Long time ago, when hunting, knight's tournaments and court balls wasn't enough for palace and castles residents, people has begun to search for new entertainments. Amongst organized games in XIII century in parks and gardens there was a game called billiards, which competitors used curved billiard cue to hit the ball between two posts. Perverse weather didn't allow to continue the game in open air , so balls and sticks went under roof. It was a hard time for palace parquets and sophisticated furniture. Antique chest of drawers and tables were bruised during tenacious duels played by aristocracy and priests. Fabulous vases was breaking as well as salon plasters, which didn't make ovners pleased at all.
In year 1469, carpenter of french court of Henry de Vigne recive an order from King Louis XI to solve this problem. Enterprising craftsman has designed and build billiard table, which was sourrounded with rails. The creation of this table forced next changes. Curved billiard cue has lost his reason of being, because it was easier to hit billiard ball with straight billiard cue. Raw table top so far was covered with cloth, which made Vignas protuct even more different from typical feast tables. Wooden or ivory balls were rolling much more quiet which made a game less inconvenient. With every next year billiard has become much more common. Skill of playing billiard was a certain form of ennoblement.
In year 1475 a nobleman Jacgues Tournebride has recived a first licence to billiard hall form hands of King Louis XI. One of greatest fan of this game was cardinal Richelieu, known from "The three musketeers" novel. Famous ruler of Frace Louis XIV devote his great heart and enthusiasm to billiard. He spend in youth many hours a day by the billiard table. Teachers of King weren't pleased and without result they tried to induce him to pay attention on lessons. As sources tells in age 14, King wasnt good at reading but he was magnificent billiard player. In that times the develope of a game was continued not only in France. Parallel like mushrooms after rain , billiard tables has appeard in Btitish Isles. Alsow about billiard were spoken in Spain, Netherlands and ... China. Specific kind of game was found in Russia by the times of Peter I.
Few centuries later the English brought billiard tables to America, which made probably biggest career. The great lover of billiard amongst famous european intellectualists was german philosopher, professor of logic and metaphysics Immanuel Kant, who lived between XVIII and XIX century. Professor was coming often to a cafe near the university and enjoy delight of playing billiard, after finished classes.
The inventor of leather ending sticked on billiard cue, capitain of Naples army named Mingaud, has proven how deeply this game can be addictive. While being jailed in prison he gained right to play billiard for good behaviour. He got involved so much playing matches with unknown opponent , so he asked the prison director for eight more days behind the jail bars.
The first publication about billiard was treaty, released in London in yaer 1674 by Charles Cotton. Later in Poland the skill of playing billiard was in a good tone. Young officers in Stanisław August Poniatowski cadet corpse were participated in lessons of playing billiard. Unfortunately, it isn't known how well the graduate Tadeusz Kościuszko was playing. For many modern Poles, thinks that billiard is game for the upper classes. A wave of american film makers has introduced into a composition a billiard table as the props of fighting scene. Such an image makes this game more difficult to evolve. However we should remember that billiard is a game for gentlemen and ladies that impose culture in behavior and attire. Encyclopedia sais, that "Billiard - is a geme rely on appropriate balls hit with special cues on a table covered with woollen cloth and surrounded with rails. To this definition we must add, that today this is a discipline of sport, which in nearest time will be played in the Olympics (according to decision of International Olympic Committee ).
What brings the play on woollen cloth? It learns precision and concentration for sure. It stimulates imagination and force to anticipate. Whether want or not it's remind the law of physics and geometry. Rigorous sport regulations impose necessity of ethical behaviour, also sports competition teaches diligence and activity. Billiard has one more important feature. It is a family sport, in which can participate young as well as older people also in good health as well as those who hasn't got the gift of full physical efficiency. What is most important that everybody has equal chance. Experience from the world nas shown that biliard is a good rehabilitation tool for disabled persons also billiard is a level environmental integration.
In year 1997 Polish Pool Union, thanks to support from Phisical Culture Ministy and Tourism has started over 40 billiard sections in School Sports Clubs. A large amount of people nas begun their trainings. Soon they will build position and create successes of polish billiard sports.