The game of billiards has been around for centuries, there were even sources that tried to trace its origins to the royals in England. Today, there are now millions of pool lovers, whether they enjoy playing the game, or just like to watch all the action. As a matter of fact, the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) states that there are now more than 51 million pool players in the country! If you need a little more information about this cool sport, then read on!
The BCA says that billiards was the very first sport ever to hold a world championship, and this was in 1873. Another cool fact: in 1903, coin operated billiard tables were introduced, and it cost only a penny to play a game.
Who was the oldest billiard table maker in the US? This privilege belongs to the Brunswick Corporation, which started to make pool tables at around 1845 in San Francisco. Originally, company founder John Moses Brunswick wanted his business to venture into making carriages, but instead developed a love for the game. Later on, Brunswick became an established brand for billiards and bowling.
The largest billiard hall ever built in the US was in Detroit, Michigan during the 1920's. The building was called "The Recreation" and it had more than 100 billiard tables, plus bowling lanes, health spa, barber shop, theater, and more. At around this time, the New York Times reported that over four million people in the US played billiards.
According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) in 2008, there are more male billiards participants in the US than female ones. A survey conducted shows that about 63% of all pool players in the country are men. Some of the regions in the States with the highest percentage of billiards participants are in Pacific, East North Central (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio) and South Atlantic (Georgia, Florida, North Carolina.) The SGMA also reports that most billiard players also enjoy pastimes like bowling and darts.
The most expensive billiard table was made by Vincent Facquet, and as reported in late 2008, this costs about $177,000 or EUR130,000. Some of the luxury add-ons to these tables are gold and platinum etchings, such as on the sight markers, as well as intricate engravings on the sides. The billiard triangle is built-in onto the table, and all you need to do is push it so it pops out. Custom-made tables may also be ordered, and even precious stones could be requested.
My Links : ±1±: Hot Cell Phones & Service Store !!1 cheapest Micro Projector
