While billiards equipment changed very little in the twentieth century, the first 400 years of the game's existence saw so many alterations that it's no wonder historians have had such a difficult time piecing the puzzle together.
Changes in equipment begat changes in the nature of the games themselves, and changes in the game in England did not necessarily result in adjustments in France and/or America.
Tables
The first definitive notation of a table made for the express purpose of playing billiards was in 1470. The table, commissioned by France's King Louis XI, was said to include a bed of stone, a cloth covering, and a hole in the middle of the playfield, into which balls were driven.
Later, pockets were moved to the outer edges of the playfield, and most featured six pockets - one at each corner, and one along each long rail. As billiards in the seventeenth century was still evolving from its outdoor forefathers, an ivory arch and upright target (called a "king") were placed near the center of the table. Each player had his own cue ball and could score points by sending his ball through the arch, or "port," or by making contact with the "king" without knocking it over.
Until the middle of the eighteenth century, billiard tables were crudely constructed, with little concern given to the stability of the piece. The bed was nothing more than a thin wooden board, and the inner construction did little to keep the board from warping.
By the early 1800s, accomplished cabinetmakers were beginning to produce solidly constructed billiard tables. While the bed was generally still made from wood, greater efforts were made to build and secure the bed through the use of various dried hardwoods and dowels. Slate beds followed shortly thereafter, and due to the weight of the slate, the inner construction of billiard tables became even more complex and substantial.
Later in the nineteenth century, table manufacturers began experimenting with gulleys and channels through which balls could be returned to a catch at one end of the table. Until that time, balls had been held in nets or traps attached to each pocket.
Dimensions of the tables varied, seemingly at the whimsy of the designer. Still, most tables were approximately twice as long as they were wide. Today, standard pool tables vary from 7 feet in length to 10 feet. As a rule of thumb, pocket openings can accommodate two pool balls set side by side. Carom tables, which don't have pockets, are generally 5 feet wide by 10 feet long.
Cushions
As tables became more advanced, the need for reliable reactions of billiard balls off the cushions became more obvious. The level of play, it was surmised, would never reach great heights unless players could come to expect consistent play from the cushions.
In the early days of billiard tables, the cushions were nothing more than short walls of wood. Lining the walls with leather failed to produce acceptable results, so cloth was wra... |
