What Killed Straight Pool?

[Bavafongoul]

The game takes too long to play........150 points.....versus a race in 8, 9, or 10 ball.
The game is harder since there is no slop & running a rack in10 ball isn't that difficult.
The game is a battle that can turn into a chess match & can mentally drain your focus.
The game involves the most complete set of skills and abilities than other pool games.

And the vast majority of average players cannot run the table & enjoy running 2 or 3 racks.
Player egos get in the way when they can't run more than a rack, so they revert to 8. 9 & 10 ball.
When you opponent is running 10, 12 balls & then hooks you to only resume running another
15-20 balls & hooks you a 2nd time, the game becomes discouraging if you cannot duplicate
running a lot of balls & also not lose control of the table. Straight pool is the best measure of
your pool abilities & knowledge and rest assured, straight pool will reveal & confirm your skills.


Matt B.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... I'm not sure but didn't the gals go to 100?
...

I don't know about all of the events, but in 1980 at the Roosevelt Hotel (where the McGown/Butera match was), the women played to 75.

BPI statistics can be misleading since they depend a lot on the style of the player. I'd say there is at least a 2-1 variation in BPI if safes are counted between players of roughly equal ability. But a BPI well under 1.0 does make you wonder.

 

[DJSTEVEZ]

During the 1992, 15th U.S. Open Straight Pool Championship (NYC) there was a shot clock used and there were a remarkable number of 100+ ball runs, none the least of which was Mike Sigel's 150 & out victory against Mike Zuglan. If 14.1 is to maintain whatever meek spotlight it has in the arena of tournament play, the game needs to move faster. The crowd likes it better that way & while certainly not scientific research, players seems to play better as well.

 

[9andout]

Coin operated bar tables killed or hurt straight pool. People started playing in bars and thought pool was eight ball.

Definitely hurt.
8ball is known in many bars as "regular pool"
Most other games bring questions.

They do not even know what the thumb-wheel numbers on every pool table mean!!!!!!!!!

Lol!
***
Royal Billiards in DE. Has a Straight Pool league.

 

[efirkey]

It's interesting that someone mentioned learning straight pool from the old timers and most of them are long gone. I am now 49 and I have played a lot of straight pool. The majority of my playing is with the old timers who are now mostly long gone or getting old. I can't think of anyone younger than me that plays or wants to. It's kind of scary to think that once my generation is gone that straight pool may very well be gone as well.

I believe straight pool to be the best game because it really makes me focus more so than any other game. No other game brings out my best ability over time. It's also the best game to judge where I am currently playing at.