Bill Stroud is a HOF cuemaker who'd ideas and methods changed the trade forever. To keep piling on a dead man over a FREE cue that didn't happen is just petty bullshit. Must be nice to be perfect. His cues will be used/treasured by both players and collectors as long as this game is played. BTW, there a more than a couple LIVING cuemakers that have and still do treat their customers like crap and yet folks still talk about them like they're royalty. I know people that bought cues from Stroud both here in Tulsa and when he was in Colo. None of them had any issues getting their cues.