Why do they call it English?
- Thread starter pvc lou
- Start date
As instructors, it's to differentiate vertical axis spin (directional energy) from sidespin/english (rotation energy). Interestingly, English players refer to english as "side", and draw as "screw"! 
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
More than likely, it's because the first person that someone in America had seen using significant amounts of spin was considered to be English.
It's the same reason people say things like:
Alabama 8ball (traditional 8-ball with 1 & 15 in the side pocket)
Boston balls (a set of American pool balls, as described by certain areas of Canada)
Koop has ^^^ LOL
It isn't just pool(billiards) you know - any ball with sidespin, golf, tennis, ping pong -
is described as having "English" applied to it.
As to why - I always assumed it was because the Brits were the first to put chalk
onto the leather tips that clever Frenchman 'invented', thereby increasing the amount
of sidespin produced and improving the control possible.
Dale(who knows it is Table Tennis, but thinks ping pong sounds so cute)
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In Japan, they might not call it English and have their own term for basically the same thing. Never know.
After I miss a shot using English, I have been known to call it other things also.
Funny, when I was younger, the term Boston was used quite regular and referred to playing 8 Ball.
I have seen ads for pool tables on a local site but basically called, Used Everywhere.
The ads often describe the table as coming with a set of Billiard balls and one set of Boston balls.
After I miss a shot using English, I have been known to call it other things also.
Funny, when I was younger, the term Boston was used quite regular and referred to playing 8 Ball.
I have seen ads for pool tables on a local site but basically called, Used Everywhere.
The ads often describe the table as coming with a set of Billiard balls and one set of Boston balls.
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I thought it was because British sailors came over and schooled the natives on the game because of their use of spin on the cue ball.
Good jobs tips aren't called Frenchies. You don't want them surrendering and admitting defeat in the heat of battle just when you're about to shoot the money ball...
I kid.
.
Interesting question. As well, I wonder, the billiard language, in oh....say Europe or Asia, or Mexico, or other parts of the world, do the same pool phrases, for instance "on the lemon" or "he has the nuts" or "a yard" or a "C note", stuff like that, would even say them in other countries or would they have the same meaning? Are there adaptations in other languages?
Why are some buildings called apartments when they're all stuck together?
I'll be amazed if this doesn't lead to a race/ethenticity flame war.
And why is the place you park your car called the driveway...when the place you drive is called the parkway?
Somebody screwed up!
One told me, back in the old age, the normal shafts being used have no leather tip, and only one shaft was in the pool hall/room with some leather tip of which enable CB spin, and it was called english, if someone needed to spin the CB he/she'd borrow it, just like the bridge ... later everyone started having one and the name remained.
Could be true!