A close-up picture of American-style pool balls

Billiard balls are used in cue sports, such as carom billiards, pool, and snooker. The number, type, diameter, color, and pattern of the balls differ depending upon the specific game being played. Various specific ball properties such as hardness, friction coefficient and resilience are very important to the finer points of gameplay. Download high resolution version (1024x768, 147 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 147 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Billiards is a family of games played on a table with a stick, known as a cue stick, which is used to strike balls, moving them around the table. ... Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game possibly developed in the 18th century in France, though the exact date of invention is not clear. ... Pocket billiards at a pub in Groningen, Netherlands 8 ball pool in Beijing, China Pocket billiards, most commonly referred to as pool, is the general term for a family of games played on a specific class of billiards table, having 6 receptacles called pockets (or holes) along the rails, in... Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a large baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ... Look up hardness in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the resistive force. ... For the band see Resilience (band) Resilience generally means the ability to recover from (or to resist being affected by) some shock, insult, or disturbance. ...

History

The earliest balls were made of wood, and later clay (the latter remaining in use well into the 20th century). Ivory was favored for a period, but by the mid-1800s, elephants were being slaughtered for their ivory at an alarming rate, just to keep up with the demand for billiard balls. No more than eight balls could be made from a single elephant. In an uncommon show of accidental environmentalism, the billiard industry realized that the supply of elephants (their primary source of ivory) was endangered, as well as dangerous to obtain. They challenged inventors to come up with an alternative material that could be manufactured, with a US$10,000 prize from Phelan and Collender of New York City being offered. // Public flight demonstration of an airplane by Alberto Santos-Dumont in Paris, November 12, 1906. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... // Invention of the Jacquard loom in 1801. ... For the psychology topic, see Environmental psychology. ... The Siberian Tiger is a subspecies of tiger that are critically endangered. ... ISO 4217 Code USD User(s) the United States, the British Indian Ocean Territory,[1] the British Virgin Islands, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Caicos Islands, and the insular areas of the United States Inflation 2. ...

In 1869, John Wesley Hyatt invented a composition material called cellulose nitrate for billiard balls (US patent 50359, the first American patent for billiard balls). Although it is unclear if the cash prize was ever awarded to Hyatt, there is no evidence suggesting he did in fact win the prize[1][2]. By 1870 it was commercially branded Celluloid, the first industrial plastic. Unfortunately, the nature of celluloid made it volatile in production, occasionally exploding, which ultimately made this first plastic impractical. 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... John Wesley Hyatt (November 28, 1837 – 1920) was a U.S. inventor. ... Skeletal formula of nitrocellulose Ball-and-stick model of a section of nitrocellulose Nitrocellulose (also: cellulose nitrate, flash paper) is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through, for example, exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Celluloid is the name of a class of compounds created from nitrocellulose and camphor, plus dyes and other agents, generally regarded to be the first thermoplastic. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Subsequently, to avoid the problem of celluloid instability, the industry experimented with various other synthetic materials for billiards balls such as Bakelite, Crystalate and other plastic compounds. Bakelite is a material based on the thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride developed in 1907–1909 by Dr. Leo Baekeland. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

The exacting requirements of the billiard ball are met today with balls cast from plastic materials that are strongly resistant to cracking and chipping. Currently Saluc, under the brand names Aramith and Brunswick Centennial, manufactures phenolic resin balls in Belgium. Other plastics and resins such as polyester (under various trade names) and clear acrylic are also used, by competing companies such as Elephant Balls Ltd. (made in China), Frenzy Sports, and Vigma. Saluc S.A. is a Belgium based speciality manufacturing company. ... Phenolic resin can include any of various synthetic thermosetting resins, obtained by the reaction of phenols with simple aldehydes and used to make molded products, including pool and snooker balls, and as coatings and adhesives. ... SEM picture of a bend in a high surface area polyester fiber with a seven-lobed cross section Polyester is a category of polymers, or, more specifically condensation polymers, which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. ... Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or poly (methyl 2-methylpropenoate) is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate. ...

(See also Cue sports, "History" for more general information on billiards history.) Billiards is a family of games played on a table with a stick, known as a cue stick, which is used to strike balls, moving them around the table. ...

Types of billiard balls

Carom billiards

In the realm of carom (or carambole) games, billiard balls are the three (sometimes four) balls used to play straight-rail, three-cushion, balkline, and related games on pocketless billiards tables, as well as English billiards which is played on a table with pockets. The Asian game yotsudama uses four balls (the name literally means "four-ball"). Carom balls are not numbered, and at 2-7/16 inches (61.5 mm) are larger than pool balls. They are colored as follows: Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game possibly developed in the 18th century in France, though the exact date of invention is not clear. ... Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game developed in the 18th century in France. ... Louis XIV playing billiards (1694) Carom billiards, sometimes called carambole billiards or simply carambole and, in some cases, used as a synonym for the game of straight rail from which many carom games derive, is the overarching title of a family of billiards games generally played on cloth-covered, five... Inset from School of Recreation, 1710. ... Larger tables may require multiple lamps to properly light the playing surface. ... A snooker table English Billiards is a form of billiards played on a 6 × 12 rectangular table with pockets in the four corners and in the middle of the long sides (see Snooker for markings and a diagram). ... There are two similar yet distinct carom billiard games known as 4-ball. ...

• Red object ball (two reds, in yotsudama)
• White cue ball for player 1
• White with a spot (or sometimes yellow) cue ball for player 2

The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the...

American-style pool

In the US, the term "billiard balls" usually (except among carom players) refers to balls used to play various pocket billiards (pool) games, such as eight-ball, nine-ball and one-pocket; they are commonly referred to as Kelly pool balls in the UK. These pool balls, used the most widely throughout the world, are considerably smaller than carom billiards balls, slightly larger than British-style pool balls and substantially larger than those for snooker. According to BCA/WPA equipment specifications, the weight may be from 5.5 to 6 oz. (156 to 170 g) with a diameter of 2.25 in. (5.715 cm), plus or minus 0.005 in. (0.127 mm).^[1][2]. The balls are numbered and colored as follows: Pocket billiards at a pub in Groningen, Netherlands 8 ball pool in Beijing, China Pocket billiards, most commonly referred to as pool, is the general term for a family of games played on a specific class of billiards table, having 6 receptacles called pockets (or holes) along the rails, in... Eight ball players Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ... A correct nine ball rack Nine ball is a contemporary variation of pocket billiards, with historical beginnings rooted in the United States and traceable to the 1920s. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... A leather shake bottle and plastic pills or peas as used in Kelly pool. ... The Billiard Congress of America was established in 1948. ... World Pool-Billiard Association logo The World Pool-Billiard Association is the international governing body for billiards. ...

1. Yellow
2. Blue
3. Red
4. Purple (pink in some ball sets)
5. Orange
6. Green
7. Brown or burgundy (tan in some ball sets)
8. Black
9. Yellow and white
10. Blue and white
11. Red and white
12. Purple and white (pink and white in some ball sets)
13. Orange and white
14. Green and white
15. Brown (or burgundy) and white (tan and white in some ball sets)

• Cue ball white (sometimes with one or more spots)

Note that balls 1-7 are often referred to as solids and 9-15 as stripes though there are many other colloquial terms for each suit of balls. Though it looks similar to the solids, the 8 ball is not considered a solid. Some games such as nine-ball do not distinguish between stripes and solids, but rather use the numbering on the balls to determine which object ball must be pocketed, in other games such as three-ball neither type of marking are of any consequence. In eight-ball, straight pool, and related games, all sixteen balls are employed. In the game of nine-ball, only object balls 1 through 9 (plus the cue ball) are used. Some balls used in televised pool games are colored differently to make them distinguishable on television monitors (thus the pink and tan variants). TV is also the genesis of the "measle" cue ball with numerous spots on its surface so that spin placed on it is evident to viewers. A cue ball resting atop pool chalk In billiard games, the cue ball is usually the ball that a player must hit with the cue. ... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... Three Ball is a gambling game of pocket billiards, playable by any number of persons in rotation. ... Eight ball players Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ... A straight pool rack, right before the opening break. ... A correct nine ball rack Nine ball is a contemporary variation of pocket billiards, with historical beginnings rooted in the United States and traceable to the 1920s. ...

Coin-operated pool tables such as those found at bars and college campuses historically have often used either a larger ("grapefruit") or denser ("rock", typically ceramic) cue ball, such that its extra weight makes it easy for the cue ball return mechanism to separate it from object balls (which are captured until the game ends and the table is paid again for another game) so that the cue ball can be returned for further play, should it be accidentally pocketed. Rarely in the US, some pool tables use a smaller cue ball instead. Modern tables usually employ a magnetic ball of regulation or near-regulation size and weight, since players have rightly complained for many decades that the heavy and often over-sized cue balls do not "play" correctly.

British-style pool (blackball)

In WPA blackball and WEPF or English-style eight-ball (not to be confused with the game of English billiards), fifteen balls again are used, but like those of the pool game casino they are arrayed are in two unnumbered group, the reds (or less commonly blues) and yellows, with a white cue ball, and black 8 ball. Aside from the 8, shots are not called since there is no reliable way to identify particular balls to be pocketed. Because they are unnumbered they are wholly unsuited to certain pool games, such as nine-ball, in which ball order is important. They are noticeably smaller than the American-style balls (and even than those of snooker), and with a cue ball that is slightly smaller than the object balls, while the table's pockets are tighter to compensate. Neither the WPA nor the WEPF (publicly) define ball or even table dimensions, though presumably league and tournament organizers are given some guidelines in this regard. Most manufacturers that supply this market provide 2 in. (5.08 cm) object balls and 1-7/8 in. (4.76 cm) cue balls. Coin-operated pub tables often use cue balls that are smaller than the object balls, so that the ball return mechanism can distinguish them. Eight ball players Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ... WEPF logo The World Eight-ball Pool Federation is an international eight-ball pool organisation overseeing international pool tournaments and rankings, especially for the British-style version of the game (as such it competes with World Pool-Billiard Associations blackball rules. ... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the...

Snooker

Ball sets for the sport of snooker look at first glance like a mixture of American- and British-style pool balls. There are twenty-two balls in total, arranged as a rack of fifteen unmarked reds, six colour balls placed at various predetermined spots on the table, and a white cue ball. (See snooker for more information on ball setup.) The colour balls are sometimes numbered American-style, with their point values, for the amateur/home market. They are numbered as follows: Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a large baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a large baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...

2. Yellow

3. Green

4. Brown (or burgundy, depending upon the manufacturer)

5. Blue

6. Pink

7. Black

Snooker balls are standardized at 52.5 mm (approximately 2-1/8 in.) in diameter within a tolerance of plus or minus 0.05 mm (0.002 in.) No standard weight is defined, but all balls in the set must be the same weight within a tolerance of 3 g.^[3] However, many sets are actually 2-1/16 in. (about 52.4 mm), even from major manufacturers. Snooker sets are also available with considerably smaller-than-regulation balls (and even with ten instead of fifteen reds) for play on smaller tables (down to half-size), and are sanctioned for use in some amateur leagues. The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the... The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pocket billiards (pool), which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool; carom billiards referring to the...

Other

Various other games have their own variants of billiard balls. Russian pyramid and the related Finnish game kaisa make use of a set of 15 numbered but otherwise all-white balls, and a red or yellow cue ball, that are about the size of carom billiards balls. Bumper pool requires four white and four red object balls, and two special balls, one red with a white spot and the other the opposite; all are usually 2-1/8 in. (approximately 52.5 mm) in diameter. Russian Billiards pyramid. ... Bumper pool is a casual billiards game played on an octagonal or rectangular table with one pocket centered on each end. ...

There is a growing market for specialty cue balls and even entire ball sets, featuring sports team logos, cartoon characters, animal pelt patterns, etc. Entrepreneurial inventors also supply a variety of novelty billiard games with unique rules and balls, some with playing card markings, others with stars and stripes, and yet others in sets of more than thirty balls in several suits. Marbled-looking and glittery materials are also popular for home tables. There are even blacklight sets for playing in near-dark. There are also practical joke cue and 8 balls, with off-center weights in them that makes their paths curve and wobble. Miniature sets in various sizes (2/3, 1/2, etc.) are also commonly available, primarily intended for children's under-sized toy tables. BlackLight Is a Rock Band set up April 2006. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Several brands of practice balls exist, which have systems of spots, stripes, differently-colored halves or targeting rings.

In popular culture

The 8 ball is frequently used iconically in Western, especially American, culture. It can frequently be found as an element of t-shirt designs, album covers and names, tattoos, household goods like paperweights and cigarette lighters, belt buckles, etc. A classic toy is the Magic 8-Ball "oracle". A wrestler, a rapper, and a rock band have all independently adopted the name. The Magic 8-Ball, manufactured by Mattel, is a toy used for fortune-telling. ... Donald Don Harris and Ronald Ron Harris (born October 23, 1961) are American twin brothers who achieved fame as professional wrestlers. ... 8 Ball and MJG are a US Southern hip hop duo from Memphis, Tennessee. ... 8-Ball is a four-piece rock band from Okinawa, Japan, formed in the late 90s and consists of lead singer Ray, Leon the drummer, Chris, the bassist and Keiichi the guitarist. ...

The term "8 ball" is also street slang both for 1/8 oz. of cocaine or crystal meth and for a bottle of Olde English 800 malt liquor. Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. ... Methamphetamine is a synthetic stimulant drug which induces a strong feeling of euphoria and is highly addictive. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Comparison of 12oz longneck to a 40 of Country Club Malt Liquor Malt liquor is an American term referring to a type of beer that has a high alcohol content and is therefore considered too alcoholic to be called beer. In the UK, similar beers are called super-strength lager. ...

The expression to be stuck or trapped "behind the eight" is used throughout the English speaking world to indicate a perilous situation from which it is difficult to extracate oneself. The term derives from the game Kelly pool. A leather shake bottle and plastic pills or peas as used in Kelly pool. ...

References

1. ^ (2004) Billiards: The Official Rules and Records Book. Colorado Springs, CO, USA: Billiards Congress of America, p. 5. ISBN 1-878493-14-0. 
2. ^ "WPA Tournament Table & Equipment Specifications", World Pool-Billiard Association, November 2001.
3. ^ "Equipment", World Snooker Association, publication date unknown (accessed January 28, 2007), London, UK.

Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Colorado Springs is a middle-sized city, located just east of the geographic center of the state of Colorado in the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into articles entitled Billiard Congress of America and BCA Open Nine-ball Championship. ... World Pool-Billiard Association logo The World Pool-Billiard Association is the international governing body for billiards. ...

Patents

• U.S. Patent 0,050,359  -- Billiard ball c.1865
• U.S. Patent 0,076,765  -- Billiard ball c.1868
• U.S. Patent 0,088,634  -- Billiard ball c.1869
• U.S. Patent 0,114,945  -- Billiard ball c.1871

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