Gus Szamboti had a Great Sense of Humor

[brunswick1901]

While I was talking to Gus in his workshop in the basement of his home when an old style black phone that you only see in the movies rang.

Gus was very nice to the caller and ended the with, "I've started your cue".

After Gus hung up he turned to me and said, "I can't stand that guy".

I said, 'But you told him you started his cue".

Gus said, "Yes, I planted the tree!".

 

[sjm]

Gus' colleague and friend George Balabushka was similar. If he liked you, he'd be happy to work on a cue for you, even ahead of some other orders. If he didn't like you, he'd usually refuse to make one for you or take a long time to finish it.

 

[jay helfert]

Gus' colleague and friend George Balabushka was similar. If he liked you, he'd be happy to work on a cue for you, even ahead of some other orders. If he didn't like you, he'd usually refuse to make one for you or take a long time to finish it.

While I was talking to Gus in his workshop in the basement of his home when an old style black phone that you only see in the movies rang.

Gus was very nice to the caller and ended the with, "I've started your cue".

After Gus hung up he turned to me and said, "I can't stand that guy".

I said, 'But you told him you started his cue".

Gus said, "Yes, I planted the tree!".

I didn’t know Gus well but I liked him. He would come to our tournaments in Atlantic City, usually to see players who used his cues.

He was a very low key guy and didn’t act like a big shot or request special seating. In fact he often stood in the background observing from a distance.

He was polite to me even though he barely knew me. Meanwhile I knew all about him and badly wanted one of his cues. He seemed very comfortable with himself, a quality I admire greatly.

 

[mikemosconi]

Those were different times in many ways. I know of times when George B would hand deliver his cues to customers with the cues wrapped in simple brown paper bag wrappings, George would take the trains to pool halls as far a Westchester County NY at times with cue in hand.

George and Gus would also mail their cues via the U.S. mail with C.O.D. ( cash on delivery method) - everyone received their cues and George and Gus received their money. Honesty and humility ran deep in America - these two men were great examples in the pool world back then!