Looking for a few great biker patches to really liven up your jacket? How about an 8 Ball Patch? An 8 ball patch can mean several different things. It's also a great patch to put on brightly colored clothing. Most people put patches on dark colored jackets, but since the 8 ball is black, it's more suited for lighter colors.
In pool or billiards, there are 15 different balls divided into strips and solids. Each one has a number. The first seven are solid, then there's the eight ball, and then the last seven are striped. The eight ball, even though it's a solid color, doesn't belong to either set. One player is solids, while the other is stripes. The goal is to be the first player to sink all seven of their balls before the other player.
The eight ball is special. There are a few different rules regarding it, but the most common way of playing involves avoiding the eight ball as much as possible. If a player sinks the eight ball before they sink the other seven balls of their set, they automatically lose. However, after sinking all seven, they must sink the eight ball by 'calling the shot'?they have to pick one of the six pockets and put the eight ball in it. If they sink it in any other pocket or if they sink the white cue ball in addition to the eight ball, they lose.
Being behind the eight ball means being put in a situation where a player might accidentally sink it and lose the game. Since it can mean instantly losing a game, the eight ball has become synonymous with bad luck. Since it's also the ball that wins the game, though, it can be a symbol of the possibility of good luck.
