Despite not knowing the origin of the pool table's invention, it is undisputed that the game has been around for many years. The earliest written records about the game date back at least to the 1500s in Northern Europe. The game became popular with men and women of all ages. It has remained very popular in the United States over many years.
Pool was originally played on grass or a board that had a hole in its middle. It was played with object balls that were numbered from one to fifteen. The game was similar, except that you pushed the ball and not struck it. In the 1600s, the "mace", a wooden stick that was used to strike the ball was invented.
The game was further refined by adding a cue stick, wooden hoop and balls. It was very popular in Europe and then spread to the United States. The game was popularized worldwide only after the Industrial Revolution.
The history of the game's development is unclear, though there are many individuals who played a part in it. First, the indoor billiards table was invented by King Louis XI (France). The game also developed into a popular pastime in England, which grew in popularity after the Industrial Revolution. The game was also popular among the French nobility.
The popularity of the game grew in America after it was first introduced. Many of the first settlers brought the game to the United States, and billiards tournaments were held throughout the country. The game became popular in nicer saloons, and the cost of the equipment was prohibitive to the lower classes.
The game's past was further complicated by the introduction of ivory as a material for ball. Ivory was originally made out of elephant tusks. Ivory became more fashionable in the 17th and 18th centuries, but it was not durable and was prone to cracking when struck with extreme force.
In the 1920s, pool balls made from ivory were replaced with a new material. This ball material was a combination of nitrocellulose (camphor) and could explode when hit with extreme force.
This new ball material was called a composite ball. Although the nitrocellulose was not very stable, it was an inexpensive alternative to ivory. After a while the stick and hoop had to be abandoned. The cue tip also became a leather tip to improve ball hitting.
The game developed and became popular in America in the late 1800s. John Wesley Hyatt, an American billiards player, created a ball from camphor and nitrocellulose in the 1870s. The ball was unstable and could explode if struck with extreme force.
Another significant figure in the game's development was Michael Phelan, a successful pool player. Phelan's father immigrated from Ireland to America in 1883. Michael followed him into pool hall. He wrote a book on the subject of pool that inspired new generations to leave behind ivory balls and moved to the table.