Michael Phelan (billiards player)

His father emigrated to the US that same year, and established himself in the billiard business, running as many as three or four rooms in different parts of New York City at the same time.

But after attaining the age of majority, and having married (circa 1837), Phelan was determined to adopt the billiards business for a livelihood.

[2] Phelan was determined to produce an American billiard table that would become the standard model for the whole world.

He visited Europe in the fall of 1851, and on his return, in 1852, he had the idea of starting a model billiard-table factory.

He left the East Coast in the fall of 1854, and arrived in San Francisco, where he opened an elegant billiard hall which immediately became one of the chief points of interest of the city.