1.) The game of pool developed from a European lawn game similar to croquet, played during the 15th century.
2.) When exactly the initial pool table was constructed is unknown. The first confirmation of a pool table was recognized in 1470, in an inventory of the possessions of King Louis XI of France.
3.) The most basic pool tables were said to have consisted of a stone layer, cloth covering and opening in the midpoint to propel the pool balls into.
4.) The first pool billiard room was built in England in 1765.
5.) The Church denounced the game of pool as sinful, precarious and fraudulent; play was forbidden in France in the 15th century. In first American history, guidelines were passed outlawing the match owing to sacred influences.
6.) For the duration of the age of Thomas Jefferson, pool was banned in the state of Virginia. The ground on Thomas Jefferson's house concealed a discrete pool room.
7.) Pool table cloths have changed not much in greater than 400 years. Wool remains the material of choice to this day, while it occasionally is blended with nylon.
8.) Previous pool tables featured even vertical walls for rails identified as “banks” on account of their resemblance to riverbeds. Their single job was to prevent the pool balls from falling off the table; however, pool people soon discovered that their pool balls could bounce off the table rails, so they started to intentionally aim for them. Consequently, the "bank shot" was born.
9.) All the way through history, the contest of pool bridged the chasm between upper and lower classes, as public of every social station were known to compete.
10.) In later years, pool started to be considered as a sport. In 1873, it evolved into the first sport to appoint a world championship.
11.) Throughout the majority of the 1800’s, the chalk used on the new leather cue tips was carbonate of lime, better identified as blackboard chalk. Nearly all chalk used now is comprised of fine abrasives and won't contain a spot of chalk.
12.) The expression “cue” is derived from the French queue, meaning tail. Before the cue stick was designed, billiards was played with a staff. The stick consisted of a arched timber (or metallic) head used to push the ball forwards, attached to a narrow handle. Since the awkwardness of the club head made shots along the rail complicated, it was often turned around and the “tail” end was used. Competitors finally realized this logic was a lot more effective, and the cue as a discrete device grew out of the mace’s tail.
13.) 1903 brought the initial coin-operated pool table. The expense per match was one penny!
14.) Until practically 1920, American billiards was dominated by the carom games. Pool was a dull, or fading game. When the original championship pool tournament was held in 1878, the winner, and the occurrence itself, all but went ignored.
15.) At times, including at some point in the Civil War, billiard results received wider coverage than war news. Experts were so renowned that cigarette cards were issued featuring them.
16.) In the present day, pool and billiards is a well-known and widespread activity, both for recreational people and competitors. Organizations like the APA and others put on annual billiard tournaments and great billiards events are made known and even broadcast on key television stations. Pool halls exist across the nation, from the smallest of towns to large cities, and a huge number of people possess pool tables in their houses.
Pool tables are so routine today that they are sold via internet and in some brick and mortar stores committed exclusively to pool tables.