"Tipton Missouri was home to a Billiard manufacturer. As an ad for the business, they painted the water tower that serviced the warehouse as a giant 8 ball," the World's Largest Things says.

"When the industry moved on, the water tower was painted over. After a period of 20 years, the townspeople decided they really wanted their landmark back, so in 1999 the water tower was re-painted, re-establishing a World’s Largest Thing.

"Fischer Manufacturing Company was started in Tipton in 1949 by Ewald L. Fischer. He built his first crude table in his basement with the help of two assistants, an electric drill, a bench saw and other hand tools. As the years passed the table design improved and the company kept growing."

"Easy to get a good photo of the 8-ball water tower in the Dutch Bakery parking lot!" the Roadside America says.

"Painted to resemble an 8-ball in 1968 by the Fischer Manufacturing Co., a pool table company. It was painted over when the company moved out, but has recently been repainted back.

"The water tower for this town is freshly painted like a huge eight ball (for a pool table.)"

"The 160-foot tower was built in Tipton in 1968 by the Fischer Pool Table Company, which claimed to be the largest manufacturer of pool tables in the country at the time. The water tower was built for re protection for the company," the Missouri Life says.

"The eight-ball design was to promote Fischer, but it also became a landmark for the city and travelers. The plant closed in 1977, but the tower had become a town landmark. FASCO bought the property in 1981 and painted the eight- ball tower white with its own logo.

"FASCO closed in 1988, and the tower was returned to the city. When the tower needed repainting in 1999, the City of Tipton restored the landmark to its original glory and put the eight ball back up."

"The tower was built in 1968 as part of the fire suppression system. In 1977 the factory was closed and was later bought and repainted to look like a normal tower," the First Baptist Church of Athens says.

"That plant closed in 1989 and the tower was given to the town. A year later the people (Pop. 3378) lobbied the city to repaint the billiard ball which it did. One resident said that when they had been gone ways from home it was the sight of the 8-ball tower that let them know they were home.

"According to Wikipedia it is recognized as the larges 8-ball in the world."

"The city of Tipton has a water tower painted like an "eight ball". This water tower originated in 1968, when Ewald Fischer (a native of Tipton) built his billiard table factory—Fischer Manufacturing Co., which claimed to be the largest builder of pool tables in the United States.

"The company was purchased by the Spalding Company and the plant soon closed when Spalding sold it in 1976 to Ebonite Billiard, which was a subsidiary of Fuqua Companies. By then, the water tower was repainted.

"However, the residents of Tipton wanted to have the eight ball back, so it was painted again. Today, the water tower is generally regarded as the world's largest eight ball."  (Wikipedia)

"Fischer Manufacturing Company was started in Tipton in 1949 by Ewald L. Fischer. He built his first crude table in his basement with the help of two assistants, an electric drill, a bench saw and other hand tools. As the years passed the table design improved and the company kept growing," the triptonmo.com says.

"Seeing his success, other towns offered Fischer a free plant if he would move to their communities. But Ewald Fischer said no. "I was born here," he said, "I'm a Tipton boy and all my friends are here." Companies attempting to buy his business never gave up.

"It was not until December 1968 that Fischer Manufacturing, the country's largest builder of pool tables at that time, was sold to Spalding Company, a division of Questor. In 1976 Questor sold Fischer Manufacturing to the Ebonite Billiard Co. That sale brought to a close a business which had flourished during the years Ewald was the owner."

"I spotted this peculiar water tower on a road trip last weekend as we passed through tiny Tipton, Missouri (population 3,261 in 2000)," the Thirsty in Suburbia says. 

"The 8-ball design was painted in 1968 by Tipton’s own Fischer Manufacturing Co., a pool table company.

"The big ball disappeared when the company pulled up its Tipton stakes but the distinctive design has returned in recent years…so with or without the company, Tipton shows its playful side!"