I recently picked up a specialty rack to be used just for Three Ball play. I didn’t know such a wonderful thing existed! There is a great potential for cheating in the game without a good rack. I spoke with its creator, Travis Rupert, to hear what he had to say:
Matt: Travis, thanks for chatting with us at About.com. These racks are new and fascinating to me. How did you come to create them for pool?
Travis: I developed the 3-Ball Rack about five years ago. I was out with a bunch of friends and we played pool. 8-Ball and 9-Ball are fun, but these and other traditional two-player games can grow boring waiting for your turn at the table when there are many players. We decided on 3-Ball and the night was a big success. Much fun was had by all.
During the evening, someone asked if there was a 3-Ball rack available and if not, could we make one for our get-togethers. Having high skills in manufacturing as a Tool and Die Maker by trade, a 3-Ball Rack wasn’t that hard.
Next time we met I presented the new rack and it was “game on” from there. It was a big hit and led me to investigate the possibilities of bringing this rack to the marketplace.
Were there similar racks already patented out there?
I researched using the Internet and library catalogs, worked with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and searched eBay.com and trade magazines and more.
Only one other incidental rack was done for a 3-Ball tournament many years before. I filed my research to apply for a Patent and developed a plastic injection mold. The goal was simple. Offer a game rack to provide consistent alignment of three object balls in a tight rack, no matter who does the racking. As you mentioned, racking for 3-Ball using hands only can lead to accidental or—dare I say it—purposeful misalignment, leading to bad breaks and not so much fun!
How has your marketing campaign progressed to date?
Advertising has been best in person. My 3-Ball Rack was designed as a novelty accessory. Can you rack by hand inconsistently? Yes. Can you use the standard 15- or 9-ball rack? Yes, if not as well. But walk into your favorite poolroom, club or friend’s game room and curiosity is peaked when the 3-Ball Rack hits the table.
And we who play it know how infectious the joy of 3-Ball is. I’ve seen some folks laugh at the modest size of the rack, but they still all have to pick it up and inspect it. Just about everyone likes the ease of removing the rack—simply slide it forward then lift. Many say, “I play 3-Ball all the time but didn’t know there was a rack for it.”
It’s been easy to get racks into players’ hands as they are currently just $4.99 each including free shipping within the continental US. Bars and clubs have taken them as 3-Ball tourneys are popular and keep patrons coming back. Boys and Girls Clubs of America love ‘em—it fits the need for easy recreation and even the little ones find the rack easy to use. And I have simple game and tournament instructions online and you have them at About.com also.
Thanks, Matt, and thanks to your readers for looking to the gift of a tight rack at 3BallRack.com for the holidays this season!
