The history of the sport of billiards goes back to Louis the XI of France who had lawn brought indoors and placed on an everyday table. This early form did not take hold with the public, but remained in the limelight of royalty. As the game became increasingly popular, the sport and specifically the pool tables were reengineered with rails, cloth over wood, and soon cushions, often made of felt or straw. By the 1840s, the tables were made of slate and the bumpers were beginning to take the shape they have now with rubber.
The problem with the 19th century tables was that the rubber bumpers had different elasticities at different temperatures, and therefore different rebounding abilities. The problem was solved with the invention of vulcanized rubber. This mode of heating and adding another element increased the viscosity of the rubber and made it more resilient to impacts. The bounciness that followed is what most of us experience when we see a billiards table today.
The sport of pool has hundreds of variants, but there are a few common themes. Because there are a restricted number of balls on the table, 15 in typical games, and typically 6 pockets, the numbers of games usually involve meshing those numbers with the numbers of players and their turns. The common variants are eight ball and nine ball pool, where the goal is to hit a specific order or style of balls in, but that is not always the case. The skill of the game usually revolves around not hitting certain balls, while still hitting others.
Defense and offense are blurred as rules regulate what can be hit in what order, and if the opposing players are using the same balls for scoring and blocking. The complexity of the sport and the steadiness of the hand required bring hundreds of people to annual conferences.
The sport has gained traction with the introduction of professional tables in middle to upper class homes. The tables are manufactured in a plant, with the woodwork done by machine or professionals, but these pool tables are assembled in the home of the investor. A good pool table installer will also level your table and attempt to be certain that it is flush and even with its surroundings. Even the length and width of the table is uncertain. Professional tables are generally slightly larger with smaller pockets than the recreational player, but the tables themselves are made of common materials.
Hard or soft woods can both be used, typically in ornate carving configurations. It is assumed that a pool table with have its own dominant space. The poles extend the reach of the table several feet beyond the cushion or outer limit of the table and that needs to be considered when installing one. Also lighting is critical; as well as traditional. The common stain glass light that hangs low over the table is a common element of a pool hall that most investors choose to replicate within their own homes.
After going through the history of pool tables as well as their revolutionized construction, you have a better appreciation for years of work that has culminated in the modern sport of billiards. With hundreds of variants and thousands of players worldwide, is comes as no surprise that there are sponsored players. We closed with a look into the common factors that take place during a home installation.
Source: Jennifer R. Scott has been writing for over ten years on a broad range of topics. She has a background that includes such diverse areas as environmentalism, cooking, animal care, and technology. If you would like more information on billiards, please visit pool tables, a site with great information on pool.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_R_Scott
No comments:
Post a Comment