Why are pool balls red and yellow? | Notes and Queries

Why are pool balls red and yellow?

Julia Smith, Ipswich Suffolk

• ... but I have a feeling pool tables use blue, not green???

  Scottie, Sheffield UK

• The styles of pool played in the UK are derived from American 8 Ball and also called 8 ball or "Blackball" to distinguish it from other versions of pocket billiards. Since the nomination of a particular ball is not necessary for a legitimate pot the individual colours and numbers were dispensed with in favour of distinct colours. Red's wavelength makes it very visible and for greatest contrast among the common six primary and secondary pigment colours, yellow contrasts most with it (imagine blue and green together in poor light or the use of red and green when the most common condition of colour blindness merges these two colours). Interestingly, the Word Pool-Billiard Federation illustrates the alternative colour schemes of blue and yellow balls in its official rules. As for the colour of the cloth, green is more common on this type of table (blue being more common on American tables)

  David Cockling, Newport, Isle of Wight, UK

• Imagine the unseemly squabbles that would break out were the balls to be all of the same colour.

  Pete Wigens, Stroud, Glos, UK