the wire

[whammo57]

When I first started playing pool everyone played straight pool... 14-1. You never played 8 ball in a pool hall......... it was a hall in the 60's not a room. 8 ball was only played in bars. If you gambled in a pool hall you played 9 ball. We used to play a ring with 3 to 5 players with a quarter on the 9 and a dime on the 5.

The wire.......... I learned to keep score in straight pool with the beads on the wire. There was a wire over every table. Now you can;t find one in a pool hall, You also can't find anyone that knows how to keep score on the wire.... move your score to the middle arter each rack and keep the rack out by it self on the wire. I have never figured out to keep score with the those little number wheels stuck in the end rail of the table..........

You had to watch the unscrupulous players that would "get you on the wire" by moving a few beads over to their score when you we not looking.

Any one want to play straight pool................... I never get any answers at the pool hall........ usually they say "what's that"

Kim

 

[14-1StraightMan]

Straight Pool

Kim..... everything you stated is 100% correct....LOL.... It is nice talking to someone in my age group that knows what I am talking about. Growing up in NY and going to pool rooms (halls) with my older brother John in the 60's. They only played Straight and you are correct that they gambled on 9-ball. If you go over to my profile page and click on the photo of my game room. A few photos pop up & you can see the "wire" above my table. The wheel score is not hard to keep score with 14.1 The total score goes on the right of each of the two wheels and the rack score goes on the left of each wheel. I like the beads (wire) better b/c some times a player can moves those wheels with their bridge hand by accident. Keep writing.

 

[alstl]

Booches in Columbia MO dates to the 1880's and has Balke Collander tables and the wire above the tables.

They are a couple blocks from the University of Missouri campus and make far more money from food than pool but if you want to go back in time that is a good place to visit.

 

[Vahmurka]

what's the need to keep track of rack score at all? Differences in how the Americans and the Europeans count points in straight pool have been discussed before, when at some of the World Open they were using funny paper charts the Europeans had difficulties with.
We are used to count the balls on the table at the beginning of one's inning and at the end. There you have the total balls pocketed which adds to one of those little end rail number wheels. A full rack adds 14 (as a break ball remains there). That's very easy and let's you forget about counting every single ball you make during your inning.

 

[alstl]

what's the need to keep track of rack score at all? Differences in how the Americans and the Europeans count points in straight pool have been discussed before, when at some of the World Open they were using funny paper charts the Europeans had difficulties with.
We are used to count the balls on the table at the beginning of one's inning and at the end. There you have the total balls pocketed which adds to one of those little end rail number wheels. A full rack adds 14 (as a break ball remains there). That's very easy and let's you forget about counting every single ball you make during your inning.

They probably used the paper in a tournament so they would have a record for future reference to keep track of number of innings, high runs, etc and disputes over the score are more easily resolved.

The wire above the table and the scoring wheel at the foot of the table serve the same function and most people keep score they way you described. I prefer the wire to the wheel because the wheels tend to malfunction and spin freely after several year of use, especially on tables in pool halls which get rode hard and sent home wet.

Is 14.1 played much in Russia?

 

[Toncam]

The wire.......... I learned to keep score in straight pool with the beads on the wire. There was a wire over every table. Now you can;t find one in a pool hall, You also can't find anyone that knows how to keep score on the wire.... move your score to the middle arter each rack and keep the rack out by it self on the wire.

Kim

Thats the way i was taught to keep score also. I keep waiting for the day when i will see a wire over a table again.

 

[dmgwalsh]

Thats the way i was taught to keep score also. I keep waiting for the day when i will see a wire over a table again.

I've got a wire over mine in the basement.

Illinois Billiard Club has wires over all the tables.

Red Shoes Billiards has wires on the 4 tables on the pro side.

 

[whammo57]

Kim..... everything you stated is 100% correct....LOL.... It is nice talking to someone in my age group that knows what I am talking about. Growing up in NY and going to pool rooms (halls) with my older brother John in the 60's. They only played Straight and you are correct that they gambled on 9-ball. If you go over to my profile page and click on the photo of my game room. A few photos pop up & you can see the "wire" above my table. The wheel score is not hard to keep score with 14.1 The total score goes on the right of each of the two wheels and the rack score goes on the left of each wheel. I like the beads (wire) better b/c some times a player can moves those wheels with their bridge hand by accident. Keep writing.

So your opponent can "get you on the wheel"...........LOL

Kim

 

[sfleinen]

So your opponent can "get you on the wheel"...........LOL

Kim

Boy, with all the replies so far, you were "down to the wire" on that one.

-Sean

 

[stevekur1]

I prefer using the wire over the wheels on the table. lots of time the wheels stick and you end up ripping skin off your fingers or jamming your finger trying to turn it.

the beads above the table are the easiest route to go. In our leagues at Raxx we also keep score on paper to verify that the beads are correct along with helping the league director to see how the game went so he can adjust the handicapping accordingly.

-Steve

 

[MN Kid]

 

[sfleinen]

...MN Kid's image snipped...

What? No beads on the lamp's wire?

-Sean

 

[AtLarge]

... The wheel score is not hard to keep score with 14.1 The total score goes on the right of each of the two wheels and the rack score goes on the left of each wheel. ...

Actually, you can put the totals on the right wheels, or the left wheels, or the inside wheels, or the outside wheels -- 4 different ways to do it. And different people have different preferences. In fact, some people seem to be almost incapable of doing it in any but their one preferred choice of those 4. I'm fairly indifferent; just let me know how you'd like to do it.

 

[14-1StraightMan]

Wheel Scorer

Actually, you can put the totals on the right wheels, or the left wheels, or the inside wheels, or the outside wheels -- 4 different ways to do it. And different people have different preferences. In fact, some people seem to be almost incapable of doing it in any but their one preferred choice of those 4. I'm fairly indifferent; just let me know how you'd like to do it.[/QUOTE



Completely understand that there are different ways to keep score with the wheel. I think it is much easier for each player to have their own separate (individual) wheel scorer, with their rack score on the left & their total on the right. This way there is no reason for an opponent to have to touch both individual wheel systems.

 

[measureman]

Someone installed your floor on the ceiling.

 

[stevekur1]

I like this score keeper, it's easier on the fingers !!!

Great App !!!

Steve

 

[AtLarge]

Completely understand that there are different ways to keep score with the wheel. I think it is much easier for each player to have their own separate (individual) wheel scorer, with their rack score on the left & their total on the right. This way there is no reason for an opponent to have to touch both individual wheel systems.

Mike, what I was talking about was, indeed, with each player having his own counter, with each counter having 4 wheels -- two wheels on the left for one double-digit number and two wheels on the right for another double-digit number.

But that still allows 4 ways to keep score -- put the game totals on the right side of the counter (the way you prefer), or on the left side of the counter, or to the "inside" of the table (the right side of his counter for the person using the left counter and the left side of his counter for the person using the right-hand counter), or to the "outside" of the table (the left side of his counter for the person using the left counter and the right side of his counter for the person using the right counter).

I've never had an opponent want to keep his rack score on one counter and his game total score on the other counter.

 

[TommyLee]

I'm lost, I'm gonna need a diagram

 

[Toncam]

I've got a wire over mine in the basement.

Illinois Billiard Club has wires over all the tables.

Red Shoes Billiards has wires on the 4 tables on the pro side.

Having them in Chicago doesnt help ME out any, lol. Here in Vegas the wheels on most of the GC,s stink, theyre either faded to oblivion or you need a tire iron to move them.
On another note i finally got to play on the 5 x 10 at Best Billiards tonight, what a pleasure that was. Actually got off a run of 16 and amazed myself. :grin:

 

[14-1StraightMan]

Mike, what I was talking about was, indeed, with each player having his own 2-wheel scorer. But that still allows 4 ways to keep score -- put the game totals on the right wheel of each scorer (the way you prefer), or on the left wheel of each scorer, or on the "inside" wheels (the right wheel for the person using the left scorer and the left wheel for the person using the right-hand scorer), or on the "outside" wheels (the left wheel for the person using the left scorer and the right wheel for the person using the right-hand scorer).

I've never had an opponent want to keep his rack score on one of the 2-wheel scorers and his game total score on the other one of the 2-wheel scorers.

LOL... It all sounds like "Who's on First".... I have a set way, I guess it's "Old School". I like the rack score on the left side & total on the right. I look at it as if I am reading. We read from left to right.