In billiards, why is a calcutta called a calcutta?

Question

I know the auction is called the calcutta...i just don't know why.

Answer 1

From everything I read and was led to believe "calcutta", meaning "auction", worked its way into "sports vernacular" as to buy a player's talent. The same as slaves were sold on the auction block in Calcutta 200-plus years ago. In fact the Dutch did the same thing only they simply referred to it as "auction".

I am not sure which sport picked it up first but I have participated in many pool tournaments over the years in which the calcutta was implemented.

Answer 2

it started as part of golf tourns but really dont know why dont play golf not enough balls but i have called it pasture pool

matbe it started in calcutta with eng.colonies??????????

Answer 3

Probably derives from the fact that billiards was very popular in India among Brits and many versions of the game were developed in the former colonies. The calcutta was probably developed in, well, Calcutta.