With the emergence of the worldwide pandemic, we are bound to stay at home. The normal routine of going out and rejuvenating ourselves has been replaced by various indoor activities in the last two years. Indoor games have gained more significance than ever.

Pool balls and billiards used to be accounted as somewhat sophisticated games that have drawn more public attention than ever. It is an interesting game played by many people. Here are some interesting facts about pool balls and billiards such as what pool balls are made of which may prick your curiosity.

Some Interesting Facts about Pool Balls and Billiards

The Noblemen’s Game

Billiards and pool balls used to be the noblemen’s game, played by the kings and landlords and the rich people. The main reason behind it was the affordability of the game equipment. The equipment needed to play the game was so expensive that commoners could not afford that. Therefore, it became a noblemen’s game.

The invention of Bank Shot

Initially, the game used to be played on the table with flat wooden walls used as railings to block the balls from falling off the table. Thus, players needed to learn to maneuver the balls while leaning on the railing guards. This is when bank shots were developed.

History of the Pool Balls

This is the interesting part where you will be surprised to know that the earlier pool balls used to be constructed using wood and clay! Eventually, the cruel practice of using elephant tusk to construct ivory pool balls came into practice.

Later on, the inventor John Wesley Hyatt developed pool balls using a combination of camphor, nitrocellulose and alcohol. This material was very close to plastic and therefore became popular in no time.

The invention of Bakelite gave a new direction to the pool ball construction. Bakelite is a form of phenolic resin which is very sturdy and has good impact-resistant power.

In the 1920s, the famous Aramith company came up with pool balls that can last 400,000 hits, which means long hours of pool play! These pool balls are made of phenol bases and are still popular across the world.

We hope that you have enjoyed the small trivia on pool balls and billiards. The history of what pool balls are made of is really interesting, isn’t it? Wish you a good game in advance!