Did Mosconi use his Balabushka at the exhibitions

Dan White · Mar 25, 2020

Regarding the rings on the wrap. First of all, I assume we are not simply talking about the A rings just above the wrap. I think it is HIGHLY unlikely that Mosconi added some physical rings onto the surface of the wrap. Again, not really sure if anyone is suggesting that.

In the video clip of that guy's collection that someone posted earlier, there is one cue that has a different color linen that makes a three ring pattern in the wrap. Is that what is being questioned?

Pedestrian · Mar 25, 2020

Irving Crane sold Cadillacs in Rochester, NY and almost every day for lunch, he'd go to a very nearby pool hall have a burger and run at least 100.

Pedestrian · Mar 25, 2020

And the 526 ball run was never official as it was not in a tourn. and nobody was counting until a reporter came in and started. He did so at over 200 balls. It was all a guess and then used it as a promotion.

ibuycues · Mar 25, 2020

garczar said:
Those rings may just be reminders of how far up to hold the cue. Who knows. Kinda tough to ask Willie or George. Well, maybe Harriman in full tin-hat mode might be able to.

I believe you are right.
I have a totally original Balabushka with full provenance by P. Tascarella and I am second owner.
The original linen wrap has a black ring marked below the forearm, and one forward of the buttsleeve. The black ring marks are
obviously 50+ years old.
The original owner who purchased the cue lived near George, visited him at his home often and had breakfast together
on Saturday mornings. He said the rings were applied to the linen wrap by George per the owner’s request when the cue was made, to assist him with where he preferred to grab the cue. The black rings were spun on via a lathe.
Possibly just what Willie’s cue has. I have seen this several times.
Will Prout

lfigueroa · Mar 25, 2020

alstl said:
I'll take the word of people who saw him play but I thought his exhibitions were sponsored by Brunswick. If that's the case it seems like he would play with a Brunswick cue unless they were promoting their tables more than the cues.

Later on I think he toured for a company called Ajay.

One other small contribution to the discussion: Willie abused his cues, at least compared to how many of us treat our cues. He’d bang and rake the balls over and over during his trick shot exhibition. I figure that after all the hundreds of shows he put on he had beaten it down to smooth again, lol.

Lou Figueroa

HawaiianEye · Mar 25, 2020

lfigueroa said:
Later on I think he toured for a company called Ajay.

One other small contribution to the discussion: Willie abused his cues, at least compared to how many of us treat our cues. He’d bang and rake the balls over and over during his trick shot exhibition. I figure that after all the hundreds of shows he put on he had beaten it down to smooth again, lol.

Lou Figueroa

I noticed that, too.

Willie had no problem smacking the balls around with the side of his shaft.

Makes me shiver.

I guess some people don't notice the little dents and dings when they stroke, but I can feel every one of them.

Dan White · Mar 26, 2020

HawaiianEye said:
I noticed that, too.

Willie had no problem smacking the balls around with the side of his shaft.

Makes me shiver.

I guess some people don't notice the little dents and dings when they stroke, but I can feel every one of them.

I have the same shaft and I also rake the balls. I do not smack the balls around the way he did, admittedly. I think those old, dense shafts could take more of a beating and come out OK. About a year ago I dented my shaft about 4 inches up from the joint. It was a pretty good dent, too. I decided to do nothing about it since it didn't interfere with playing, and I wanted to see what would happen. It fixed itself probably 95% by now. I'm not even sure I could feel where the dent was if I had to now. No water or steam or burnishing. Maybe that is normal for shafts and not just old Bushka shafts. Don't really know.

maha · Mar 26, 2020

shafts got dents and we steamed them or lightly sanded them out. and yes it minutely could make a shaft become noticeably thinner after years.

and sometimes we even just bought a new shaft. just like you buy a new pair of shoes when they wear too much or you want something different.

Ken_4fun · Jul 16, 2020

Mosconi cue is just another in the list of great items that I never understood how a family would EVER let something like that get away.

My family is not rich, but heirlooms like this would never leave our family.

The all mighty dollar.....

Ken

PoolFan101 · Jul 16, 2020

Ken_4fun said:
Mosconi cue is just another in the list of great items that I never understood how a family would EVER let something like that get away.

My family is not rich, but heirlooms like this would never leave our family.

The all mighty dollar.....

Ken

Ken you are Right , You would have thought that his Son would have wanted to at least keep his Dad's Favorite cue and one that he was proud of and used the most. That was unique to his Dad and now one else had one. It is Sad when you sell just to make the Cash. I could understand if the Son was getting to old and sold to a Museum for all to see , But to just sell it to anyone, It would be hard to do . But then again maybe he was not close to his Dad, or maybe he does not have a personal attachment to things .

skins · Jul 17, 2020

PoolFan101 said:
Ken you are Right , You would have thought that his Son would have wanted to at least keep his Dad's Favorite cue and one that he was proud of and used the most. That was unique to his Dad and now one else had one. It is Sad when you sell just to make the Cash. I could understand if the Son was getting to old and sold to a Museum for all to see , But to just sell it to anyone, It would be hard to do . But then again maybe he was not close to his Dad, or maybe he does not have a personal attachment to things .

Regarding "sons" (Georges), I guess the story goes that he begged his dad to build him a cue for years. Didn't do it for many years. Finally he built him a maple on maple cue. He barely hit a ball with it. He came on this forum looking to sell it. Don't know who bought it but I guess selling it was what he wanted to do.

:Had to edit to clarify that I as talking about Balabushka's son:... Sorry for the confusion

Dan White · Jul 17, 2020

skins said:
Regarding his son, I guess the story goes that he begged his dad to build him a cue for years. Didn't do it for many years. Finally he built him a maple on maple cue. He barely hit a ball with it. He came on this forum looking to sell it. Don't know who bought it but I guess selling it was what he wanted to do.

Are we still talking about Mosconi and his son on this one?

WildWing · Jul 17, 2020

Dan White said:
Regarding the rings on the wrap. First of all, I assume we are not simply talking about the A rings just above the wrap. I think it is HIGHLY unlikely that Mosconi added some physical rings onto the surface of the wrap. Again, not really sure if anyone is suggesting that.

In the video clip of that guy's collection that someone posted earlier, there is one cue that has a different color linen that makes a three ring pattern in the wrap. Is that what is being questioned?

There were never any drawn-in lines on Mosconi's Bushka. In fact, there were never any lines drawn in any of Mosconi's cues.

Here's his Bushka. See any lines drawn there?

Dan White · Jul 18, 2020

WildWing said:
There were never any drawn-in lines on Mosconi's Bushka. In fact, there were never any lines drawn in any of Mosconi's cues.

Here's his Bushka. See any lines drawn there?

That's why I was trying to understand what they were talking about. Rings as in different colored linen wrap or actual rings of some kind over the wrap? I've never seen or heard about either on a Mosconi cue.

WildWing · Jul 18, 2020

Dan White said:
That's why I was trying to understand what they were talking about. Rings as in different colored linen wrap or actual rings of some kind over the wrap? I've never seen or heard about either on a Mosconi cue.

I see what you mean now. The nickel and phenolic rings above the wrap are not over a portion of the wrap. They would not be flush with the wrap if they were over it. These nickel and phenolic rings are often seen on the more fancy Bushkas, which this one is.

All the best,
WW

johnnysd · Jul 18, 2020

WildWing said:
There were never any drawn-in lines on Mosconi's Bushka. In fact, there were never any lines drawn in any of Mosconi's cues.

Here's his Bushka. See any lines drawn there?

it looks like there is a distinct compound taper in the butt. Is it actually there or a function of the photo? I don't remember noticeable compound tapers in other Bushkas I have seen.

cuesblues · Jul 18, 2020

I think the number on the Mosconi Balabushka was 92k.
There was a fairly big thread about the auction.

Ken_4fun · Jul 18, 2020

skins said:
Regarding his son, I guess the story goes that he begged his dad to build him a cue for years. Didn't do it for many years. Finally he built him a maple on maple cue. He barely hit a ball with it. He came on this forum looking to sell it. Don't know who bought it but I guess selling it was what he wanted to do.

Skins,

I am lost on this comment.

Who are you talking about?

Ken

skins · Jul 18, 2020

Dan White said:
Are we still talking about Mosconi and his son on this one?

Oops.. Im sorry Greg is Georges son not Willies. That's who I was referring to...:sorry:

skins · Jul 18, 2020

Ken_4fun said:
Skins,

I am lost on this comment.

Who are you talking about?

Ken

The post above mine that I made my comment mentioned Willies son and how maybe he should have wanted his dads cue kept in the family... I was just telling a story about one of those sons (Georges), that begged to have his dad build him a cue... Sorry for the confusion

Did Mosconi use his Balabushka at the exhibitions

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