The Billiard Crash of 1930s

[Mr. Bond]

Below is a set of national statistics on the billiard and bowling industry
that illustrate the harsh reality of the "billiard crash" in America.

In just two short years, billiard industry revenues and employee numbers
were literally cut in half. (if not more)
Millions of dollars were lost, and public billiards has never recovered.

Excerpt from: Biennial Census of Manufacturers 1931 U.S. Dept of Commerce

 

[ctyhntr]

I though the golden years of pocket billiards were the years after the Great Depression and the war years, no? At least that was my impression of reading Byrnes stories such as McGoorty, and Wimpy Lassiter.

During the Great Recession, we lost Broadway Billiards, Action on N, Masters, Fieldstons, and Comet Billiards in the last 2 or so years here in the New York city area.

 

[West Point 1987]

As I understand it, there was a boom in the 1890's (Balkline) which was a post Depression period, the 1920's (Balkline again and some Straight and Rotation), ironically a post war period and again in the 1940's (Straight) also a post war/post Depression period. Went kind of flatline through the 50's and then the post Hustler boom. Flat again and then the COM boom. A lot of it comes after a Depression/Recession where disposable income is back, employment is good and people can afford to spend money on pool. We're due another boom!:thumbup:

 

[ctyhntr]

I thought one of the reason pool popularity dropped after the war was all the returning war veterans (bachelors) got married and started to raise families.

 

[book collector]

The Billiard Crash

I must be missing something here.
Wasn't that the beginning of the Great Depression and the stock market crash?

 

[Mr. Bond]

I must be missing something here.
Wasn't that the beginning of the Great Depression and the stock market crash?

if you're referring to the stats, yes, the billiard crash/stock market crash/great depression were all very much entwined, so to speak