Ray Martin's Balabushka

billiardcue

billiardcue

11th Commandment
Silver Member
Ray Martin's personal Balabushka.

George made this masterpiece for Ray circa 1970.

Interesting inlay pattern in butt sleeve, look like "angel's wings".

Imagine how many 100+ ball runs this cue is responsible for.


balabushka_Q2210.jpg
 
ScottR said:
Wow.....

Scott
Click to expand...

WOW is right!

Last week I had asked Ray about some of the championships that he had won during that era (including his 3 World Championships)... I never thought to ask him what cue he was shooting with.

One time, Fatboy told me that he had the cue that Ray was shooting with in The 99 Critical Shots - I think that was a Szamboti.
 
Blackjack said:
WOW is right!

Last week I had asked Ray about some of the championships that he had won during that era (including his 3 World Championships)... I never thought to ask him what cue he was shooting with.

One time, Fatboy told me that he had the cue that Ray was shooting with in The 99 Critical Shots - I think that was a Szamboti.
Click to expand...

thats correct, I asked Mr. Martin which cue is on the cover pic of his book, he thought it was the Szam I have(wanst 100% sure but said "More than likely"), I hit balls with it from time to time, it is one of the best playing Szams I ever hit balls with. It has hand cut hearts in the butt sleve.


hope your good dave,

best eric
 
Fatboy said:
thats correct, I asked Mr. Martin which cue is on the cover pic of his book, he thought it was the Szam I have(wanst 100% sure but said "More than likely"), I hit balls with it from time to time, it is one of the best playing Szams I ever hit balls with. It has hand cut hearts in the butt sleve.


hope your good dave,

best eric
Click to expand...

Eric, Is that the one where the the inlays are all slightly different ??
 
Cue story Ray Martin told me.

I was taking a lesson from Ray and we got talking about cues. He said he has had a few Balabuska cues, and in fact he sold one to a guy in the Phillipines.

Whats so odd about that? Well, if I remember the story right, the guy flew a commerical plane with $25K CASH, Ray met him at the airport, he looked over the cue, handed him the money and took his cue back on the next flight. He made it sound like it was all done in about an hour time, and he was back in flight happy as a clam....

LOL,

Ken
 
billiardcue said:
Ray Martin's personal Balabushka.

George made this masterpiece for Ray circa 1970.

Interesting inlay pattern in butt sleeve, look like "angel's wings".

Imagine how many 100+ ball runs this cue is responsible for.


View attachment 97799
Click to expand...



Dick is the wrap Nylon?

Ray said it was his wrap of choice. I always thought nylon wraps were the sure sign of a cheap cue.

Ken
 
Blackjack said:
WOW is right!

Last week I had asked Ray about some of the championships that he had won during that era (including his 3 World Championships)... I never thought to ask him what cue he was shooting with.

One time, Fatboy told me that he had the cue that Ray was shooting with in The 99 Critical Shots - I think that was a Szamboti.
Click to expand...

Ray told me in 1978 that he won his first championship with a Paradise, had it with him, and showed it to me. He was playing with the Szamboti with ivory hearts, at the time.
 
WOW ... These are the kind of stories that make it worth my time to log-in regularly.

Thanks for the pics and stories ... Ray Martin is a Legend to all 14.1 players.
 
Ken_4fun said:
I was taking a lesson from Ray and we got talking about cues. He said he has had a few Balabushka cues, and in fact he sold one to a guy in the Phillipines.

Whats so odd about that? Well, if I remember the story right, the guy flew a commerical plane with $25K CASH, Ray met him at the airport, he looked over the cue, handed him the money and took his cue back on the next flight. He made it sound like it was all done in about an hour time, and he was back in flight happy as a clam....

LOL,

Ken
Click to expand...

Ray had a few Balabushkas he bought from a collector in PA.

My cue is the one Balabushka he ordered and bought directly from George.

Ken_4fun said:
Dick is the wrap Nylon?

Ray said it was his wrap of choice. I always thought nylon wraps were the sure sign of a cheap cue.
Click to expand...

It is a black or dark charcoal grey nylon or dacron (synthetic) wrap.

Pete Tascarella said he has seen this particular wrap on other Bushkas but not on any other cues.

It is a synthetic fishing line possibly made by Cortland.
 
Wow, between the fact that he wrote a couple books, and the emblem on that cue, we might have found a pool player who can read! Ray Martin's really one in a million!;-)

reading_is_fundamental.jpg
 
arsenius said:
Wow, between the fact that he wrote a couple books, and the emblem on that cue, we might have found a pool player who can read! Ray Martin's really one in a million!;-)
Click to expand...

Actually, I know many pool players who can read, I'm one of them!!
 
Went to the pool room and played the cue for the first time today.

I've had a bunch of Balabushka cues, most were good, a couple were dogs and three played jam up.

I have been playing with one for the past several months (pictured below) and it has been my favorite until today.

This cue is sweet, Ray Martin had to run hundreds with it many times over.

If I have any complaint - the shafts are too thick 13.2mm - the Bushka I've been playing with are 12.7mm.

Maybe I should throw it in the lathe and sand the shafts down a few millimeters.


balabushka_Q2198.jpg
 
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