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  • The Lions and the Lambs by Thomas Fensch book cover
  • The Lions and the Lambs by Thomas Fensch book cover
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The Lions and the Lambs

by Thomas Fensch

Profiles from the world of pool

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AlbakiReads Editorial

Profiles from the world of pool

First published in 1970 and reprinted here, this book documents leading pool players of its era through individual profiles. Its distinction between “lions”—gamblers or hustlers who play for money—and “lambs,” tournament players not necessarily associated with gambling, gives the profiles a framework rooted in the game’s culture. The volume also includes an introduction to pool in the United States, a section on the film *The Hustler*, a lexicon of pool terms, and photographs, many taken by the author. Together, these elements place the players alongside the language, history, and popular image of billiards.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Pool and billiards enthusiasts interested in players and game culture around 1970
  • Readers exploring the history of pool in the United States
  • Those interested in the connection between billiards and the film *The Hustler*

Themes

Pool and billiardsPlayer profilesGambling and tournament playPool in the United StatesBilliards in popular culture

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

First published in 1970, The Lions and the Lambs profiles the best pool players of that time. It followed the release of The Hustler, a highly acclaimed-and financially successful film-starring Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason. Until 1970, there has been no book about pool/billiards that separated the facts from the legends of this timeless sport. Shakespeare mentions billiards in Anthony and Cleopatra; Mary Queen of Scots played the game and Lord Bryon also mentioned billiards.

Lions, in the language of the game, are gamblers or hustlers; those who can win when there is money on the table; Lambs are tournament players, but not necessary gamblers.

The book includes both categories of players; each chapter is a comprehensive profile of the player-his (or her) attitudes toward the game and comments about other players.

Also included is a Introduction about pool in the United States; a section about the film The Hustler and a lexicon of terms. It is illustrated with a wide variety of photographs, many taken by the author.

The book went out-of-print after its original printing and the book publisher also disappeared. Copies available on the internet have listed at $200-$250 or more; this is a reprint of the 1970 edition.

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