Question about old tables from the '60s and '70s

S

Sweatin'

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
...and even the early '80s.

I enjoy watching old youtube videos of Fats, Wimpy, U.J. Puckett and all those old guys playing each other and yakking it up. Invariably they seem to be playing on Gandy Big Gs or occasionally a Gold Crown. It looks to me like balls drop pretty easily on those tables.

So my question is, were the pockets on Big Gs and Gold Crowns from that era 5" corners and 5-1/2" sides? They sure look like that or even more on the videos. (That begs a whole other question as to how those guys would do on a pro-cut Diamond but I'm not looking to go there now.)

Yes, I played on those tables but to me they just were whatever they were. We never gave a thought to pocket size in those days. If fact, I never gave it any serious thought until I signed up here.

If anybody can enlighten me I'd appreciate it.
 
Sweatin' said:
...and even the early '80s.

I enjoy watching old youtube videos of Fats, Wimpy, U.J. Puckett and all those old guys playing each other and yakking it up. Invariably they seem to be playing on Gandy Big Gs or occasionally a Gold Crown. It looks to me like balls drop pretty easily on those tables.

So my question is, were the pockets on Big Gs and Gold Crowns from that era 5" corners and 5-1/2" sides? They sure look like that or even more on the videos. (That begs a whole other question as to how those guys would do on a pro-cut Diamond but I'm not looking to go there now.)

Yes, I played on those tables but to me they just were whatever they were. We never gave a thought to pocket size in those days. If fact, I never gave it any serious thought until I signed up here.

If anybody can enlighten me I'd appreciate it.
Click to expand...


Yes. Or close to it...

From what I have seen, the quality of workmanship back then wasn't anywhere near what it is today. Often times, the ends of the cushions were cut at inconsistent angles, leaving a lot of variability in the pocket size. Though, the nominal sizes were most generally 5" and 5-1/2". Of course, I have seen some Gold Crown side pockets that were closer to 6".
 
Hack Work

bradsh98 said:
Yes. Or close to it...
From what I have seen, the quality of workmanship back then wasn't anywhere near what it is today.
Often times, the ends of the cushions were cut at inconsistent angles, leaving a lot of variability in the pocket size.
Though, the nominal sizes were most generally 5" and 5-1/2".
Of course, I have seen some Gold Crown side pockets that were closer to 6".
Click to expand...
Nothing has changed.
CG's are still like that.
They come from the factory with the wrong angles and then hack's keep working away on them,
chewing the ends of the cushions with their teeth.

I agree that Pockets should be a standard 5" corner and 5 1/2" side pocket.

Hack Work Section
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=150644&highlight=Hack

Here's a proud picture of my work.
Not as good as RKC's but close.....
 

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Brunswick made those pockets real easy to appeal to the general public.
Hell, even Mosconi demanded 5" corners.
 
JoeyInCali said:
Brunswick made those pockets real easy to appeal to the general public.
Hell, even Mosconi demanded 5" corners.
Click to expand...

Would we assume then that Brunswick used the same 5" corner pocket tables in tournaments and matches, exhibitions, etc.?

It sure looks like in the videos.
 
5" corners & 5 1/2" sides were the norm for tournaments (bca specs) before the wpa took over


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant AzBilliards Forums
 
Sweatin' said:
Would we assume then that Brunswick used the same 5" corner pocket tables in tournaments and matches, exhibitions, etc.?

It sure looks like in the videos.
Click to expand...

To be clear, professional tournament and championship (pocket billiard) play PRIOR to 1949 was on 10ft tables with 4.5" pockets.
At that point, the standard for professional play was 9ft tables with 5" pockets.
Since that time, on many occasions, 7ft tables have been used for professional play.
It's a bit of a shame.
 
Yes. Pockets were big. And the balls were lighter and 'dead' by todays standards.
Corey's 'soft break' would have left 3-5 balls still in the rack area.
The cloth was 19-21 oz wool, some of it was rubber backed so it could
only be stretched about medium tight. Cue shafts were all wood, from about 12.5 to
13,5 mm ( Mike 'geese' Gerace played with 14 mm shafts at one point).
The Gandy 'big g's at Beenies had big pockets , but were cut at an angle
that would rattle balls and leave them hanging in the pocket.
Under those conditions, a 'pro cut' diamond would play like a snooker
table.
It was just as tough or tougher to play then as it is now,
I've gambled on most all table conditions from the 60's to today.
It takes the same talent now as then to be a good player.
Ohh, 1 foul 9 ball sucks! lol
Pushout forever!
Ok, I'm done.
 
kid said:
5" corners & 5 1/2" sides were the norm for tournaments (bca specs) before the wpa took over


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant AzBilliards Forums
Click to expand...

I've attempted to decipher and understand all the sanctioning bodies but after a while it all seems like alphabet soup.
 
ABR said:
To be clear, professional tournament and championship (pocket billiard) play PRIOR to 1949 was on 10ft tables with 4.5" pockets.
At that point, the standard for professional play was 9ft tables with 5" pockets.
Since that time, on many occasions, 7ft tables have been used for professional play.
It's a bit of a shame.
Click to expand...

From the standpoint that it seems to me standardization would help the sport overall, I agree.

But I'll never be a pro player, so what do I know?
 
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