Billiards

bil'yerdz, a table game played by two or more persons. It is an ancient game, thought to antedate the Christian era. The game was introduced into America by the Spaniards, it is thought, about 1570. The players drive ivory balls about the table by striking them with the end of a wooden staff termed a cue. The table is about six feet by twelve. It must stand perfectly level, and be made of massive material so that it will not shake. The top is frequently made of slate. A raised rim or cushion packed with leather or rubber runs around the entire edge. The top of the table and cushion are covered with heavy green felt. Green is required as less deceptive to the eyesight, especially at night. Pool, a variation of billiards, is played on tables that have six holes, one at each corner and one at the middle of each side, provided with pockets of netting. The rules of the game are too technical for description here. Points are made by driving a ball in such a way that it glances from one to another, or, in pool, drives another into a pocket. Some games combine striking balls and driving them into pockets. Others consist of the one or the other. A successful billiard player must have a true eye and a quick, firm hand. The nicety with which a skillful billiardist can calculate angles is something wonderful. When detached from unworthy surroundings, the game of billiards is a delightful trial of skill, in itself as unobjectionable as lawn croquet.