I’ve got to believe that those that lived through World War II (particularly Europeans) are the only people alive that have endured anything as unsettling and unprecedented as what we are going through today. It is a world on pins and needles.

Closer to home, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted everyone in the billiard community, both personally and professionally. The chaos that enveloped the CueSports International Expo in Las Vegas (see pg. 34) was a microcosm of how the almost-hourly changes in information and reaction are affecting us.

As large metropolitan areas shutter businesses and control activity, and the government urges people to self-quarantine, a feeling of isolation sets in quickly. Confinement and uncertainty make a scary combination.

For the billiard world, cancelled tournaments, closed poolrooms and retail stores, and barely-operational manufacturing and distribution outlets are reasons for real concern. Very few businesses can withstand months, or even weeks, with no business and no revenue. The coming months will be excruciatingly painful for many businesses and many individuals. And recovery will likely be slow.

But what I have learned in nearly 40 years in this industry is that we are a resilient bunch. We’re resourceful. We’re survivors. We are constantly threatened by economic downturns and shifts in consumer habits. But we persevere and rebound. And, like every crisis we have encountered as an industry, we will get through this as well because we will work together to survive it.

That’s what families do. And we are family.

The best thing the billiard community can do right now is to find ways to support one another. Very few of the game’s top pros have day jobs. In the coming months, with tournaments non-existent, players will have a difficult time making ends meet. If you see players auctioning cues or jerseys, consider chipping in. And pros, consider video instruction. Give lessons and coach amateur players online. The fact that billiards has a home market means opportunity. With a little help, self-quarantining ought to make every player’s game a ball better!

Have a favorite billiard supply store and/or home poolroom? Purchase gift certificates. A simple gesture like that puts money in business owners’ pockets when little or no revenue is coming in and will give you a benefit later, when everything is back to normal.

And, I can’t believe I’m saying this, I am grateful for social media only in that it will keep us all in touch with one another as we work toward the day when we all start smacking balls around, buying cues and tables and cheering on our favorite pros again. A positive support system goes a long way.

In the meantime, you can count on Billiards Digest to keep you up to date on developments that impact the industry and the sport. Yes, we will keep churning out issues if we can. And we will post breaking new to social media. It is our responsibility to you. We take pride in our staff of dedicated journalists, professionals that will provide in-depth information and analysis of the challenges facing us today and will go well beyond shared social media snippets. We will continue to stay in touch with players, room owners, manufacturers and other industry leaders to sort through how the industry is coping and forging ahead.

Finally, thank you to all our subscribers and advertisers. We appreciate your support. You are the reason we are able to do what we love. We are in this together, and we will get through this together. Be smart. Be safe.