NO POOL?

Over the past couple of days something has started to bug me.  Americans are well versed with pool halls, pool balls, pool cues and the like.  The question is has anyone ever played "pool" .... the answer is no.  There is not, nor has there ever been a game called "pool."  There is Billiards, Carom Billiards, Pocket Billiards, 8-ball; "Straight Pool" is the closest and the only game I have found with the word pool even in it.

So where did pool come from?  In the early 1900's "Pool Halls" were places for men to gamble, play poker and drink. The name "pool hall" comes from all the "pools" of money.  Before too long billiard tables were introduced and became very popular.  The environment however gave the game a negative connotation that is still being fought today.  As gambling became more and more illegal though and the poker and bookies went underground, Billiard Tables stayed in the pool halls minus the gambling part of course.  Slowly this is how the term pool started for billiard games.

The truth is that today a casino is the closest thing we have to an actual "Pool Hall" and no one has ever shot a game of "pool"


Until next time, shoot the lights out....

Jason
http://www.billiardsupplyhouse.com

The Next Idea

  Everyone wonders what the "next great idea" is going to be.  There are people who never stop searching for this and people who cluelessly think there are no more good ideas.  I fall somewhat in between with most of the world.  I know there or great ideas out there waiting to be discovered but I don't bother myself with that endless search. That being said though, sometime a good one will fall into your lap.  Whether you can capitalize on it is a different thing all together.

Yesterday as I was searching for a new idea for Pool Table of the Week on my website I came across one of these great ideas.  A cross between Billiards and Miniature Golf.  Someone of course does technically hold a patent for one such course but it wouldn't be hard to change.  The money for 18+ custom shaped pool tables would no doubt be outrageous these days as well.  Imagine with all the new family themed pool halls popping up if this idea could be cultivated properly.  No object balls, just different colored cue balls, and alternating shots using defense, accuracy and ball striking to pocket your ball just like golf.

Of course I would still rather make the worlds greatest pool cues than open the first Miniature Pool Golf Course, but that's not to say if I had an endless money supply I would try this out.

Until next time, shoot the lights out

Jason Janosik
www.BilliardSupplyHouse.com 

The Origin Part 4

   A random thought provoking question to start this time... Was Quentin Tarantino really original with starting in the middle and going to beginning later or was he just a George Lucas fan and expanded on His idea...hmmm

Ok, last time I was talking about how crappy the pool cue buying situation is and how it needs to change. I'm going to pick up there soon but we have to take a side step first because there's more to the story which at first will seem totally unrelated.  I love art!  Hahaha, you didn't see that coming did you? I promise it'll tie in.

I've always been drawn to great artwork (pun intended)  I would love to consider myself an artist and over the years have dabbled in mediums from pencil and pen work to painting and recently wood.  A lot of this love came from a childhood idol, and later good friend, Ronn Stern.  Ronn is one of the greatest artist I know because he can generate real life quality art with such ease it's almost infuriating, and carry on intelligent conversation while doing it. It's almost like a second nature and something he was just born to do and I could and have just sit and watch him "work" for hours in complete awe.  I love creativity and originality and, to use an over used phrase, this man has more in his little finger than almost anyone else I know can dream of having ever.  Google up some of his paintball and Civil War work and you'll see what I mean.

While I love his kind of art I have recently found myself attracted to wood working and carving.  This started a year or two back when I wanted to take up pipe smoking (kids, don't smoke It's bad for you blah blah)  I couldn't find a pipe I liked though because they were either crappy looking factory produced or way to expensive for me hand carved pieces.  So I decide I would make my own.  I knew nothing about making a pipe so like the rest of the world today I turned to Google to learn.  It wasn't long before I found Stephen Downie.  He's a pipe maker in America's hat (Canada).  Before you jump my case and tell me pipe making isn't art check out some of his work at http://downiepipes.com/commissions.html. This man, like my friend Ronn, is nothing short of Amazing!  More than that though he is incredibly giving and helpful.  I started emailing him questions on the regular and he was always willing to help with any knowledge he had and I quickly became addicted to wood working.  

I have made a few pipes now and i do plan to make more my focus has changed.  I still want to work with wood but, you guessed it, I want to make Pool Cues!  Not just any pool cue though, I want to be the Ronn Stern/Stephen Downie of pool cues.  I want to make to make pool cues that are such artistic creations that one would just as soon display it as shoot with it. Stephen wrote in a recent blog "...I wanted to bring interest and beauty to an everyday object."  I can't say it any better. Pool Cues today are mostly production made crap with fake inlays and poor quality. There are a few good cue makers out there and some really nice "custom pool cues" but they are getting harder and harder to find and the "Custom Cues" that do exist are rarely one of kind which to me is the very meaning of "custom"

That, combined with my passion for customer service is what has driven me to start www.BilliarSupplyHouse.com.  I have yet to start making any pool cues but the day is fast approaching (as soon as I can afford a decent Cue Lathe hahaha)  

So now you know the back story and then some.  Until next time, happy shooting!

Jason

Billiard Supply House.com