Things to Look For:
This page contains what is essentially, a quick list of all the objective and subjective material types of folklore that I could brainstorm, in one sitting. A more comprehensive list is likely possible. What is more, some of my examples could easily fit into more than one category on the list. For example... to which of the below categories do you think that the ritual practices of "the shaking of hands" and/or "the wishing to the opponent, good luck," fit best? Both of these examples could be considered rules, beliefs, practices, communications, after all... or they might even be considered superstitions (more so, in the absence of them, perhaps). Superstition is just such an interesting aspect of folklore that one should take notice of it whenever possible. For instance, it happens quite often that one player will believe that an opposing player is cheating (or something similar), and then the alleged cheater suffers some instance of bad luck... then, so many players have the tendency to say something akin to, "That's karma for ya, sucker!"
Folkloric Matter & Material
(w/ Just A Few Pool & Billiards Examples):
- Narrative Stories (of course, these are highly personal, in pool)
- Ritual Communication practices (inner and outer)
- Transcendent and Divine communications (a belief that one is playing in the level of "the Zone," but also sharing that story)
- Ritual Meeting Grounds (bars, lounges, lodges, personal homes)
- Ritual Rules (formally sanctioned rules, or informal rules, such as "bar rules")
- Ritual Practices (such as practicing, or playing tournaments)
- Ritual Rights of Passage (when one wins a tournament, defeats a player of some renown, or moves up a division)
- Ritual Clothes (shirts, jackets, and hats with various printed logos/insignia or embroidered patches, representing the leagues, tournaments, teams, bars, etc. that one plays in, or even milestones reached)
- Ritual Objects (stick, chalk, table, balls, the rack, alcoholic beverages, on and on...)
- Talismans and Power Objects (lucky chalk, lucky towels, favorite stick, favorite table or play site)
- Ritual Beliefs and Superstitions (never break your own rack, the existence of "the Zone" as an achievable plateau of play)
- Ritual Habits (moving the chalk, placing a reminder to patch the eight)
- Songs (George Thorogood's songs, Jim Croce's "Don't Mess Around with Jim")
Another interesting thing to discuss in a bit more detail here is alcohol. Remember, to be folkloric, a thing needs to be somewhat subversive or deviant. Undoubtedly, with so much of pool playing being so intertwined with "Bar Culture," there is going to be some deviance involved in pool. But, without getting too complicated on this, let us just try to decide in which of the above categories does the use of alcohol fit best? For so many players, whether this is admitted to or recognized within the pool society, or not, alcoholic beverages can run a wide range on the importance scale (i.e., as far as helping a player with his/her pool playing). Surely, for some players, enjoying an alcoholic beverage seems to have very little to do with the ritual of pool. Yet, for some others, an alcoholic beverage might even be considered as a "power object," something that can push one's mediocre (and/or soberer ability) to the level of super-stardom. Honestly, alcohol could fit easily into at least 9 of the 13 categories listed above, in some manner.
