"The Ether's" cue??
- Thread starter garczar
- Start date
I believe he was subject to have different cues yesterday, today and tomorrow.
That said, I can recall him liking a Bobby hunter shortly after the turn of the century that I believe stuck to him.
That said, I can recall him liking a Bobby hunter shortly after the turn of the century that I believe stuck to him.
Where is JAM on this thread? I'm sure we could have some details directly from the source. Probably with pictures.
Indeed ... come on JAM. What's Keith's favorite cue now? Would love some pics.
Well, I'm almost afraid to post anything related to Keith in recent times.
Keith actually has several cues since I've known him.
When I first met him, he was traveling with Cliff Joyner and Jose Parica. They had just left the Derby City Classic and came to Maryland to shoot at the Capital City Classic. Jose left the tournament without Keith but still had Keith's cue. Keith was stuck in Baltimore, but that's another story which will be shared at the appropriate time.
He eventually retrieved his Schon cue from some guy down in Louisiana. We had it FedEx'd here. He loved that cue, but he soon decided the butt was too fat. Keith likes a slender butt with a long professional taper, about 19 1/2 inches. He likes a heavier cue, about 20 ounces, I think.
The WilleeCue made him a custom made cue with his name on it, which we still have. It is a nice cue, but when you hit with it, it had a funny sound. Keith played with it for a while, though, and it hits good. He won a big chunk of change with it at the action table at Super Billiards Expo.
Amar Kang was in the D.C. area for a while, and he and some locals got into a beef. I'm not sure what it was about, but Amar was busted and disgusted and wanted to sell his Bobby Hunter cue. Keith was sitting fat at a tournament, having just won the season finale, and decided to help the kid out with some cash and paid him a handsome sum for that Hunter cue. I loved that cue too. It was beautiful.
Here's a copy-and-paste of Keith McCready's "weapon of mass destruction" today, which is a Madden cue that Jack customized to Keith's preference.
Since I first met Keith, he was always looking for the cue that would give him the so-called "hit" that players desire. Though Keith has always pined for that one Balabushka cue that he bought 25 or more years ago from Buddy Hall for 500 bucks with 5 shafts, the Balabushka was stolen from Keith. He later found out who had it, but the guy said he bought it from somebody else, so Keith had no claim to it anymore.
In 2006, Keith ran into his old sparring partner, Jack Madden, at the SBE in Valley Forge. Jack hung up his own cue stick years ago and began to make custom-made cues. Keith was checking out Jack's cues in his booth, when Jack kindly offered to create a custom-made cue for Keith.
Keith gave Jack his specs: skinny butt, 4-ounce shaft, long professional taper, et cetera. Jack worked diligently, and over the course of the next month or so, he and Keith exchanged phone calls talking about the cue which was in progress. One pleasant day, Jack phoned Keith to let him know the Madden cue was finished and was en route, giving Keith the UPS number as well as the day the cue would arrive at our front door.
Keith opened a long tubular-shaped box. The cue stick was wrapped in a lot of protective material. Keith couldn't tear it off quick enough, and then he saw it, a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. It sure was a beauty. Keith grabbed one of the shafts that Jack made for this cue, screwed it on, and as soon as Keith held this Madden cue in his hands, a broad smile came across his face. He immediately said that this Madden cue felt better in his hands than his beloved Balabushka which was stolen from him years ago.
The very first time Keith got to shoot with this Madden cue was at an IPT qualifier in Frederick, Maryland, the same weekend in which Keith received the cue. Keith was the IPT challenge table player. First up to bat was a Reno Open Champion and One-Pocket phenom by the name of Cliff Joyner. Keith barbecued Cliff, running a 6-pack from jump street. Cliff didn't know what hit him, but Keith sure did. After every game, Keith would look over at me on the rail, holding his Madden cue, saying, "I'm now a dangerous man. There's going to be a new sheriff in town."
They say it's the player and not the cue stick, but let me tell you, a player can't be all that he can be without a professional cue. This Madden cue will never leave Keith's side. There are some secret ingredients that make this Madden cue very special, but it's something that money cannot buy.
Keith's Madden cue is not only a real beauty, but it was truly a labor of love. Jack poured his heart and soul into this cue, and there will NEVER be another one like it.
Attachments
Last edited:
Thanks JAM ... I knew you would come through. :thumbup:
Thanks JAM--but enough about HIS cue--what do you shoot with?:grin:
Well, I'll go back to the mid 80s, watching Keith and others at the US Open nine ball, sometimes at the Quality Inn Lake Wright, sometimes at Barry's room, of course, Norfolk.
In those days, he shot with an ivory joint Joss cue. No case, just carried the cue and one shaft in the street. That was Keith.
Since then, so many cues, can't even count them. They can all tell stories.
All the best,
WW
In those days, he shot with an ivory joint Joss cue. No case, just carried the cue and one shaft in the street. That was Keith.
Since then, so many cues, can't even count them. They can all tell stories.
All the best,
WW
:rotflmao1::rotflmao1::rotflmao1::rotflmao1:
Not too much. Truth be told, most of the cool pool rooms close by have shut down, and one has to drive a little distance to play some.
We may venture out next year to a few favorite tournaments. I have Turning Stone on my bucket list. Keith always has fun there at the tournament too. It's a great venue.
When I shoot? I'd have to dig it out of my closet, but it's an old Frey Sneaky Pete. :grin-square:
Wouldn't that be something if a cue could tell a story or have a stamp, much like luggage when traveling the world! The stories they could tell.
Good choice! Have a pic of it JAM? I know you do, you've got pics of everything lol. But yeah, the old Frey SP's are my absolute favorites ( well all time would probably be the old TS SP's - but really they are both the same thing).
I think I got mine from Fat Wayne. I don't have a photo of it (I don't think), but if I do, I'll post it up. It's a real plain Jane, but I like the way it hits. About a 19-ouncer. Nothing fancy.
I think I got mine from Fat Wayne. I don't have a photo of it (I don't think), but if I do, I'll post it up. It's a real plain Jane, but I like the way it hits. About a 19-ouncer. Nothing fancy.
You probably did, as you know Fat Wayne was Frey's distributor for years and years. Do you remember his old white van? It had the pool balls and cues painted on it - it was one big Frey rolling billboard lol. I Love the way they hit too - nothing better imo. I'm all about the plain janes. I have a Scruggs true sneaky probably from the 80's ( I've had this cue for 20 years ) that I'm having Bob make me a shafts for and I'm gonna make that my player.
Wouldn't that be something if a cue could tell a story or have a stamp, much like luggage when traveling the world! The stories they could tell.
Jenny, you couldn't imagine it. But then again, maybe you could.
One of my best memories of Keith at the US Open was in Barry's room, when he beat Earl Strickland. Keith held his cue up high with both hands, but didn't say anything. It was pretty modest recognition. Earl was fuming, red-faced, and bent his cue a bit, trying to break it. It didn't break, but Earl was still red-faced, outside the tournament room, talking to people.
As I recall, this was mid 1980s, and Jimmy Reid was the winner.
But Keith had something, and it's called charisma. When he was playing, people crowded around quickly, and wanted to see it. And there he was, after a match, strolling around the streets of Norfolk, with a Joss cue in his hand, no case. I can still see it, and it's hard to believe today.
All the best,
WW
Well, I'm almost afraid to post anything related to Keith in recent times.
Keith actually has several cues since I've known him.
When I first met him, he was traveling with Cliff Joyner and Jose Parica. They had just left the Derby City Classic and came to Maryland to shoot at the Capital City Classic. Jose left the tournament without Keith but still had Keith's cue. Keith was stuck in Baltimore, but that's another story which will be shared at the appropriate time.
He eventually retrieved his Schon cue from some guy down in Louisiana. We had it FedEx'd here. He loved that cue, but he soon decided the butt was too fat. Keith likes a slender butt with a long professional taper, about 19 1/2 inches. He likes a heavier cue, about 20 ounces, I think.
The WilleeCue made him a custom made cue with his name on it, which we still have. It is a nice cue, but when you hit with it, it had a funny sound. Keith played with it for a while, though, and it hits good. He won a big chunk of change with it at the action table at Super Billiards Expo.
Amar Kang was in the D.C. area for a while, and he and some locals got into a beef. I'm not sure what it was about, but Amar was busted and disgusted and wanted to sell his Bobby Hunter cue. Keith was sitting fat at a tournament, having just won the season finale, and decided to help the kid out with some cash and paid him a handsome sum for that Hunter cue. I loved that cue too. It was beautiful.
Here's a copy-and-paste of Keith McCready's "weapon of mass destruction" today, which is a Madden cue that Jack customized to Keith's preference.
Since I first met Keith, he was always looking for the cue that would give him the so-called "hit" that players desire. Though Keith has always pined for that one Balabushka cue that he bought 25 or more years ago from Buddy Hall for 500 bucks with 5 shafts, the Balabushka was stolen from Keith. He later found out who had it, but the guy said he bought it from somebody else, so Keith had no claim to it anymore.
In 2006, Keith ran into his old sparring partner, Jack Madden, at the SBE in Valley Forge. Jack hung up his own cue stick years ago and began to make custom-made cues. Keith was checking out Jack's cues in his booth, when Jack kindly offered to create a custom-made cue for Keith.
Keith gave Jack his specs: skinny butt, 4-ounce shaft, long professional taper, et cetera. Jack worked diligently, and over the course of the next month or so, he and Keith exchanged phone calls talking about the cue which was in progress. One pleasant day, Jack phoned Keith to let him know the Madden cue was finished and was en route, giving Keith the UPS number as well as the day the cue would arrive at our front door.
Keith opened a long tubular-shaped box. The cue stick was wrapped in a lot of protective material. Keith couldn't tear it off quick enough, and then he saw it, a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. It sure was a beauty. Keith grabbed one of the shafts that Jack made for this cue, screwed it on, and as soon as Keith held this Madden cue in his hands, a broad smile came across his face. He immediately said that this Madden cue felt better in his hands than his beloved Balabushka which was stolen from him years ago.
The very first time Keith got to shoot with this Madden cue was at an IPT qualifier in Frederick, Maryland, the same weekend in which Keith received the cue. Keith was the IPT challenge table player. First up to bat was a Reno Open Champion and One-Pocket phenom by the name of Cliff Joyner. Keith barbecued Cliff, running a 6-pack from jump street. Cliff didn't know what hit him, but Keith sure did. After every game, Keith would look over at me on the rail, holding his Madden cue, saying, "I'm now a dangerous man. There's going to be a new sheriff in town."
They say it's the player and not the cue stick, but let me tell you, a player can't be all that he can be without a professional cue. This Madden cue will never leave Keith's side. There are some secret ingredients that make this Madden cue very special, but it's something that money cannot buy.
Keith's Madden cue is not only a real beauty, but it was truly a labor of love. Jack poured his heart and soul into this cue, and there will NEVER be another one like it.
This entire thread is wonderful.
Completely genuine, posters having fun posting and sharing thoughts and pictures.
With warmth, not heat.
This represents what the best of AZ should be.
Thanks. Made my day. (And birthday no less).
Will Prout