The History of Billiard Tables

Billiards today is commonly found at pool parlors, bars and people's homes. Before it became a common sport and recreation, the game of billiards was highly regarded. The rich history of billiards goes back through centuries and evolved into the table game we know and love today. Learning about the history of billiards can help you understand how the game developed and the reasons it is played today.

  1. Lawn Games

    • Billiards began as an evolution of lawn games that were popularized in Europe during the 1300s and 1400s. These games included croquet and bocce. The object of them was to use balls and aim toward specific goals. While the lawn games were popular, it was nearly impossible to play them inside because of their setup. The billiard table was created as a way to play these games indoors.

    King Louis XI

    • King Louis XI was one of the first-known people to create a billiards table. He actually cut out a piece of his lawn and placed it on a tabletop in order to play croquet. Instead of using metal hoops, like in croquet, the king used a mix of hooks and cushions that the balls bounced off.

    Geography

    • Since King Louis XI was in control of France, billiards really took off there. Instead of dismantling every lawn in the country, new tables were made using a green felt to represent grass. Holes were not used yet, but cushions were set around the edges of the table and used as markers for scoring on the tables. The sport caught on and spread to other countries, such as Scotland, where the Queen of Scots, Mary, loved the game. It further moved across Europe and eventually to the United States.

    Early Tables

    • Originally, croquet mallets were used to push balls across the table. To make the game more challenging, a pool cue was developed in the late 1700s. Once the standard pool cue was created, more developments came to billiard tables. Cushions were stuffed with materials in order to improve their bounce and create more action around the table. Later, the cushions had holes cut into them in order to score, keep and track points more proficiently. The pockets were moved into lower positions to represent the drop style seen today.

    Competition

    • Billiard tables grew in popularity throughout the globe during the 1800s and eventually grew into an official sport. There are hundreds of billiard leagues all over the world that use the billiard table in order to play a variety of billiard games. Along with the standard 8-ball, the table is used for snooker, 9-ball, straight pool and one pocket.