People are only just realising why snooker tables are green
The sporting world's gaze will be firmly fixed on the Crucible come Monday night - as the 2025 World Snooker Championship heads towards its electrifying finale. Every spring, Sheffield becomes the snooker capital, hosting the sport's brightest stars as they vie for the world champion title.
In what is the biggest tournament in the sport, the two-week event signifies a surge in the sport's popularity, with snooker halls seeing their busiest period of the year. This could lead to newcomers trying their hand at the game, with novices learning the basics.
And with an influx of new players, some fundamental aspects of the sport will be explained - including the most basic question of all 'why is a snooker table green?
It's not lost on anyone that the baize resembles a sports field, despite snooker being an indoor sport. However, this wasn't always the case. Billiards was initially played outdoors, primarily by the affluent aristocracy, in a game that would bear a striking resemblance to croquet.
King Louis XI of France is often hailed for bringing the game of billiards inside, and it's claimed he was the first proud owner of a pool table.
This transition from the great outdoors to indoor comfort was a hit, with the green 'lawn' themed tables becoming a staple as the outdoor version faded into obscurity.
Yet there's another intriguing slice of snooker lore which attributes the uniform green of today's tables to a rather colourful episode in the 1870s.
Back then, so the story goes, tables came in various hues – with an especially jarring shade of orange that proved quite a sight after a lengthy spell at the baize.
The vivid orange not only caused eye strain but also made it tough for players to follow the balls, and on occasion, sparked contention.
Such was the case during an 1871 face-off between Arthur Terry and Riland Metcalfe, when a disagreement over ball tracking turned nasty, resulting in Terry being arrested for "occasioning violent harm" against Metcalfe.
Though Terry faced judgment for the clash, he allegedly avoided punishment when the presiding judge conceded the table's colour was partly to blame.
The magistrate is said to have suggested "henceforth the cause of harmonious play would be advanced if the snooker tables were manufactured in standard green, giving strong contrast to the red of the ball."
This rationale definitely holds water, seeing as the green felt offers adequate distinction from the red balls. Assuredly a point to consider for any aspiring Ronnie O'Sullivan wondering why they missed that seemingly straightforward pot.
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