Ball Breakers
March 8, 2018 8:27 PM Subscribe
The life of a female billiards player is built on long hours, bad pay, and frequent travel. But at least you don’t have to share the table with men.
MovableBookLady, thanks for this post. The photos in the article are wonderful. Those marvelous faces, so full of intention! Women so often aren't allowed to just singularly focus on their work without getting taken to task for being Insufficiently Pleasant.
In my distant youth, I had a part-time job as cashier/janitor in a pool hall. Usually I was the only female in the place. I refrained from learning to play myself, because I could see it taking over my life, and I was already full-up with other stuff.
mikeand1, I think you mean well, but in my experience, two things apply: 1) hustlers of any variety are, uh, not gladly received by other players, and 2) men get really bent out of shape when they're beaten by a woman, and the men in this case are armed with pool cues. You do the math.
posted by Weftage at 8:52 AM on March 9, 2018 [5 favorites]
In my distant youth, I had a part-time job as cashier/janitor in a pool hall. Usually I was the only female in the place. I refrained from learning to play myself, because I could see it taking over my life, and I was already full-up with other stuff.
mikeand1, I think you mean well, but in my experience, two things apply: 1) hustlers of any variety are, uh, not gladly received by other players, and 2) men get really bent out of shape when they're beaten by a woman, and the men in this case are armed with pool cues. You do the math.
posted by Weftage at 8:52 AM on March 9, 2018 [5 favorites]
Yeah, I'm only joking Weftage -- I don't advise anyone to hustle anybody, regardless of what sex they are.
Of course if you're at the Broken Rack, you can always walk on over to the Oaks Card Club for all the hustling you want. (See you there!)
posted by mikeand1 at 12:37 PM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Of course if you're at the Broken Rack, you can always walk on over to the Oaks Card Club for all the hustling you want. (See you there!)
posted by mikeand1 at 12:37 PM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I put myself through college playing 8-ball in dive bars and old-fashioned pool halls. I even had sponsors who handled the money. I did okay, mostly because, as Wetfage says, men don't like to lose to women but always believe they can beat us, I mean, we're just girls. Well, life intervened and I no longer had six hours a day to practice. I miss it (but I still have my cue).
posted by MovableBookLady at 1:22 PM on March 9, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by MovableBookLady at 1:22 PM on March 9, 2018 [6 favorites]
Thank you for this post, MovableBookLady. I don't know these women, but I could. I spent a handful of years in a similar pool scene, playing in beer leagues and on a women's nine-ball tour in New England in the early 1990s. I lucked into a spot in a pro tournament and choked. The experience made me realize I didn't love competing, but I loved the game and I loved the people. I've been waiting for a pool room (not a Jillian's) to open in Boston again. I'm done with tournaments and playing for money, but I miss the game. (Still have my cue, too.)
posted by swerve at 8:11 PM on March 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by swerve at 8:11 PM on March 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
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My wife and I walk down to the Broken Rack (the pool hall featured in the photos) several times a month to play. Neither of us is that good, but we're about equal in skill. I can't think of any reason why her being a woman would make a bit of difference.
[Just noticed this: "These days, the reason women-only billiards tournaments exist is not because players like Mata can’t beat men. It’s because they can." There's a hustle available!]
posted by mikeand1 at 8:31 AM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]