Why is it always green felt with blue chalk?

8

8-Ball Player

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Almost every pool table I come in contact with has green felt, and the owner is using blue chalk. I'm just curious why green felt is so popular, there are other colors of felt that look fantastic! Another thing would be why dont people use green chalk to help keep the felt cleaner longer?

The only explanation I can get out of it is this: If everyone has green felt/blue chalk, then they dont have to worry about a lot of people coming in with black chalk all over their tip, which would dirty the table in a matter of weeks.

What do you guys think? Personally I think that green felt does NOT go with the usual dark brown wood. They just dont look good.
 
Billiards is said to have roots as a lawn game, but was later moved in doors and put on a table. The green cloth represents the lawn if I remember correctly.

Originally white chalk was used, but sometime between 1810-1830 blue chalk was introduced, not sure why though, maybe just for something different.

We use these colours still I think out of tradition. But tv tables tend to be blue cloth these days, because the contrast of the balls on the blue cloth is easier to see. Also it is easier on the eyes for the players.
 
As a former room owner I can tell you that making the chalk the same color as the cloth doesn't keep it cleaner longer ... :) it just makes it so you don't see the filth and it becomes an even bigger problem to deal with later when you finally realize you have six tons of green chalk on your cloth and you can no longer find the six ball. :)
 
Green is easier on the eyes...just like a card table. I have no idea why the chalk is blue. Johnnyt
 
I am of the opposite opinion. It's just a matter of taste, but I really love the green and think it looks great with dark wood. I had trouble choosing between the traditional green and the "spruce" green which is a little less electric, but I went with the spruce. Looking at my room, you probably wouldn't notice much difference. Green is green.

Blue chalk shows up much less on my cloth than does the green. That's why I switched to blue at home. Green chalk is lighter than my cloth and shows up big time.
 
Anyone ever play on a table with red cloth? After two hours the whites of your eyes turn red. I played on all the silly colors that new poolrooms had afer the hustler came out. It sucked. Johnnyt
 
In my experience , yes . . . the blue chalk actually matches the green felt better than the green chalk I've had. The blue is a tad darker which blends in quite quickly and the green chalk looks alot lighter and stays that way alot longer.
 
i played a guy with red felt on his table.he insisted that i use his red chalk to"keep the cloth clean". after about 4 or 5 miscues i politely called it a day and went home.
 
I have a redish table at my house but it is dark enough so that it isn't too hard on the eyes.
 
I've got dark green cloth, and a pretty good chalk match with Silver Cup.

I wish the rails were green, too. That's where it shows up.
 
jgpool said:
Rep coming your way. For Tradition!!!! I'm with you.
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thanks to all in agreement, its tradition, my business partner blows 10 dimes on a table and its burgandy-horrible I asked him WHY? he said it matches better-he has never once pocketd 3 balls in a row, its a piece of furnature....sad. i will awalys have green felt and blue chalk and a custom cue that is proper pool to me.

hididng the chalk marks using green on green is a terrible plan becasuse you dont know how dirty your table(s) are, leave the tradition be, enough with the scopes(another thread 5 minutes ago,) lazer aiming things, gloves, and all the other jive things the markerters come up with to sell weaker players, they are selling a dream eith er you have it or you dont. speaking for myself I had some and play ok.
 
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Johnnyt said:
Burgandy? Johnnyt
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Yes, very close to the color of chalk in your avatar. It wasn't my choice though- if it were up to me, I'd go with something like Euro Blue.
 
Johnnyt said:
Burgandy? Johnnyt
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LOL! First score I ever made, playing on a Sears 4 x 8 with burgundy cloth. Quarter-half nine ball from about 11:30 pm 'til about 5 or 6 am. Not too hard on the eyes, I'd hate to play on fire-engine red, though.
 
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They even had yellow, orange, gold, you name it. But half the country was on LSD then...so it fit in. Johnnyt cloth
 
I am ashamed to say, I used to use tan chalk..

Why?

Because it kept my shaft "cleaner", of course! :D :D :D :D

Russ
 
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