What's an old pool hustler to do?

Austin American Statement interviews Joel Cromleigh aka Showboat Joe, a veteran pool hustler who toured Atlantic City's pool halls back in the 1970's with legends such as Minnesota Fats and Willie Mosconi. At 74, connected to an oxygen tank (result of decades of passive smoking in pool halls), Showboat favors the domino board over the pool table but states that he misses the action.

Some highlights from the article:

On the origins of his nickname Showboat Joe:

"When he made the nine-ball on a break, he'd jump up in the air and do the splits when he landed. That's when they started calling him Showboat."

On the different types of pool games:

"Golf on the snooker table was strictly a money game. One-pocket required strategy, patience...Nine-ball was faster. You had to sink the nine-ball before your opponent. Making the nine-ball on the break was mostly luck."

On playing pool today:

"Last year, after being out of the game for years, Showboat Joe entered a local tournament just to see if he still had it. He came in second place."

Family Billiards

Newport Billiards is a family oriented billiards hall in more than one meaning. The new, Newport pool hall, retailer deli and espresso bar is a smoke-free venue, conveniently located across McDonalds. Owned and managed by a married couple, Darla and Joe Berry, who've opened the place in thought of their grandchildren's future. As Darla says to the Newport News reporter, "It's (pool - o.p.s) a lifetime sport - you see families connect and come together as something to do together." Joe is a good example for his wife statement: both of his parents were pool table builders who now run several show rooms in California.

Newport Billiards offers pool tables in variety of sizes to all ages and selection of pool games (9-ball, fourteen in one) on top of billiards and other gaming accessories. The bar doesn't serve any alcoholic drink and the deli offers delicatessen such as hotdogs, nachos and sandwiches. If you must have beer with your pool game, you can locate here more pool halls in Oregon.

9-Ball Pool News - Europe Team Wins Mosconi Cup

Some news updates from the real 9-ball pool world.
Yesterday, the European pool team for the 2007 Mosconi Cup defeated the American team. The final result was 11-8 to Europe, thanks to Ralph Souquet win over his American contestant at the last single match.

Mosconi Cup is one of the most important 9-ball events in the pool world. Named after pocket billiards legend, Willie Mosconi, the tournament runs for the last 14 years. This year, the event took place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and it was only the third victory for the European team.

More on 2007 Mosconi Cup

On Pool Trick-Shots & Artistic Pool

Watching pool trick shots is great fun, even if you are not particularly into cue sports. But what are they anyway? Magic? Con? Amazing cue ball control?

Once trick shots were the secret mastery of pool hustlers, but when you come to think of it, so was the game of pool. As soon as the term "trick shots" has been changed to "artistic pool", the mastery of making unbelievable shots has been taken more seriously.

Nowadays, there are trick shots/artistic pool competitions in both amateur and professional levels. The most important competitions are the "Trick Shot Magic" and the "World Masters Trick Shot Championship".

The winner of the "World Masters Trick Shot Championship" is Vincent Facquet. Check him out in action:

Pool Christmas Gifts for less than $100

Quickly, the time is running out and Christmas is almost here. And you don't want to start shopping a day before Christmas do you?

Speaking of time - a billiards wall clock in which the hours are marked by striped and solid object balls.



Billiards trick shot gadget -
Yes, this gadget will enable you to do this trick shot:


* Both Christmas gift ideas were taken from Things You Never Knew Existed website .