 ball ghost but now i beat the 7 ball ghost

I think this is a much better way to gauge improvement than "I could give my old self the 8 ball". Among other advantages it is roughly independent of the table difficulty.

 

[bbb]

I think this is a much better way to gauge improvement than "I could give my old self the 8 ball". Among other advantages it is roughly independent of the table difficulty.

thanks bob.....:wink: