New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-22
TRYING TO MAKE POOL MORE POPULAR


TRYING TO MAKE POOL MORE POPULAR.
| A SCHEME OF THE BILLIARD-sALooN KEEPERS TO
HELP THEIR BUSINESS MANY DEVICES TO
CREATE INTEREST IN THE CANE
The recent pool tournament was not gotten up by
the billiard experts evidence of their interest IN
the game; the contrary, the best players at ol-
iards generally show no inclination toward pool.
The contest Just ended was really device OF the
table makers and saloonkeepers to revive interest
in their business which recent changes have greatly
injured. Persons not familiar with the games OF
billiards and pool would be astonished ar the
changes which have taken place in them IN the last
twenty years. and the effect these changeShave had
ON the business. Many thousands of tables
are manufactured in this country every year, ana
every largo city maintains numerous saloons where
table makers as there are piano manufacturers in
this city and all hotels and many scores OF liquor
saloons have billiard-rooms attached. In fact,
billiard-r0oms and bars almost invariably 20 to-
Rether, and are conducted by the same pro;
prietOr. The STYLES of tables. cushions and and
standard table was SO by ii feet. with six
soms States sV With local laws against the game
was played with five balls and called "Jenpy Lind"
In those days run of 200 with four balls was con-
improved by renewing the two side pockets and and
"four-pocket tables came into use. Later stu the
pockets were dropped, and the fourball car0 SD
gamef was looked upon as specially DIM
cult The French game"-caroms with three
balls-has not been in popular use in this
IS even now low played onIy BY advanced players.
In former times the game consisted OF 100 points,
the pocketing of red ball counting three. that OF
the white two the carom on the two reds three and
on white and red two points 1t was possible under
this arrangement to make thirteen points at sim
gle shot; now one is the most that Is counted for
any shot. and tnIrty-four points constitute game
The change, however, which most seriously
affected the business of the makers
of tables and the keepers OF saloons
suitable for its introduction into private houses
The table was made without pockets, nine feet long
and four and half wide, soon after the hrst large
ones were introduced into gentlemep's
houses. The manufacturers made money by
this change, bat the saloOn-keepers suffered, for
it increased the demand for smaller tables not only
in private houses but also in the saloons, while the
keepers lost the custom OF the great majority OF
those who kept private tables and their friends.
of the saloon keepers and as remedy the compare
lively now game Of pyramid pool" was intro
duced. 1t is the game which they are now endeay-
ATTRACTIONS Of Il ards, requiring much less skin in
playing and affordng comparatively few or no var-
atiOns such as billiards presents. The mannfactur,
for still another style of table and
greater number OF balls; The profits OF one
pool table are considered to DO equal
to that of eight billiard tables. Two average players
at billiards will play not more than two or three
games per hour, for which they pay from 40 to 6O
cents. Two PLAYERS at pool will play SIX games per
hour. But at pool any number Of players can en-
gage; and as there is the same number of balls to
be put in the pockets it takes no longer for five or
even ten persons to play game than for two, and
as each player charged5 cents 1.-THE loser to pay for
alb the income from table is greatly multiplied
Five players would net the table 81 90 per hour.
Moreover, the game is frequently played for I" the
drinks" and the income from these IS about equal 70
that from the table-rent
In some places-generally Of the lowest or
der-there is no charge for playing, but
every game must be played for drinks, which the
loser is to pay for The beverages supplied at these
saloons are Of the vest kind All sorts of devices
are resorted to in other places to make the game
short. Keepers employ markers of skill who play
with the guests solely that they may burst" the
"pyramidn of balls and hasten the finish OF the
game Occasionally the house is stuck" " by this,
the marker losing the game, but in nlnety-nne out
of every hundred cases the device succeeds.
In other saloons the keeper gives reward Of FIVE or
ten dollars to the player making the most balls on
"burst1 This encourages the first player to shoot
with all his force, and the balls being
scattered are more easily "pOCketed." An;
other advantage to the keeper is found
in the fact that the game is 30 simple that
new players are induced to venture to play. and
thus it happens that the saloons are often crowded
with young boys who ought not really to be permitted
to enter them The game of pool Is not one which
can be conveniently introduced into the home circle
because Of the want of pockets IN the ordinary house
table; and thus it leads to the evil effect Of Turing
neople from homo.