Leonard Bludworth passed away

ctyhntr

RIP Kelly
Silver Member
I just heard on facebook that Leonard Bludworth passed away.

He's known for his cues, and off the top of my head came up with Bludworth Ball Cleaner machine, helping Joe Porper come up with the foam mix for Joe Porper cue cases.
 

Michael Webb

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The ending to one hell of a journey.
From one of the first if not the first to do repairs at Tournament's, to making Cues to machinery. He also taught Cue making. Leonard did it all, and he most definately did it his way with passion.
Leonard was the one who talked me into building cues back when I just did repairs at Tournaments.
His stories were endless.
My most sincere condolences to his family.
 
Last edited:

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
The ending to one hell of a journey.
From one of the first if not the first to do repairs at Tournament's, to making Cues to machinery. He also taught Cue making. Leonard did it all, and he most definately did it his way with passion.
Leonard was the one who talked me into building cues back when I just did repairs at Tournaments.
His stories were endless.
My most sincere condolences to his family.

Very nice Mike! Leonard was one of a kind and made a HUGE contribution to the sport as was known by most. Those who didn't have the opportunity to know him are truly deprived.

RIP Leonard
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Sad to hear. I liked Blud a lot and he was a valued poster in these AZB parts for years.

Condolences to his family and friends.
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
He had been sick for some time, sad to say. I think he was in hospice when he passed away.

Leonard was one of those pool peeps that everybody gravitated towards at events. He always enjoyed sharing laughs. Keith had some great memories. One story in particular was about he and Leonard and Louie Roberts. I can't remember all the particulars, but I'll ask Keith later and post it. It's so funny.

He will be missed. May he rest in eternal peace.
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
A beautiful tribute from Mary Kenniston for Leonard Bludworth

I’m so fortunate to have a original Blud Dot Bludworth that $$ can’t buy, its won me several dollars and fits me perfect
RIP Mr Cue Maker you left us many memories
Julie Campbell I knew Jr played with his Bludworth and you still have it for Jay
Bryce Loveland
James Dart Buddy Baker Jim Ingram Kent Taylor Melinda Duncan Bailey Robert Leblanc

Earlier this evening, I got the call I’ve been dreading – Leonard Bludworth has passed away after another yet another bout with cancer. He was 78.

He grew up in the rough & tumble of the Houston shipyards & came of age when that oil money was flowing freely. He jumped right into the middle of it at the legendary LeCue with Jersey Red & the other killers of the day. It was there that he forged lifelong friendships with all the many players on the American pool scene.

I first met Leonard in Charlotte, NC in the mid ‘80s. He had loaded up an old postal truck with a lathe & all the equipment needed to do cue repair at the growing number of tournaments. He and his late wife, Janice, hit the road & “The Pro Shop” was born. As the first person to take cue repair on the road, Blud inspired & taught many others to do the same. All these years later, there’s a booth set up to do on-site cue repair at nearly every tournament.

Yeah, he was a character - brash, bold, obnoxious & funny as hell – but was smart as a whip & had a good heart. He was a fixture in the pool world for over five decades. He loved it – both the action matches & the tournament scene - and the people in it. I can’t tell you how many people he helped over the years - financially or otherwise. He was almost always good for the bite - as long as you just nibbled or didn't make it a habit.

When I took time off from the WPBA Tour in early ’88 to open my pool room in Las Vegas, Leonard told me repeatedly he was going to come to set up my tables. "Yeah, yeah," I thought – until he & his son, Donald, rolled up after driving nonstop from Leakey, TX. I didn't know he was a master table mechanic too...

He & Donald set up nineteen tables in two days. They were lined up with military precision and they played perfectly. And, he wouldn’t take a quarter. I insisted & he refused. I demanded to know why & Leonard finally told me - because I was his friend.

He showed up a month or so later with a ball cleaner that he had invented. Again, he wouldn’t take a quarter – because I was his friend.

What gained Leonard worldwide recognition in the pool world was when he started making cues. It was a natural progression from cue repair to making sneaky petes to creating some of the most beautiful and best hitting cues on the market. There was a time when quite a few of the top players of the day – longtime friend Buddy Hall, Wade Crane, CJ Wiley & Belinda Calhoun among many others - played with a Bludworth Original. I still have mine…

In 1992, Leonard founded the American Cuemakers Association, served as president for quite a few years & was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2014. He also was a founding member of the International Cuemakers Association & was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2010.

Over the 35 years that I have known him, he has done many things for me – because I was his friend.

I’m sad tonight knowing that I’ll never pick up the phone & hear his voice again, won’t meet up at a tournament again or grab a bite to eat again.

I just know that I’m really going to miss him – because I was his friend.
 
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Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sorry to hear about Leonard's death. He was always good for a bunch of laughs, and really knew the cue repair and cue making business inside out! I spent many times with him, hanging out and listening to stories!

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

He had been sick for some time, sad to say. I think he was in hospice when he passed away.

Leonard was one of those pool peeps that everybody gravitated towards at events. He always enjoyed sharing laughs. Keith had some great memories. One story in particular was about he and Leonard and Louie Roberts. I can't remember all the particulars, but I'll ask Keith later and post it. It's so funny.

He will be missed. May he rest in eternal peace.
 

grindz

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A great tribute!

A beautiful tribute from Mary Kenniston for Leonard Bludworth

I’m so fortunate to have a original Blud Dot Bludworth that $$ can’t buy, its won me several dollars and fits me perfect
RIP Mr Cue Maker you left us many memories
Julie Campbell I knew Jr played with his Bludworth and you still have it for Jay
Bryce Loveland
James Dart Buddy Baker Jim Ingram Kent Taylor Melinda Duncan Bailey Robert Leblanc

Earlier this evening, I got the call I’ve been dreading – Leonard Bludworth has passed away after another yet another bout with cancer. He was 78.

He grew up in the rough & tumble of the Houston shipyards & came of age when that oil money was flowing freely. He jumped right into the middle of it at the legendary LeCue with Jersey Red & the other killers of the day. It was there that he forged lifelong friendships with all the many players on the American pool scene.

I first met Leonard in Charlotte, NC in the mid ‘80s. He had loaded up an old postal truck with a lathe & all the equipment needed to do cue repair at the growing number of tournaments. He and his late wife, Janice, hit the road & “The Pro Shop” was born. As the first person to take cue repair on the road, Blud inspired & taught many others to do the same. All these years later, there’s a booth set up to do on-site cue repair at nearly every tournament.

Yeah, he was a character - brash, bold, obnoxious & funny as hell – but was smart as a whip & had a good heart. He was a fixture in the pool world for over five decades. He loved it – both the action matches & the tournament scene - and the people in it. I can’t tell you how many people he helped over the years - financially or otherwise. He was almost always good for the bite - as long as you just nibbled or didn't make it a habit.

When I took time off from the WPBA Tour in early ’88 to open my pool room in Las Vegas, Leonard told me repeatedly he was going to come to set up my tables. "Yeah, yeah," I thought – until he & his son, Donald, rolled up after driving nonstop from Leakey, TX. I didn't know he was a master table mechanic too...

He & Donald set up nineteen tables in two days. They were lined up with military precision and they played perfectly. And, he wouldn’t take a quarter. I insisted & he refused. I demanded to know why & Leonard finally told me - because I was his friend.

He showed up a month or so later with a ball cleaner that he had invented. Again, he wouldn’t take a quarter – because I was his friend.

What gained Leonard worldwide recognition in the pool world was when he started making cues. It was a natural progression from cue repair to making sneaky petes to creating some of the most beautiful and best hitting cues on the market. There was a time when quite a few of the top players of the day – longtime friend Buddy Hall, Wade Crane, CJ Wiley & Belinda Calhoun among many others - played with a Bludworth Original. I still have mine…

In 1992, Leonard founded the American Cuemakers Association, served as president for quite a few years & was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2014. He also was a founding member of the International Cuemakers Association & was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2010.

Over the 35 years that I have known him, he has done many things for me – because I was his friend.

I’m sad tonight knowing that I’ll never pick up the phone & hear his voice again, won’t meet up at a tournament again or grab a bite to eat again.

I just know that I’m really going to miss him – because I was his friend.

Sorry for the loss of your friend.... the true test of a friend is if they are there for you
when you need them, rain or shine.

R.I.P.
 
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Jack Madden

John Madden Cues
Silver Member
Leonard was very kind to me and mine, when I went to my first “show” in PA. He knew I was the newbie - sure was - you should have seen people come by and read my banner “St. Ignatius, Montana” and do a double take. But he was welcoming (didn’t need to be), shared some knowledge, shared some lunch, shared lots of stories. Bigger than life man. Rest In Peace.
 

14.1'er

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Very sad news indeed. Leonard was a great man, and a big man. I used to talk with him at all the tournaments, and had lunch with him a few times. I considered Leonard a friend, and will remember him always. R.I.P. my friend.🙏
 

ctyhntr

RIP Kelly
Silver Member
I hope the American Cuemakers Association will honor and memorialize Mr. Leonard Bludworth at next year's Super Billiards Expo.
 

KAP1976

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
If you pick up the BD with Schmidt on the cover they did an obit on Leonard.
 
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