Retracing the history of billiards

Billiards is a game that is popular all over the world today. However, the origin of the game is something that most of them are not yet aware of. The name itself is derived from a word in French called “billiard” which is used to refer to a wooden stick, the kind which is used for the game. Some of them also debate that the name has been derived from the word ‘bile’ which is used to refer to the balls used for the game. The evolution of billiards can be credited to croquet which was played extensively in France, albeit outdoors.

In order to transform this into an indoor game, there were many changes that were brought about. A special wooden table was created, the surface of which was covered with a green piece of cloth to replicate the look of a green lawn. During the initial days of the game, the wooden sticks were not used to strike balls but to shove them. In those days, these sticks were referred to as the maces.

One of the drawbacks of the huge mace was that it was impossible to shove the ball when it got lodged at the border of the table. This gave rise to the cue stick which is a long slender wooden stick that is used today. During this period, only men were allowed to use cue sticks while women billiards players has to be content with the use of the mace because it was assumed that the sharpness of the cue sticks may tear their clothes.

When billiards came into existence in the 16^th century, the tables used looked very different from the ones that are in existence today. The rails were just flat vertical walls to prevent the balls from gliding off. However, today rails not just retain the balls within the table, they are ornately created to enhance the appeal of the billiards tables.