Pool Ball Collecting.

[Meucciplayer]

Hi Rubik's,

just a word of caution: if you want to include your email - do it as a graphic and not in a font that can be searched. Much less spam will be the result and bots normally can't read a graphic/picture. I once tested email in a forum (somewhere else, not pool related) with a fresh, throw-away email. It was quite impressive how much spam reached that email address after the posting. Close to none before.

You will still enable people wanting to contact you to do that - if they are serious enough they will type the email in their program.

 

[Rubik's Cube]

Hello, Mr M.

Excellent advice, sir. And something I naively hadn’t considered at all. Thank you very much indeed.

Best wishes,
RC.

 

[K2Kraze]

Another great set, Mr K. Accompanied by beautiful photographs as always. Thank you for sharing, sir.

It occurred to me that one of those three-dimensional Hyperion cueballs might be the perfect match?

Well, RC.....your suggestion of partnering a new Hyperion cue ball with the 3S ball set has proven to be an instant winner, sir!

What is most remarkable about this experiment is how perfectly matched the ball set is to the weight of the cue ball AND the balls themselves all weight within 1 gram of each other.

Here’s a close up shot detailing both the cue ball markings as well as the 3D numeral effect:

(side note) I agree with the great Meucciplayer regarding email on the cards.....let the search engines and explorers do their work. They can join the AZB group and use private messages that way. After all, a great deal of adventure is in the hunt, my good friend

~ K.

 

[Rubik's Cube]

Fantastic, dear chap! They really do look a perfect match.

One thing sometimes strikes me when admiring beautiful pool ball sets: The care and assiduous attention invested in designing the main colours is often cruelly lacking where the white is concerned. Take those striking and elegant Criss Crosses for instance. They surely deserve so much more than a plain cueball, do they not? A small X logo at the very least, perhaps?

 

[K2Kraze]

Fantastic, dear chap! They really do look a perfect match.

One thing sometimes strikes me when admiring beautiful pool ball sets: The care and assiduous attention invested in designing the main colours is often cruelly lacking where the white is concerned. Take those striking and elegant Criss Crosses for instance. They surely deserve so much more than a plain cueball, do they not? A small X logo at the very least, perhaps?

Agreed! Profoundly simple one would think. Perhaps the opportunity to consult will appear one day


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[K2Kraze]

Being somewhat of a stickler for organization and dare I say pursuit of perfection, I’ve always been attracted to Top 10 lists - short enough to get most points across and tell quickly, while long enough to make you really think about them.

For readers of this PBC thread, it should come as no surprise to learn that I create many Top 10 this-and-that lists so I can make sure and prioritize this amazing but short life I have been granted

While sipping an extra-hot quadruple espresso shot caramel macchiato, I had this fleeting image of a new LIST to add to the collection.....and thought worthy of sharing with the group for both amusement and therapeutic purposes for those in need of some “collector medicine”.



Here we go:

THINGS A COLLECTOR NEVER THINKS ABOUT

(but probably should)


10. How the HELL am I going to move 200 sets of balls some day? Down those steps? You won’t dare try more than one at a time. Getting them seemed so easy..... one at a time. But “What if?”

9. It’s not easy coming up with an unlimited number of reasons, excuses, and purposes to actually own THAT MANY ball sets. You’ve got to be creative.

8. You REALLY DO lose track of exactly what you have once you get past 15 sets. That was years ago.....so imagine what you (I) really have

7. The importance of having your very own TOP 5 LIST of favorite balls - because everyone asks. They can’t fathom having more than 3, so be prepared to offer brief explanations laced with childhood memories and they shake their head as if they understand.

6. You actually WILL Google words like fanatic, obsessive, hoarder, collector...so just pick one that resonates with you and stick to your story

5. Don’t ever tell anyone that you “collect” anything. They just keep asking questions you won’t be able to answer. Best to avoid that trap and say you “play pool”.

4. You can actually store and keep 1,097 billiard balls ON your table - under the cover - and no one will know. That’s ONE THOUSAND, NINETY SEVEN. 9 footer. And if you have an 8’er, you can park 855 of them upon the baize. That’s the easy part. Hiding the boxes is the tough part.

3. 200 boxes of pool balls actually weigh 1250 pounds.

2. Getting the ball sets is just the beginning. Consider that early. Because hindsight is always 20/20. Looking forward is equivalent to having frosted, rose colored glasses. Dirty and impossible to see through

1. There aren’t THAT MANY people out there like you. But you can find them if you look in the right places. The dark web. Self-help groups. Psychiatrist referral. Surely a forum.

There. I feel better already.



~ K.

 

[Rubik's Cube]

Great list, Mr K.

My contribution: When faced with slack-jawed astonishment from friends and family (or even open ridicule) being prepared with a comprehensive list of perfectly reasonable excuses to justify paying $350 or more for a forty-year-old set of billiard balls.

 

[K2Kraze]

@ Rubik's and K2Kraze: I have 2 suggestions.

2) In this thread, I would like to see samples of the special ball sets (like the 16-21 balls for Baseball Pool, the Poker balls etc.) in a single posting somewhere. I think those special ball sets are in a special group since you can play certain games with them.

Here you go, sir....

A few of the best 21-ball sets out of the collection in one place to see and enjoy something different. Baseball has always been a favorite, so if the opportunity arises to snag the 16-21 baseball expansion set, I’d recommend it. Pair them with the ARAMITH Premier balls before they disappear as well

Poker set from TRU LINE:

The HYATT 21-Ball Poker set:

The ARAMITH Premier Baseball set:

We can’t leave out the ARAMITH American Snooker set:

As well as the equivalent ARAMITH English Snooker set:

Perhaps it’s time to showcase a nice group of TV ball sets in the near future so folks can see the various coloring options over the years...



~ K

 

[Rubik's Cube]

What a sight to behold to see all those wonderful twenty-one and twenty-two strong sets together, Mr K.

I have already taken up far too much of your valuable time, generous nature and unparalleled restoration skills, dear fellow, but your latest beautiful photographs have really amplified my desire for those 1st Edition Hyatt Pokers currently in your care. Could you possibly work your restorative magic once more please, sir? Perhaps then sharing a few pictures with our AZB friends before their long journey across the mighty Atlantic?

Thank you so much for everything you do to help us collectors, Mr K. It really is all deeply appreciated.

Best wishes,
RC.

 

[K2Kraze]

What a sight to behold to see all those wonderful twenty-one and twenty-two strong sets together, Mr K.

I have already taken up far too much of your valuable time, generous nature and unparalleled restoration skills, dear fellow, but your latest beautiful photographs have really amplified my desire for those 1st Edition Hyatt Pokers currently in your care. Could you possibly work your restorative magic once more please, sir? Perhaps then sharing a few pictures with our AZB friends before their long journey across the mighty Atlantic?

Thank you so much for everything you do to help us collectors, Mr K. It really is all deeply appreciated.

Best wishes,
RC.

I’ve been waiting for the invite and request, RC....it will be a pleasure and an honor.

I have the restoration and photo studio already set up to begin finishing touches on your treasured 1se Ed. Poker set - and I must say the first few balls look as if received from Hyatt yesterday! I think you’ll be pleased.

I’ll snap a few before and after pics along the way as I finish up the entire set and get them ready for the trip eastbound:

~ K

 

[Meucciplayer]

Here you go, sir....

A few of the best 21-ball sets out of the collection in one place to see and enjoy something different. Baseball has always been a favorite, so if the opportunity arises to snag the 16-21 baseball expansion set, I’d recommend it. Pair them with the ARAMITH Premier balls before they disappear as well

Well, I can't collect pool balls as I told you before. But I have the 6 ball extension set for baseball and use them together with my Aramith tournaments. Nobody over here has heard of the baseball game and I always enjoy their puzzled faces when I take out the 16-21 balls

I can't collect pool balls because my lady would probably call the guys with the straighjackets if I did. I am already collecting golf balls, stamps and I have a chile plantation on the balcony plus my extensive pool activities and serious mushrooming which includes microscopy and such. I already reduced the stamp and golf ball hobbies ... no sense in starting a new one now.


Thank you very much for showing those sets. I really enjoy how you guys in this thread start friendships across the big pond. A very useful and good thing in these troubled times where many nations only go "my nation first". A hobby like that will keep the good people together, world-wide.

If you ever come to Munich, Germany - I'd be glad to see you. Send a PM at least a week ahead and you will be welcome.

 

[Rubik's Cube]

Good evening, gentlemen.

Fantastic, Mr K. Thank you so much, dear chap. I can hardly wait to welcome the Hyatt 1st Editions into my humble home. In their honour I am finally going to invest in some decent shelving racks to store the treasured collection.

Hello, Mr M. I didn’t know you lived in Germany, sir. Keep your eyes peeled for those highly desirable Raschigs, you have a better chance than any of us to find the really rare sets. Even if you didn’t want to keep them for yourself, there are plenty of us mad collectors who will show you a nice profit.

Best wishes,
RC.

 

[Meucciplayer]

Hello, Mr M. I didn’t know you lived in Germany, sir. Keep your eyes peeled for those highly desirable Raschigs, you have a better chance than any of us to find the really rare sets. Even if you didn’t want to keep them for yourself, there are plenty of us mad collectors who will show you a nice profit.

Yep, been living here since 1976. I did not know anything about Raschigs until I discovered this thread. They have rarely been mentioned in the German forum billard-aktuell.de but they are not in such high regard as they are over here on AZB. If you need my help .. no problem. You are allowed to post in English in that forum, though. Maybe you are able to dig up treasures ...

 

[Mantool]

Are these 3D ball sets available to the common folk? I sure would like me a set of those. Very nice pictures by the way.

 

[Rubik's Cube]

Hello, sir. Always great to welcome a new name to the thread.

I'm reasonably sure that those beautiful 3D balls are indeed available, dear chap. As soon as K2Kraze looks in I'm confident that he'll put you on the right track.

Best wishes,
RC.

 

[K2Kraze]

Well, I can't collect pool balls as I told you before. But I have the 6 ball extension set for baseball and use them together with my Aramith tournaments. Nobody over here has heard of the baseball game and I always enjoy their puzzled faces when I take out the 16-21 balls



I can't collect pool balls because my lady would probably call the guys with the straighjackets if I did. I am already collecting golf balls, stamps and I have a chile plantation on the balcony plus my extensive pool activities and serious mushrooming which includes microscopy and such. I already reduced the stamp and golf ball hobbies ... no sense in starting a new one now.





Thank you very much for showing those sets. I really enjoy how you guys in this thread start friendships across the big pond. A very useful and good thing in these troubled times where many nations only go "my nation first". A hobby like that will keep the good people together, world-wide.



If you ever come to Munich, Germany - I'd be glad to see you. Send a PM at least a week ahead and you will be welcome.

Hello again, Meucciplayer -

Thank you so much for the kind words and highest compliment possible on this thread....friendships forms without boundary or prejudice - buoyed by shared passions and the true pleasures of helping fellow fanatics. It’s great to hear of your other interesting hobbies and your coveted baseball expansion ball set!

Talk of timing - I shared one of the any joys and best kept secrets of playing straight pool with a friend on my table this afternoon - and that was playing a few innings of Baseball as a warmup to the 14.1 sessions. What better way to get in stroke than work your way through a table full of perfectly cleaned and gleaming balls 1 through 21? No worries of safety play - work on pocketing and position skills until a miss or foul....then the next player starts their inning. He loved the game so much in the first 10 minutes that he asked if we could focus on the Baseball game one day in place of 14.1

Your offer to check-in when I find myself in Munich tells me that you have found a great fit for your love of pool balls and friendship - and with a planned driving tour trip throughout Germany in 2020, it could be a real possibility.

If you’d like to see a detailed and advanced rule set for the great game of Baseball on the pool table, shoot me a PM request with your email and I’ll fire over a pdf copy you can print. I think you’d like it.

Welcome to then PBC thread, sir!

~ K.

 

[K2Kraze]

Are these 3D ball sets available to the common folk? I sure would like me a set of those. Very nice pictures by the way.

Hello, Mantool - (and anyone interested in the 3D sets):

If you’d like to send me your email address via PM, I’d be happy to contact the gentleman I received my 3D ball set from and then have him contact those interested since he’s not on AZB and quite the busy. I’m not sure of what he has available.

~ K.

 

[K2Kraze]

IF you happen to be after EVERY billiard ball set that the great Aramith offers, you’d eventually be led down a phosphors path mysteriously illuminated by the invisible ultraviolet light that can be had for mere espresso money - good ole black light bulbs from Halloween parties and the secret college soirées

Aramith markets their specialty ball set as a ‘Glow In The Dark kit’ complete with everything you’d need for a special or nutty pool-night.....except the fluorescent black light bulbs of course. Easy enough though. Amazon prime will have a few to you tomorrow if you hit the right buttons.

I’ll say this - Aramith never disappoints. We’ve all come to know that whatever has their (authentic) name on, we can rest assured of one thing: highest quality.

These GITD beauties won’t disappoint. Even under normal lights. They are as perfect as the Tournaments in every way. They play like every other high-end ball set and clean up flawlessly with minimal efforts. They have unique coloring....

The deepest and richest mulberry/maroon you’ll find this side of Crayola. Radiant blues and reds. A reverse 8-ball that is pure perfection. Neon greens you’ll never confuse with any other ball either. Pure purple passion with the 4 and 12.

When I have a few extra minutes to switch out some of the ceiling lights in my pool room to make these beauties jump off the baize, I’ll snag a few other photos to show how they change from fun to fantastic - - Especially if you serve up a fine 18-year Cardhu Single Malt Scotch Whisky favored by our very own Rubik’s Cube and served to equally fine friends on Pals & Pool nights.

Cheers, everyone!

~K.

 

[Rubik's Cube]

Good morning, Mr K.

Without doubt the finest GITD set available. Tell me, sir, have you ever researched your extensive magazine archives to determine when this fabulous set was created? And were Aramith the first to introduce such a wonderful innovation to market?

Many thanks again, dear chap, for yet another great contribution.

Best wishes,
RC.

 

[K2Kraze]

I’m on it, RC!

~ K.


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