History of Billiards

Billiards, a game more commonly known as pool, has a long history in America and other countries. Pool is a great game for seniors still interested in playing, as it is inherently a social game, like board games. The history of billiards is a long, complex one that developed from an outdoor game played not unlike croquet.

The history of billiards begins with the aristocracy in Europe. Though pool was originally an outdoor game, it quickly spread indoors as the nobility acquired indoor billiards tables. According to some sources, King Louis XI of France was the owner of the first indoor billiards table in the latter half of the 15th century. The game was, of course, quite different than it is now. For instance, the pool stick was originally a mace, which pushed the balls instead of striking them. The modern pool cue was not developed until the turn of the 19th century, after years of billiards players using the tail end of the mace for certain pool shots. A number of other advances in billiards were made at this time, including the use of chalk for friction and the use of a leather cue tip.

The history of billiards in the United States is slightly less clear than its history in Europe. Some believe the game was introduced by colonists from England or the Netherlands. Regardless, by the 19th century, billiards was alive and well in many public establishments. One famous establishment that invented many different games for billiards was Bassford's, located in New York. The game continued to evolve into the next century, when eight-ball was developed. Eight-ball is, obviously, one of the most popular pool games played in America.

While the history of billiards has been marred by periods when the game was associated with crime and corruption, the game is popular today and is considered a sport. Billiards competitions and championships can even be seen on TV, on channels like ESPN.

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