Traditionally the small ball game of Blackball has had its heartland in Britain and Ireland. There has also always been a following in France.
The tide is turning and the ‘small-ball’ 8-ball game known as Blackball is finding new homes worldwide. Spain, and Catalunya in particular, through the work of Joan Marminya is becoming a hotbed of International Blackball. When teams like Scotland, Wales and France stayed away, Spain travelled to Swaziland for the 2008 World Championships. A tournament where they received moderate success, winning the open 5-person team event.
Normally when you see the growth of this sport Internationally the infrastructure comes from ex-pats living abroad. In this particular example there is none of this.
I don’t really have a reason for the growth, but it comes down to passion from the organisers and a belief that the game can prosper in a country where American 8-ball is traditionally the largest cue sport.
From a personal point of view, it is important now to continue this good work and introduce an International event to further develop the potential of the sport in Spain. Funnily enough I have wind of an International festival due for March 2010. If this happens then it will be a great place to have an International tournament but will also add Spain as a stronghold of Blackball Pool.
The game is developing elsewhere, I choose Spain as my example simply because I know some of the players and organisers personally. The game is played massively in South Africa, Nigeria and Tanzania and there are also pockets of it in China. I think all governing bodies need to have a world conference at some stage to sit down and discuss how to make Blackball more of a global phenomonen. It is fast-paced, attacking and exciting to watch and could appeal to TV audiences worldwide.
Blackball, the time is now!
