Violence, Violent Acts & Acts of Violence in Billiard Halls & Pool Rooms!

Billiards buddies and pool players, I just finished an interesting read, “The Top 8 Ways To Get Ejected From A Pool Hall,” by Matthew Sherman. Truth be told, it is one interesting post, everyone!

Without further ado, here is the post in its entirety, friends! Enjoy!

The Top 8 Ways To Get Ejected From A Pool Hall

"What manners, what class!" is either a negative or positive depending how you comport yourself at your favorite poolroom. Behave yourself and read this simple set of rules for pool… with… cool.

1. Use a Pool Table as a Dining Table, Ashcan or Easy Chair
Respect for the great baize battlefields of pool includes placing your bridge hand on the table, not your behind. Sitting on the rails of a table will ruin the surface. For best play, the level is to be to tolerances of thousandths of an inch. Do you sit on tables or chairs at home?

Food and drink are also a no-no and halls that serve refreshments must constantly guard against their patrons’ mess. Dirt and stains add to throw and ruin play. How to learn if you’ve aimed accurately but the ball failed to pocket due from grease or liquid induced throw? And, all owners dread cigarette burns on the felt.

2. Blurt Foul Language
Pool needs to shake its Depression-era reputation as a game for bums. Speak the King’s English as best you can upon all occasions. Be a proper ambassador for our magnificent, complex sport.

3. Shoot Vicious Massé Shots
The best massé technique includes a precise but gentle stroke. Bangers slam their stick as hard as possible in a vain effort to add spin to the cue ball. If they miscue they tear strips from the cloth or dent the table’s slate. A very poor, hard massé will break a cuestick.

4. Gamble Where Disallowed
We’re not talking about a race to three of 9-ball for a can of Coke between pals but real gambling. Laying cash down where the sign reads “No Gambling!” is done at your own peril, and where there is illegal gambling at a pool hall there is a hustler waiting to snatch your cash as well.

5. Become a Juvenile Delinquent
The law still raids a pool hall every so often where there is underage drinking or attendance inside regular school hours. Vice and undercover cops are on watch at a pool hall if it contributes to the delinquency of minors or has otherwise sunk below a healthy family atmosphere.

Pool halls serving alcohol typically restrict the hours when unaccompanied minors may visit.

6. Sell Cues or Wares Without Permission
If you are a courteous and knowledge salesperson, many room owners will look kindly on your selling pool equipment (like a personal cue you want to rid yourself of to another player) at their hall. Other players get to test your cue(s) and add the spice of variety to their experience at the owner’s poolroom.

If the hall sells pool cues already, however, they may frown on you as possible competition. Ask the management before initiating sales to strangers.

7. Abuse Equipment
Throwing the ball roughly onto the table bed created micro-dents on the slate under the felt. Over time, these dents accrue to become full-fledged wobble spots affecting play. A proprietor’s house cues, racks and other equipment are to receive loving care from the patrons wherever possible.

8. Shoot Dangerous Trick or Jump Shots
It happens every pool season. A table light, window or someone’s tooth is cracked by an errant jump shot. Use caution and consider caring for equipment where you can.

*Credits for the above post all go to Matthew Sherman of http://billiards.about.com.


A-Kid: I’d like to add one more to the list, if I may: violence and acts of violence. But before we dwell on that, it is very important to note a distinction between violent acts and acts of violence.

“Violent” is an adjective, and a violent act, an act appropriately qualified by that adjective. On the other hand, an act of violence is an act belonging to a particular category or class off actions not co-extensive with violence. Thus, one can state the distinction between violent acts and acts of violence in this way: Almost any action a human being can perform can be carried out violently.

And for those of us who dislike the circularity of saying that a violent act is an act performed violently, one can simply state and say that a violent act is any act appropriately characterized by the following sorts of words taken fro the “violence” entry in Roget’s Thesaurus, e.g., inclemency, vehemence, might, impetuosity, boisterousness, turbulence, bluster, uproar, riot, row, rumpus, fury, brute force, outrage, shock, and explosion.

Therefore, when one classifies an act as an act of violence, we are saying that it is part of a single phenomenon, that all men who use violence are involved, in some sense, in the same activity. And when one asks what this activity is, the answer that forces itself upon us is, I honestly believe, that it must be the infliction of injury or suffering upon others.

In addition, violence is the exertion of force so as to injure or abuse. More often than not, the word describes forceful and intentional injury to people, and verbal and emotional abuse towards others.

Acts of violence and violent acts in pool halls? Violence against one's person? I say, it’s time for action – tough action! Ban the perpetrator from entering the billiards hall or any other pool rooms! Only a lifetime ban would be right for one who commits an act of violence inside a place deemed by anyone, and everyone, as space geared towards fun, camaraderie, sportsmanship, and recreational activity!

It’s an absolute NO to violence, violent acts, and acts of violence in billiard halls and pool rooms! And a deafening and resounding YES to a lifetime ban! And I kid you not!

These are my thoughts. These are my views - personal or otherwise. What do you think, thinker?

"The AnitoKid ain't for violence!"

*Did you enjoy the post? Did you find it interesting?
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