Billiards was first developed as a lawn game similar to croquet in the 15th century. The "mace" was a wooden stick that players used to hit the balls. They would turn it around and strike the ball. Unfortunately, the head of the "mace" was not designed to be used close to rails. The friction would be increased if players used chalk.
Billiards became a popular recreational activity after the Industrial Revolution. Billiards was very popular among both women and men. It was very popular with soldiers in both World Wars. It was also a popular entertainment for all classes, including royalty. Billiards became a popular game in the early 20th century and tournaments were regularly held.
Michael Phelan, an Irish immigrant, is known as the father of American pool. He set the rules and regulations. Also, he wrote the first American book regarding billiards. He also invented new cushion and table designs. He eventually merged with J.M. Brunswick & Balke, and created the Brunswick-Balke-Collender company. They dominated the billiards sector for the next twenty years. They controlled all aspects.
The first version of this table used flat vertical walls as the rails. The shape was made more recognisable in the early 1900s. It had a hole in the center for the cue ball. It was covered in velvet fabric. This fabric was a softer one, which protected the table.
Billiards evolved from a lawn game into a modern game with six pockets. The main goal of the game wasn't to knock over "the king". The game allowed players to choose whether to pot their opponents' balls or return them back to their original locations.
In the past, the balls were made of ivory or wood. They can now be made from phenolic and polyester. The ball is also scratchproof. These balls are also available in plastic and acrylic. It was in the 1920s that women had trouble being accepted in the poolroom.
Billiards started to be more popular in the early 1900s with lower class people. However, the tables and the equipment were prohibitively expensive. It was still played primarily by the European upper classes. According to industry statistics, 2015 saw the highest table sales ever.
Billiards requires skill at different levels. Billiards can take more time than other games. Some claim that the croquet game is what spawned the game of billiards. However, this is not proven. Billiards has grown to be an enjoyable sport, which is also the basis of many other games.
The game was extremely popular in the late 1800s to early 1900s, particularly among soldiers. The cost of equipment became less expensive and the sizes of the tables were standardized. The first world championship was held in billiards. It was still very popular with veterans after both World Wars.
Billiards started to lose popularity in the 1950s. In the early 2000s, though, billiards returned to popularity.