9 ball Pool: History of the 9 ball game
Many people think of the game of pool in the same vein as snooker but they could not be more different - not only in terms of the rules, the number and size of the balls but in the background and history from which both games developed.Snooker has a British background and a tradition of calm, calculated play.
Pool on the other hand came out of the USA and fast developed a colourful, vibrant and exciting (though at times controversial) image.
Pool is easier and faster to play than snooker and its exponents have all been characterful individuals, the most notable perhaps being the now legendary Willie Mosconi (see Top Pool Players section) after whom the prestigious Mosconi Cup was named, who made pool really popular in the USA; Willie won no less than 526 matches in a straight run in exhibition play!
Up to the 1980's, the most popular form of pool was called 14.1 but many thought it a slow and boring game often with the predictable outcome of the best player winning with no chance for an underdog. So a new version was devised whereby the only ball that counted for anything was the 9 ball - hence the term 9 ball pool; this in turn meant that the outcome wouldn't be so obvious and any player could win - a new and exciting element which has contributed to 9 ball becoming one of the most popular and fastest growing sports in the world.
For anyone interested, there's information on the History of the APA and Billiards at this web page: http://www.poolplayers.com/history.html