Best Bits of Billiards History

In 1951 Edmund Spenser mentioned the term “billiards” in his book titled Mother Huberd’s Tale. This is the first recorded use of the term. Take into account that slang words take a long time to become actual bits of language. Now take into account that games take a long time to catch on and spread around, so it must have been sometime before this when the game and term billiards was actually conceived.

Louis XIV is accredited for mostly everything billiards related. He was the refined and popular king of France who demanded his servants create him a game that was similar to croquet but that could also be played in side his castle.
What they came up with was the infant that would become billiards. Mind you this all happened around 1340 A.D.

Just 200 years after its conception it was being shipped over the seas to the Queen of Scots. Unfortunately, the queen wasn’t very popular and invaders came and killed her, but not before they demanded she very play billiards again. Yeah, they made her play one last game before they brained her. In an ironic turn of events they covered her body with the cover she used for the billiards table. Sort of like an apathetic manifestation to their own demands.

What billiards is most known for though is the way it impacted society. You see back in the old days not every person liked each other, you know, like people do now; however, every single person did like billiards. This sport has always been known as the great mediator. Well not always, and in very few circles even now is it even called that.

Throughout history people from the snobbish upper class have played billiards while they talked about stocks and laughed about different social, political issues. And, at the same time the grimy gutter dogs would go shark on tables trying to get money for their next fix. Yes, billiards is a sport so pure that it doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, old or young, healthy or a drunk, everyone likes this game. Interestingly, ever since its conception the church has always denounced it as sinful.

Probably because most the time anyone is playing billiards they are also drinking, gambling or smoking, at least in the movies anyway. Now days, most churches and religions recognize that the game of billiards is not a sin in itself.
That is for the most part everything you will ever need to know about billiards, well, besides knowing how to actually play the game.