Ivory Billiard Balls
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The
first billiards balls were made out of wood. That tradition did not
last long because the spheres did not have fine playing characteristics.
Eventually, it was discovered that ivory made fine billiard balls. It
wasn't until the mid 20th century that ivory was replaced. Brunswick
had made an offer to reward anyone who could discover a replacement
for ivory because it was becoming too expensive for their cue balls.
If you are wondering what ivory was eventually replaced with, check
out the history of early plastics and how it's invention was linked
to the billiard industry. Below is an example of a 20th-century ivory
billiard ball. The ball is now crackled and would not have looked like
this when new. |
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