Pool Room Customers That Return Tray of Pool Balls in Sequence - Why?

[ShootingArts]

Playing eightball with friends in high school the balls were always placed in the rack in a certain pattern. Just seemed natural to drop them in the tray in order too. The only excuse for rearranging them in the tray sometimes is that I am genuinely a little OCD. I won't lose my mind if things aren't in order but I do prefer them to be in order.

Pushing hard money jobs or running a fab shop that could easily get cluttered and things misplaced organization was a must. Likewise working in a racing pit crew. When seconds counted knowing what drawer every tool was in mattered.

All of the organization required other places just carried over to the balls in a pool tray. Even if I don't arrange all of the balls in a pattern I will place the cue ball in a corner.

I know a lady that has been eating sandwiches the same way for almost seventy years. She can tell you where she will take each bite forming her pattern. She thinks it is weird that other people don't eat sandwiches in the "proper order". It is funny, she has difficulty forcing herself to take bites out of her normal sequence.

Hu

 

[justnum]

Was it ordered left to right? vertically? What was the structure of the counting pattern presented at return?
Creating a new billiard riddle has been on my mind, this is one of them.

0 is cue ball ABCDEF are 10 through 15 in corresponding order.

1234
5678
9ABC
DEF0

0123
4567
89AB
CDEF

0123
BCD4
AFE5
9876

 

[RT Ford]

Yes, I know there has been a lack of interesting threads on this forum of late and this certainly doesn’t help change that. I’ve always been amazed by the number of our customers who return their tray of balls to us placed in perfect sequence, 1 through 15, with the cue ball being placed either before the 1-ball or after the 15-ball.

I would estimate that number somewhere between 10%-20% of all our customers. Just curious how many of you guys do that and if so, why?

I clean and polish the balls and the tray before I return them to the register. (Nah...just kidding).

 

[straightline]

You can leave a magic square.

I have three sets of balls that serve to stabilize their boxes so I sorted them sequentially across the three boxes. I use the cue balls for billiards.

 

[hang-the-9]

Yes, I know there has been a lack of interesting threads on this forum of late and this certainly doesn’t help change that. I’ve always been amazed by the number of our customers who return their tray of balls to us placed in perfect sequence, 1 through 15, with the cue ball being placed either before the 1-ball or after the 15-ball.

I would estimate that number somewhere between 10%-20% of all our customers. Just curious how many of you guys do that and if so, why?

I tend to do that sometimes, even turn up the numbers to face the same way. It's almost like a subconscious thing, like chalking during thinking that many players do, no real reason for it past looking neat and just something to occupy a blank space of the brain. Also when I take out the balls for 9 or 10 ball I move the others together instead of leaving the random order they were in through the rack.

I actually can tell which group of people have used the ball set, random players or the better players, because the better players tend to play 9 or 10 ball and those low numbers are always arranged together.

 

[Dead Money]

Yes, I know there has been a lack of interesting threads on this forum of late and this certainly doesn’t help change that. I’ve always been amazed by the number of our customers who return their tray of balls to us placed in perfect sequence, 1 through 15, with the cue ball being placed either before the 1-ball or after the 15-ball.

I would estimate that number somewhere between 10%-20% of all our customers. Just curious how many of you guys do that and if so, why?

For fun...I do it sometimes while waiting for the others to gather their things to leave.

I also like to put a cue ball in a corner with a 9 ball diamond under it.... or a 10 ball triangle in it starting with a one ball in the corner.

 

[Mr Machine]

The only problem with OCD is that it isn't in alphabetical order.

I put the balls in reverse order. No idea why....
0 15 14 13
12 11 10 9
8 7 6 5
4 3 2 1

When I started, I'd grab them randomly from the return and see how quickly I could find it's spot without counting. Mental exercise if you will.
Now it's just habit. And it looks nice. Orderly. Shows you care.

 

[MattPoland]

Funny thread. I returned my balls randomly tonight. They left the tray at the bar. A random chick decided to sort them with the 9 behind the 1, 10 behind the 2, 11 behind the 3 and so forth. All color coordinated. I get it.

 

[straightline]

Do this:

16 02 03 13

05 11 10 08

09 07 06 12

04 14 15 01

Rows and columns all total 34.

 

[Bavafongoul]

I carry the pool balls in my Aramith travel case in numerical sequence (rows of 5 x3) and 2 CB.
It makes it easy when repacking the balls after playing 9 or 10 ball, which is mostly what I play.

You know which balls are missing if you come up short that sometimes happens with drop pockets.
While gathering balls, you pass a pocket with a OB. Placing OBs in sequence identifies what’s missing.

The last row (OB#11-15) in my case only gets used when I play 14.1 and 8 ball. Just randomly putting
balls in any order in my travel case just looks careless, clumsy and lazy. IMO, I prefer the organized look.

 

[logical]

I order them by weight.

 

[garczar]

I carry the pool balls in my Aramith travel case in numerical sequence (rows of 5 x3) and 2 CB.
It makes it easy when repacking the balls after playing 9 or 10 ball, which is mostly what I play.

You know which balls are missing if you come up short that sometimes happens with drop pockets.
While gathering balls, you pass a pocket with a OB. Placing OBs in sequence identifies what’s missing.

The last row (OB#11-15) in my case only gets used when I play 14.1 and 8 ball. Just randomly putting
balls in any order in my travel case just looks careless, clumsy and lazy. IMO, I prefer the organized look.

are you serious? re-arrange your sock drawer weekly too? fold your dirty clothes before washing? I really feel kinda sorry for anyone that has full-on anal OCD. I know a few that do things that at first make me laugh but then i realize it can't be fun. I am 90% opposite, not a total mess but i really care nothing about having things so orderly.

 

[jimmyco]

Separation anxiety?

 

[alphadog]

When I am headed to a Clicks Billiard Hall I lace up my Timberlands and slip a Perry Ellis xl long 100% Pima cotton t-shirt on. It's long enough to help conceal the bump from my Kimber Micro in the back pocket of my Levi's. I grab my Hans Delta ball carrying case with my Aramith Black Tournament balls and after removing my ivory jointed Tim Scruggs from its Centennial Case that I only use for storage I place them in a JB Rugged case. I double check that I have 3 pieces of Taom chalk ,and some Lysol disinfectant wipes in the ample zippered
storage pouchs and head out.

After motoring thru traffic I pull up to Clicks and dbl park my 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis and saunter up to the counter. Friendly village idiot recognizes me and asks if I want a table. I reply I ain't here to sell Kirby's that's my day job. And how about a glass of water with 4 ice cubes. That's the # of digits you clinch when making that rude gesture behind my back.

So as you see I don't touch others balls so I never return a tray to the counter in any order. Just thought you would like to know.

 

[Black-Balled]

A non-pool OCD tale: a buddy of mine has 'Maximus OCD'. One time we were playing golf and i re-arranged his irons in his bag while he walked to play a shot. About two holes later he just froze-up looking at his bag. He stopped and with a look of sheer terror/confusion he took them all out and re-inserted them. I couldn't stop laughing for the next couple holes. I think he's still kinda pissed.

Ahh...friends.

 

[Black-Balled]

When I am headed to a Clicks Billiard Hall I lace up my Timberlands and slip a Perry Ellis xl long 100% Pima cotton t-shirt on. It's long enough to help conceal the bump from my Kimber Micro in the back pocket of my Levi's. I grab my Hans Delta ball carrying case with my Aramith Black Tournament balls and after removing my ivory jointed Tim Scruggs from its Centennial Case that I only use for storage I place them in a JB Rugged case. I double check that I have 3 pieces of Taom chalk ,and some Lysol disinfectant wipes in the ample zippered
storage pouchs and head out.

After motoring thru traffic I pull up to Clicks and dbl park my 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis and saunter up to the counter. Friendly village idiot recognizes me and asks if I want a table. I reply I ain't here to sell Kirby's that's my day job. And how about a glass of water with 4 ice cubes. That's the # of digits you clinch when making that rude gesture behind my back.

So as you see I don't touch others balls so I never return a tray to the counter in any order. Just thought you would like to know.

I understand!

 

[336Robin]

I'm almost willing to bet this thread hits 400 posts.

 

[DJKeys]

I have never seen anyone do this in my life-

-dj

 

[Banger]

I didn't know they were supposed to go in a specific order. I guess that's why I'm so bad at 9 ball.

 

[gregcantrall]

I would take a picture of my balls and post it but I don't want to cause anyone distress.