Pool is dying in America. Can it make a comeback?

     It's easy to see that over the last few decades pool in America has been on the decline.  I personally can think of several places where I have played pool that are now closed.  You don't see pool on tv anymore.  I used to faithfully check the tv listings to see when pool was going to be on ESPN or ESPN2 and even record them on VHS.  A media format that has gained steam since broadband internet, live streaming over the web, seems to be the future of pool events, but TAR closed it's production, due to presumably lack of viewers.  Apparently snooker is broadcast on tv in Europe and people watch it.  So what has caused the decline in the US?

     In the 40's, 50's, and 60's, pool was thriving.  Large cities had (and probably still have a few) famous pool halls where the greats such as Ralph Greenleaf, Willie Mosconi, Eddie Taylor, and Willie Hoppe played.  Pool seemed to be classy back then.  All the old photographs you see show these great pool players in suits, sure, that's how they dressed back then, but it gave pool a more elegant feel.  After the movie, The Hustler, pool was probably at it's peak.  Towards the 70's, 80's, and 90's, I feel that pool halls became places where the gamblers, criminal types, and seedier people hung out and they lost the elegance and nostalgia.  Not all the pool halls had these types of people, but I believe the perception was there.  Pool halls weren't somewhere you would go to take the kids or a date for an entertaining afternoon of pool.  They were to be avoided.

     Also, I believe part of the decline has been technology.  Before cell phones and the internet, guys that traveled around playing pool, like most of the greats did, could walk into a place and if nobody knew them either win the tournament or clean the place out playing for money.  There are several books out now that chronicle the life of some of these great pool players.  I'm currently reading a book about Danny Diliberto and his life on the road.  It's interesting reading about this age of pool that will never be again.

     Good pool players today can't walk into a pool hall without being recognized or recorded and put on YouTube.  Going on a road trip like they used to do back in the golden age of pool is tough.  Everything is more expensive.  Food, gas, hotel not to mention if you are recognized, not many people will play you for massive amounts of money.  Makes it hard to make a living playing pool on the road these days.  So where does that leave the guys that play pool really well?  How do they make money?  They either play in tournaments, challenge matches that are set up by folks like TAR, which is now shut down, Accu Stats, or they give up a lot of weight because everybody now knows them thanks to the internet age.  You might ask, how has that added to the decline in pool in America?  Well, why would you want to go on the road if you can't make any money?    So I believe there has been a decline in the non-pro great pool players due to the fact they can't go on the road and make lots of money.  They are relegated to playing locally or going to a few large tournaments if they can afford the entry, trip there, and hotel.

     Can pool make a comeback?  I think it can, but it's going to take a lot of work.  Organizations like the American Pool Players Association and the BCA are making it happen.  Mike Sigel is trying to start a pool league that looks interesting.  I see pictures from the big amateur tournaments and it looks like there are literally thousands of people at those events, so the amateur side seems pretty well off.  I think the professional side needs help.  The men need a professional billiard association that regularly holds events that pay well.  The women professional players (and men) need to have more events and more live streaming via the internet so people can watch.

     There also needs to be more interest in watching pool.  I think the Mosconi Cup event could be a way to do this.  USA vs. Europe, I mean, what better way to get behind pool in America than watching YOUR team of the best American players compete against Europe's best.  Marketing needs to happen to pump up this match and have it broadcast, if nothing else on a pay-per-view cable or satellite channel.  I'm hoping to be able to watch some of this year's Mosconi Cup online.

     Pool can make a comeback, so get out there and play some pool!!
   

   

The Baltimore Bullet Movie Review

The Baltimore Bullet starring James Coburn, Omar Sharif, and Bruce Boxleitner with cameos by pro players Lou Butera, Irving Crane, Willie Mosconi, Allen Hopkins, James Rempe, Steve Mizerak, Mike Sigel and Jimmy Mataya.  Released in the 80's (1980), this movie definitely fits the era.  It screams of cheesy one-liners, campy humor, and a terrible soundtrack.

The Plot...6/10:

The Baltimore Bullet is about two pool hustlers, Nick Casey "The Baltimore Bullet" (James Coburn) and Billy Joe Robbins (Bruce Boxleitner) hustling on the road and trying to set up a big game.  There are a few poorly choreographed fights, women, and complete nonsense along the way (all key ingredients for an 80's movie).  For me, about mid-way through the movie, I almost turned it off.  The middle portion of the movie strays pretty far from pool playing as Nick and Billy Joe are on the road to hustle up some cash so they can play "The Deacon" (Omar Sharif).  Watching movies like this really makes me appreciate more modern films.

The Pool Scenes...5/10:

The early scenes are just Nick and Billy Joe hustling and there are not any considerably long scenes.  Later in the movie, Nick and Billy Joe enter a pool tournament playing straight pool, although they spend more time showing what is happening off the table than on.

The Actors 7/10:

Overlooking the fact that this is a cheesy 1980 movie, the actors aren't too bad.  I had heard the name James Coburn before, but wasn't familiar with any of his movies.  The other actors I had never heard of.  The acting wasn't too terrible and the script was probably in line with the 80's.

My Movie Rating...6/10:

I certainly wouldn't call this a "must watch" pool movie.  In fact, I wouldn't recommend it at all, unless you were in the mood for a cheesy ridiculous 80's movie that happens to have a pool theme.  However, if you care to spend nearly 2 hours watching this movie, it can be seen in full on YouTube at this link.