photo: Howard Cosell interviews Minessota Fats and Willie Mosconi during the pocket billiards match held in Vegas in 1978
A short history
Pocket billiards can be traced back to the 1500s at least, and probably began with European aristocracy. From there it quickly spread to public rooms and the working class. It wasn't long afterwards that the first hustlers appeared.
Pool was brought to America with the first colonialists, with Virginia explorer William Byrd having once famously laid his wife on a pool table. Other noteworthy pool enthusiasts include George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Pool tables were installed in the White House and at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello plantation.
Pool was especially popular in this country during the late 1800s and early 1900s. During the early part of the 20th Century, straight pool took hold, and some of the greatest practictioners played this variety of the game. They include Ralph Greenleaf and Willie Mosconi. Hustlers like Wimpy Lassiter, Jersey Red and Minnesota Fats preferred other games like one-pocket and nine-ball. Eight ball is a popular bar game that probably took root because of the decline of straight pool and the introduction of smaller coin-operated tables in the 1950s.
The release of the 20th Century Fox film, The Hustler, reinvigorated the sport during the 1960s. The sport got another boost during the late 70s with a series of televised matches between Minnesota Fats and Willie Mosconi. In the 80s, The Color of Money, a sequel to The Hustler, gave the game another shot in the arm.
Pool historically has been a male dominated sport, although that has changed dramatically over the last two decades. Today, some of the most well known players in America are women, and women's professional events are a staple of cable sports channels.
Pool history
More books on pool history
-
New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Pool, by Mike Shamos: This is the essential reference work for anyone interested in pool and its history.
-
McGoorty: A Poolroom Hustler, by Robert Bryne: This is the true story of Golden Age billiards hustler Danny McGoorty. It’s also one of the funniest books ever written about the sport.
-
Cornbread Red: Pool's Greatest Money Player, by Bob Henning: This is the story of Cornbread Red, a hell-raising player from the 1960s.
-
Winning One-Pocket, As Taught by the Game’s Greatest Players, by Eddie Robin: Besides including great diagrams of fantastic one-pocket shots, this book includes a collection of historical and priceless anecdotes about some of the games greatest players.
-
Byrne’s Book of Great Pool Stories, edited by Robert Byrne: Not technically a book on pool history, this tome nonetheless includes some of the most noteworthy short stories ever written about the sport.
-
Byrne’s Wonderful World of Pool & Billiards, by Robert Byrne: This includes plenty of historical details about the sport.
-
Hustlers, Beats & Others, by Ned Polsky: Hustlers, Beats and Others is Ned Polsky's fascinating examination of the underground life of pool hustlers, and how hustlers fit (or don't) into larger society. The book discusses how pool players see themselves, the milieu in which they operate, and the connection between poolroom life and single men.
-
Billiards, by John Grisssim: An interesting read with plenty of colorful anecdotes about the history of American pocket billiards.
-
Billiards in the Twentieth Century, by Riso Levi: Originally published in the late 1800s, this is an anthology of articles on Billiards by masters of the game.
-
Willie's Game, by Stanley Cohen: This is Willie Mosconi's memoirs, and an invaluable source of information about the straight pool legend.
-
Billiard Encyclopedia: An Illustrated History of the Sport ,by Victor Stein and Paul Rubino
Online historical videos
-
Willie Hoppe & Welcher Cochran (YouTube)
-
Johnston City Pool Hustling (A personal favorite) (YouTube)
Other resources
-
Pool Interviews by Bill Porter and Mike Haines: This includes highlights of pool interviews from the 1980 Rocky Mountain 9-Ball Open
-
Billiard Photographs: This is a commercial site, Billiard Artwork and Antiques, that markets plenty of old pool posters.
-
Bert Kinister: Bert markets a number of tapes that include historic billiard matches.
-
www.3cushion.com: This excellent website has a listing of old newspaper articles, images, correspondence and very cool collectible items.