Isn't it interesting how some of lifes discoveries happen completely by chance? Let's talk about snooker for instance. This sophisticated cue sport didn't have its beginnings in a London club as one might assume. No it was actually conceived out of boredom in a corner of India.
Imagine this; It's 1875 and you've got a group of officers confined to their barracks during the monsoon season. They're going a bit stir crazy you know. After consuming their share of gin they found themselves seeking forms of entertainment.
Enter Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain. Not the Chamberlain mind you; this is a fellow altogether. Neville and his companions were experimenting with the billiards table to liven things up. They had been playing games like 'pyramids with balls and 'black pool', with balls.
One day after indulging in one too many drinks old Neville has a stroke of genius. Why not merge the two games together?. Lo and behold it turned out to be a stroke of brilliance!They began playing this game and absolutely enjoyed it.
Now here's where it gets interesting. One of the guys misses a shot and Chamberlain as can be playfully calls him a "snooker." It was a term used in the army to refer to a rookie. Chamberlain found it amusing and jokingly labeled them all "snookers" in this game. The nickname caught on like that. As these gentlemen were transferred around India they brought the game along, with them. It gained popularity at a venue known as the Ooty Club. But then only British officers had access to the snooker table—it was an affair for the upper crust.
The game might have remained their secret if not for an encounter. In '85 during dinner with a Maharaja Chamberlain meets John Roberts, a figure in billiards circles. Roberts learns about this game. Thinks to himself "I could do something with this back home."That's how snooker embarked on its journey from a pastime on days, in India to becoming the global sport we know today. The world works in ways doesn't it?
The next time you tune in to watch snooker, on TV just think about how it originated from a group of Brits a rainy day and some playful teasing. That's quite a piece of history isn't it?
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