Pool Ball Weights

[Bavafongoul]

What's the difference, if you don't mind me asking?? I don't keep up on all that. I just hope they're all kinda the same size and still round enuf to roll.
Messin witcha.

It is purely based on appearance of the pool balls. Centennials were the best looking pool balls when I began playing
pool and in my opinion still are. The colors on a green Simonis cloth bring back memories of years past and many hrs.
of spending my youth in different pool halls in NYC like Balabushka’s in Bay Ridge, Jean Balukis Hall of Fame, and much later on, Amsterdam Billiards when David Brenner was involved. Pool balls all have tolerances and the rules do allow for variances in size and weight. Lots of brands have strict tolerance standards and Centennials made by Saluc are among the best. I like the colors, design and overall appearance of Centennials more than any other brand pool balls.

 

[Mensabum]

One of my favorite places to play was an old pool hall right across the levee from the Mississippi River in West Baton Rouge. No AC, a five or six feet wide and tall fan in the wall for cooling bringing in the soggy air off of the river. The tables were ten feet monsters with directional cloth. Clay balls, new manufacture cue balls. Either the ivory cue balls had been stolen or put in safe keeping.

There were house cues in there as big around as baseball bats and up to twenty-six ounces. Even so, I suffered the embarrassment of balls struck too softly to reach the pockets sometimes on my first few trips there. It was like stepping into a time warp, back to the twenties or thirties! It took a firm stroke to play there, no wuss shots that worked other places in the early eighties. Knowing the table and balls was crucial!

Hu

Good to know I wasn't the only short shooter on the block!! Exact same thing happened to me until you get used to the fairway!! Lol.

 

[Mensabum]

One of my favorite places to play was an old pool hall right across the levee from the Mississippi River in West Baton Rouge. No AC, a five or six feet wide and tall fan in the wall for cooling bringing in the soggy air off of the river. The tables were ten feet monsters with directional cloth. Clay balls, new manufacture cue balls. Either the ivory cue balls had been stolen or put in safe keeping.

There were house cues in there as big around as baseball bats and up to twenty-six ounces. Even so, I suffered the embarrassment of balls struck too softly to reach the pockets sometimes on my first few trips there. It was like stepping into a time warp, back to the twenties or thirties! It took a firm stroke to play there, no wuss shots that worked other places in the early eighties. Knowing the table and balls was crucial!

Hu

I liked a 23.

 

[ShootingArts]

I liked a 23.

I liked a 19 then lighter and lighter as I learned to play. The nineteen wouldn't have worked in that old hall though, it would have vibrated like a tuning fork! The cue ball might have done like it was in a cartoon and just sat there too. If I were a rich man I would find one of those old tables, have it restored, and put in my man cave that was about twelve hundred square feet. Got to have room to stretch your toes!

Hu

 

[Mensabum]

After spending most of my time on much faster tables other than an occasional trip to LSU to play on some great old tables, I found an old hall with five by tens, deep cloth, and clay balls! It was across the levee from the Mississippi River and had a huge fan in the wall sucking in that super wet air, no air conditioning. First trip there I embarrassed myself at first; Some of my shots didn't reach a pocket and it took a manly stroke to hit an eighteen foot plus bank! The cue sticks felt like baseball bats in my hands, the big end of the bat. The slate on those old tables was over two inches thick, the owner told me he regretted not having three inch slate when he noticed me dipping my finger and thumb calipers in a corner pocket. One good move, the owner kept balls and tables paired. My favorite table hand a seven so bad that I just blasted it into the closest pocket when I had to shoot it. The four was about half that bad. The rest of the set rolled pretty true. The table did have one very sweet pocket, come down table at the right speed and the pocket would suck in balls, probably the way the cloth was stretched but I never knew.

I would dearly love to have one of those old tens now. Heavy double cowhide pockets made a thump that was good for the soul when you fired a shot deep into the back of them. Been over forty years since my last trip to that hall. No idea what came of it. Long gone I am sure. The owner was getting old and a new owner wasn't likely to keep that time warp even then.

Hu

I'd pay good money to hear that sound again!!
I've always struggled w power issues, firm pocketing speed, etc...
I wonder if those 'back 40's' left an impression on me??