University Billiards

Although there were pool tables in the Squires Student Center, there was another place in town that got a lot of action from the "townies" (high school and older) and students alike.  Located on the second floor at the corner of College Avenue and Draper Road was University Billiards owned and run by Bob Hill.  Take the stairs a couple doors down from Little Docs and you were immediately greeted by an array of regulation size 9' pool tables.  Just around the partition to the left was a long line of classic mechanical pinball machines.

One of the great things about University Billiards was the long row of windows facing both streets.  On a summer day you could gaze down below while waiting your turn to shoot some 9-ball and see friends passing by.  The owner, Bob, generally took the day shift and the evening hours were shared between me, my buddy David, and a red haired fellow named Bruce.

There were some darned good pool shooters in Blacksburg then, guys by the names of Cody, Steve, Rick, and several more.  When the Tech basketball team won the NIT in 1973, Mr. Hill had a private party for the team members and we got to shoot pool and drink beer with them all evening.