What is the Origin of Snooker’s Pool?

The New World of Billiards. December 25, 1907

Unlike most billiard games, Snooker’s Pool is a comparatively modern invention, and it would appear a fairly easy matter to trace it to its source. Yet this is not the case, and those who well remember the introduction of the game into this country seem to have no certain knowledge of where it came from. Some credit our American cousins with the honour of devising this fine game, and others say it originated in India.

In connection with the latter theory, the writer well remembers playing at Snooker’s Pool with a distinguished army officer, who had seen much service in India. During the game a red ball and a coloured ball were potted with one stroke, and, of course, the striker was promptly penalised the value of the coloured ball, which dropped into a pocket some little time after the red had been pocketed.

” That is not correct,” said the officer. “The striker should be credited with the value of both balls, as the red was pocketed first.”

The rules were consulted, and the military gentleman had to admit they were against him.

“But I think the rule must be wrong,” he continued. “You see, I knew the inventor of the game very well indeed. He was a Captain Snooker in the Bengal Artillery, and I played many games with him in the old days out in the Shiny East. He always allowed both balls to count if potted in one stroke, provided a red was the first to reach a pocket.”

Without referring to the point at issue as regards the rules, it seems that the above incident throws some light on the origin of this fascinating pool game. We shall be pleased if readers of The New World of Billiards, who may happen to know something about the subject, will write to us concerning the origin of Snooker’s Pool.