One of the highlights of the new Big Piney Nature Center and Museum near Houston is a very old pool table that is back home, so to speak.
The unit is a “Victory Table” constructed in 1918 in recognition of the end of World War I and was set up in the old Pool Hall in downtown Houston in 1920. After the Pool Hall closed down in 1980, the table (along with a snooker table from the hall built in the 1940s) was obtained by a woman in Hermitage, Missouri.
Outdoors author and Big Piney Nature Center and Museum founder Larry Dablemont grew up in Houston and his father owned the hall for decades. Dablemont recently purchased both tables from the woman and the Victory Table was assembled in its new home by workers with Kinney Billiards of Springfield.
The unit is topped with inch-thick slate and is made of old hardwood.
“It’s very heavy and sturdy,” Dablemont said. “These were made to last.”
Dablemont said the public will always be welcome to play on the table for free, and he plans to organize pool tournaments in the future.
The facility will host its first-ever event this Saturday (Oct. 26). Detailed information about it can be found here.
This is awesome. I have been known to play pool at a lil restaurant back in the 70’s in Roby, MO. (Roby Cafe). My parents owned it. We had pool tournaments too. I will come and visit and “rack” up some balls on my next visit.