Billiards

This game was a development of the game of bowls, played upon a table, with a protecting ledge, a ball being pushed with a wooden rod called a mast, now mace, and driven into a pocket after striking another ball. It is claimed to have originated in the East, and to have been brought west by the Knight Templars on their return from the first crusade. During the reign of Louis XI. it was played in France, and Henry III. called it "the noble game." The Elizabeth an writers mention it. In 1674 the bed of the table was made of oak or marble, slate beds being used in 1827. The cushions were first of cloth. stuffed, later of felt. India-rubber cushions were used in 1835, and about 1865 cushions of vulcanized rubber were introduced. The pockets were boxes at first, being succeeded by nets. The mace was replaced by the cue in 1734, and in 1807 the leather tip was added to this by the French man Mingaud. In England at the beginning of the 18th century the tables were square with three pockets on one side only. A small arch was placed in the middle of the table, and near by a cone called the King. At intervals the player had to put his ball through the arch and round the King without upsetting either. Two balls were used, pocketing the adversary's ball counting one, and pocketing your own losing one point, the game 3 or 5. In French billiards, 1734, also called "Doublet," the King and arch were not used, there was a pocket in each corner and one midway on the long sides of the table. The cue ball had to take a cushion before pocketing the object ball, or the latter was forced to the cushion before entering the pocket. In 1775 the French carom game appeared, a third ball being added, the carom consisting in striking the other two balls with the cue ball. Pockets were also counted as in the two ball game. In England the tables are 12 ft. by 6 ft., covered with green cloth, with rubber cushions, 6 netted pockets and 3 ivory balls 2 in. diameter. The game is 50 points and the counts as follows: holing the white, or the cue ball off the white, 2, the red, or the cue ball off the red, 3, a carom 2; if the player mi es the object ball, the opponent counts 1, and if in the same shot his ball is holed his adversary counts 3.