Opinions on Red circle or Measles

There's a difference of opinion with myself and a couple of others here as to how the red circle and the measles cue balls react. I say that the measles ball plows through the stack better in games like 14.1 and one pocket. I also contend that the measles ball goes through a single object ball easier thus making a follow shot easier to work. I say that the red circle ball will carom off a bit wider than the measles ball.
It's not a fallacy that I can draw the red circle ball easier than the measles ball even with what's left of my feeble stroke.

I would like to hear opinions from those of you that have experience playing with both of these balls when they are new. I know that the best conditions would be to use the cue ball that came with the set but I would like just the comparison of these two balls.

For me, having played with the measles ball enough, I prefer it in games like 14.1 and one pocket. For rotation games I choose the red circle because the draw shot is a big part of those type of games.

Frank Almanza said:

There's a difference of opinion with myself and a couple of others here as to how the red circle and the measles cue balls react. I say that the measles ball plows through the stack better in games like 14.1 and one pocket. I also contend that the measles ball goes through a single object ball easier thus making a follow shot easier to work. I say that the red circle ball will carom off a bit wider than the measles ball.
It's not a fallacy that I can draw the red circle ball easier than the measles ball even with what's left of my feeble stroke.

I would like to hear opinions from those of you that have experience playing with both of these balls when they are new. I know that the best conditions would be to use the cue ball that came with the set but I would like just the comparison of these two balls.

For me, having played with the measles ball enough, I prefer it in games like 14.1 and one pocket. For rotation games I choose the red circle because the draw shot is a big part of those type of games.

Click to expand...

For me, this almost all comes down to the weight. I guess the finish they put on cb's could make a difference. Anyway... in other words, if I wanna know how a cb plays, i'd try to weigh it. That would be my sole criteria.

The problem with making comments on how they play is cb's get old and play light really quick, so a new measle could play lighter than a red circle just because it is older, and not because it actually plays lighter.

Frank Almanza said:

There's a difference of opinion with myself and a couple of others here as to how the red circle and the measles cue balls react. I say that the measles ball plows through the stack better in games like 14.1 and one pocket. I also contend that the measles ball goes through a single object ball easier thus making a follow shot easier to work. I say that the red circle ball will carom off a bit wider than the measles ball.
It's not a fallacy that I can draw the red circle ball easier than the measles ball even with what's left of my feeble stroke.

I would like to hear opinions from those of you that have experience playing with both of these balls when they are new. I know that the best conditions would be to use the cue ball that came with the set but I would like just the comparison of these two balls.

For me, having played with the measles ball enough, I prefer it in games like 14.1 and one pocket. For rotation games I choose the red circle because the draw shot is a big part of those type of games.

Click to expand...

Frank,

I am/was not fond of the red circle. (or red dot) although they were not that hard to adjust to...I have only played with the measle ball a few times, so I can't really comment on it, except that I never felt comfortable with it...As you know, these days, almost all cue balls are made by Aramith, (or their subsidiary).. they say they are made according to whatever name brand specs they are making them for, (Brunswick etc.)

That may well be, but back when I could still play, I think the original Cenntenial Balls, with a blue circle cue ball, were the most consistent, and playable combination that was ever made...RA preffered them too, and always carried a good, fairly new set with him, and I always agreed (for 50 some years).. to play with them.

They played light years ahead, of the average pool room offerings...JMHO

A full....

A full....

.....duck,thats good......

Same ball

Same ball

I still would like to know why they have not just taken those dot's off.To me they do nothing,what is the point.I bet if you take a vote right now,and ask the simple question,do you want the dot's taken off .it would be in favor of just take them off ,and use the same ball.Frank is right i beleive in that for staight pool the measle ball is fine ,but for all other games where you have to be able to move that cue ball with extreme.it's just not that easy.Isn't the equipment of any sport supposed to be able to push ones ability to the limit.This measle ball does not allow that to happen in alot of situations.anyway .what do i know!





visit us at www.playthegameclothing.com and see what your missing.....

I agree with Dick that Centennials play the best and are more consistent.

I have done equal tests with both balls. I set up the same shot and get different results.

In my tests the measles ball takes a wider angle off the object ball after contact than the red circle. To me at least that indicates that it does not go through the object ball as well. It could be softer and crush more at impact thus producing the wider carom.

The measles ball does not seem as sticky as the RC. It handles the stack better because it doesn't stick to it.

I prefer the measles ball for straight pool and one pocket. The RC seems easier to play 9 ball with.

I will weigh both balls again today and also compare them both (horrors) with the new black logo ball from the new tournament set.

Why so many cue balls?????????

Bill Stroud

thebaby said:

I still would like to know why they have not just taken those dot's off.To me they do nothing,what is the point.I bet if you take a vote right now,and ask the simple question,do you want the dot's taken off .it would be in favor of just take them off ,and use the same ball.Frank is right i beleive in that for staight pool the measle ball is fine ,but for all other games where you have to be able to move that cue ball with extreme.it's just not that easy.Isn't the equipment of any sport supposed to be able to push ones ability to the limit.This measle ball does not allow that to happen in alot of situations.anyway .what do i know!





visit us at www.playthegameclothing.com and see what your missing.....

Click to expand...

I believe the Measles ball was developed for TV so that viewers could see the spin of the ball. At a lot events you'd play matches with the Red Circle, but the Accu-Stats table would have the Measles. At the US 1Pocket Open last year the whole tournament was played with the Measles because it was decided by the promoter that it didn't make sense to be switching cue balls on the players.

Lou Figueroa

Mystery explained

Mystery explained

I weighted all the cue balls.

The RC and the black logo ball weight the same.

The measles ball that comes with the TV set weights 10g. less.
That explains why it doesn't go through the balls as well.

The red logo ball that comes with the regular set weights 15g. less.

The colored balls are all 10g. heavier than the cue balls. That explains a lot.

I wonder if this is some scientists' idea to make it easier to draw the ball?

No wonder I think the balls play so differently!

Bill Stroud

bstroud said:

I weighted all the cue balls.

The RC and the black logo ball weight the same.

The measles ball that comes with the TV set weights 10g. less.
That explains why it doesn't go through the balls as well.

The red logo ball that comes with the regular set weights 15g. less.

The colored balls are all 10g. heavier than the cue balls. That explains a lot.

I wonder if this is some scientists' idea to make it easier to draw the ball?

No wonder I think the balls play so differently!

Bill Stroud

Click to expand...

lol..........

bstroud said:

I weighted all the cue balls.

The RC and the black logo ball weight the same.

The measles ball that comes with the TV set weights 10g. less.
That explains why it doesn't go through the balls as well.

The red logo ball that comes with the regular set weights 15g. less.

The colored balls are all 10g. heavier than the cue balls. That explains a lot.

I wonder if this is some scientists' idea to make it easier to draw the ball?

No wonder I think the balls play so differently!

Bill Stroud

Click to expand...

Wow, are you saying 10-15 grams less than other cue balls? That does seem like a huge difference! How many grams does a cue ball weigh, to understand the difference in terms of percentage difference?

this is from wikipedia
International pool

Classic-style pool balls racked for a game of eight-ball, just before the break shot.
Modern-style pool balls
Pool balls are used to play various pool (pocket billiards) games, such as eight-ball, nine-ball and one-pocket. In North America, they are sometimes referred to simply as "billiard balls" (except among carom players), and in the UK they are commonly referred to as kelly pool or American balls. These balls, used the most widely throughout the world, are considerably smaller than carom billiards balls, slightly larger than British-style pool balls and substantially larger than those for snooker. According to WPA/BCA equipment specifications, the weight may be from 5.5 to 6 oz. (156–170 g) with a diameter of 2.25 in. (57.15 mm), plus or minus 0.005 in. (0.127 mm).[7][8] The balls are numbered and colored as follows:

1. Yellow
2. Blue
3. Red
4. Purple (pink in some ball sets)
5. Orange
6. Green
7. Brown or burgundy (tan in some ball sets)
8. Black
9. Yellow and white
10. Blue and white
11. Red and white
12. Purple and white (pink and white in some ball sets)
13. Orange and white
14. Green and white
15. Brown, or burgundy, and white (tan and white in some ball sets)
• Cue ball, white (sometimes with one or more spots)
Note that balls 1 through 7 are often referred to as solids and 9 through 15 as stripes though there are many other colloquial terms for each suit of balls (highs and lows, etc.). Though it looks similar to the solids, the 8 ball is not considered a solid. Some games such as nine-ball do not distinguish between stripes and solids, but rather use the numbering on the balls to determine which object ball must be pocketed. In other games such as three-ball neither type of marking is of any consequence. In eight-ball, straight pool, and related games, all sixteen balls are employed. In the games of seven-ball, nine-ball, ten-ball and related, only object balls 1 through 7, 9 and 10, respectively (plus the cue ball) are used.

Some balls used in televised pool games are colored differently to make them distinguishable on television monitors. Specifically, the 4 ball is colored pink instead of dark purple, and the 12 is white with a pink stripe, to make it easier to distinguish their color from the black 8 ball, and similarly the 7 and 15 balls use a light tan color instead of a deep brown. The TV is also the genesis of the "measle" cue ball with numerous spots on its surface so that spin placed on it is evident to viewers.

Coin-operated pool tables such as those found at bars historically have often used either a larger ("grapefruit") or denser ("rock", typically ceramic) cue ball, such that its extra weight makes it easy for the cue ball return mechanism to separate it from object balls (which are captured until the game ends and the table is paid again for another game) so that the cue ball can be returned for further play, should it be accidentally pocketed. Rarely in the US, some pool tables use a smaller cue ball instead. Modern tables usually employ a magnetic ball of regulation or near-regulation size and weight, since players have rightly complained for many decades that the heavy and often over-sized cue balls do not "play" correctly


..................so a cue ball can weight from 156 grams to 170 grams
hope this is helpfull

I think the measle ball has a bigger mass, witch takes a bigger stroke for desired reaction. once you are used to it, it is more accurate. I do switch balls during my play but have desided to leave the red circle on the Diamond bar tables and the Measle on my big table. I love to watch it roll.

I've spent some time with a scale and found it very informative. I weighed an assortment of cueballs and object balls and summarized it as follows:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showpost.php?p=1296719&postcount=1

mosconiac said:

I had the opportunity to weigh a variety of CB's and OB's during a recent visit to my local PH. I used a digital scale with quoted accuracy of 0.01 ounce.

For sets of OB's, I measured the 1B & 15B from each set to determine if the 1B is lighter than the 15B (due to wear).

Here are the results with photos of the balls in question:

Aramith "green logo" CB: 5.94 oz

Aramith "measles" CB: 5.84 oz

Aramith "red triangle" CB (from my late-90's SPA set): 5.89 oz
No Picture Available, Obsolete CB?

Black Lightning Bolt CB: 6.24 oz

Black Circle CB: 5.68 oz

Click to expand...

Part 2 of 2:

Red Circle CB: 5.87 oz

Red Dot CB: 6.72 oz

Super Pro Aramith OB's (late-90's set): 1B: 5.91 oz, 15B: 5.91 oz

Cheap "no circle" OB's: 1B: 5.61 oz, 15B: 5.61 oz

Cheap "circled number" OB's: 1B: 5.87 oz, 15B: 5.97 oz

[/SIZE]

Click to expand...

SJDinPHX said:

Frank,

I am/was not fond of the red circle. (or red dot) although they were not that hard to adjust to...I have only played with the measle ball a few times, so I can't really comment on it, except that I never felt comfortable with it...As you know, these days, almost all cue balls are made by Aramith, (or their subsidiary).. they say they are made according to whatever name brand specs they are making them for, (Brunswick etc.)

That may well be, but back when I could still play, I think the original Cenntenial Balls, with a blue circle cue ball, were the most consistent, and playable combination that was ever made...RA preffered them too, and always carried a good, fairly new set with him, and I always agreed (for 50 some years).. to play with them.

They played light years ahead, of the average pool room offerings...JMHO

Click to expand...

I thought it was in my head about the cenntenial balls. Starting back with the red circle and red dot cue balls is driving me crazy.

Join the club!

Bill S.

You can demonstrate the difference in the two balls - it is minute, but there. Using ONLY the two cueballs, freeze one on the side rail a few inches above the pocket, and mark where it is. Shoot the cross-corner until you find the limit on the rail for where it goes. NOW reverse it, swap balls and do the same. Pre3ferrably use new balls so that friction is equal. The measle ball is a tad heavier, probably less than a tenth of an ounce.

mexican mud balls, outside room.

mexican mud balls, outside room.

The measles ball is a good ball, good enough to play all games with. The Aramith ball with the green logo plays to me like the red circle ball, not much difference at all. I think for most people that find a huge difference with the measles ball compared to the Red circle, it's a lot in the head. Just play like you like what your playing with.

I remember playing Martinez one pocket in Mexico with mud balls in a room that didn't have any doors. Measles ball :lol

Billy I.

wincardona said:

The measles ball is a good ball, good enough to play all games with. The Aramith ball with the green logo plays to me like the red circle ball, not much difference at all. I think for most people that find a huge difference with the measles ball compared to the Red circle, it's a lot in the head. Just play like you like what your playing with.

I remember playing Martinez one pocket in Mexico with mud balls in a room that didn't have any doors. Measles ball :lol

Billy I.

Click to expand...

AMEN to this !
Play where the game is. I've played with the measle because the game was easy. As stated before, I don't like the look. It plays a little different but not enough to matter.
Rod.
P.S. I must not be quite as precise as most posters in this thread.

androd said:

AMEN to this !
Play where the game is. I've played with the measle because the game was easy. As stated before, I don't like the look. It plays a little different but not enough to matter.
Rod.
P.S. I must not be quite as precise as most posters in this thread.

Click to expand...

You guy's are probably right...But I must ask,.. Why does a professional, MLB slugger, in baseball, have his bats made to exacting specifications..(ie. weight, length, circumference etc. ?)...Its called comfort, and familiarity...

PS..Don't even get into golfer's and tennis player's equipment.. (as they are NOT normal people, like us pool player's are)..

PPS...This is the modern age...Check out the 3-400 post threads, (on AZB)..on tips, shaft deflection, and chalk...(plus 'aiming system's)..
....Are we are becoming 'Dinosaurs' ?...