Q-Ball Table?

[Johnnyt]

There was a pool game called Q-Ball that was in the bars in NY and Jersey in the late 1940’s to about the 1960. There was a Q-ball tournament on WPIX in NY every week for awhile. My dad was on it twice. It might have been all over the country in the 1950’s for all I know. I was too young for the road then.

The table was about 3 x 6 and you shot from a spot on the front part of the table. There were nine holes in the table the balls could drop into and a wooden mushroom in front of the 200-point pocket, which if you knocked over you lost all points and had to start over. Each hole had a point value. One 200-point hole, one 100-point hole, two 50’s, one 30, two 20’s, and two 10’s. I believe there were six white balls and one red ball that scored double for you. You put a dime in and there was a timer on it. All balls kept coming back until the gate closed.

Has anyone ever seen one of these tables and does anyone know where one is for sale. Thank you. Johnnyt

 

[Poolschool]

I have heard of English Billiards but I know nothing about it or the table. It sounds pretty cool. I always like to hear about the good old days... I had a customer that had an old antique table he brought here from England. He tried to explain the game to me but I didnt get to see the table. I guess they are calling this "english bar billiards". Maybe qball could be an americanized version? Interesting...

Go to www.tradgames.org.uk and look around.

 

[Johnnyt]

I have heard of English Billiards but I know nothing about it or the table. It sounds pretty cool. I always like to hear about the good old days... I had a customer that had an old antique table he brought here from England. He tried to explain the game to me but I didnt get to see the table. I guess they are calling this "english bar billiards". Maybe qball could be an americanized version? Interesting...

Go to www.tradgames.org.uk and look around.

I believe that your right. I remember reading somewhere that the company that made the Q-ball table in the states got the idea from the English version. Johnnyt

 

[Poolschool]

So what was the object of the game? How many points do you have to collect?

 

[Johnnyt]

So what was the object of the game? How many points do you have to collect?

You keep sinking balls until you miss. Then other player gets to shoot. The balls that go in a hole keep coming back until a timer closes a gate. When you shoot the last balls after the gate close the balls don't come back. When there are no more balls you add your points up. The one red ball counts doulble.

I was only about ten when my dad put one in our basement. It is a cool game. I learned caroms, kiss shots, and banks playing Q-Ball. By the time I was twelve my dad was taking me around to bars and betting on me. If I remember right he gave me twenty-five percent of the winnings. LOL you needed an agent to deal with my dad. Johnnyt