So he is now growing up, becomes interested in pocket billiards, partly because of [my] supposed skill which is thus innate in him, naturally by genetics, and what to do? This vacation I mention I wouldn't mind doing a little something about teaching the game... immediate jump to I am giving him a cue.
First things first, he is a good student, chess player, athlete, involved in invitational baseball games as pitcher in St. Louis now, and has fears but faces them and has courage. His family nickname is "Bear Bait", derived from an incident 2 years ago in Colorado after our heads were filled with stories of that years bad weather/little forage for bears so breaking into cars and eating dead homeless people and entering homes to get needed food. Driving home we almost rammed a lanky brown bear headed over the mountain and 300 yards towards the cabin. After arrival and the SUV loaded with females still buzzing over the sighting... SOMEONE had to get out of the car first in the dark to open the cabin door, risking attack... so I turn to 11yr-old Rowan, and say, "you first, Bear Bait..." Some might have wilted into a puddle of pee and tears, but he looks at me... thinks... and then gets out of the car and opens the door and turns on the lights... Thoughtful, mindful, and brave. Challenge. Thought. Correct response. A good kid, methinks, ready for the pressure of billiards played well. Grades improved following confidence gained in sports and social standing derived therefrom. He's a smart jock now, a handsome blonde and destined for 6'3" or more to boot. Ooohhh la la, girls watch out.
On the Cue issue, should an uncle present a 13-yr old with a decent oldie with history starter production cue? Or let him play with junk off the wall first everywhere, as I learned so one can appreciate what makes one cue better than another, eventually getting his own starter cue once he has "bought into" the game and decided he is a player, at, say, age 19 or so (not so curiously when I purchased my first second-hand production Mali I am considering giving to him... 26 years ago...) he might well lightly treat his first stick, or it gets stolen, warped... sold for $15 for crack cocaine.... not that I think he will, but teenage years are fraught with wildly possible outcomes and misplaced trust in choices of friendship.
Would I hold it slightly against him if something, perhaps beyond his youthful control illusion, happened to the cue I still retain fondly? Uhm, yes, slightly I might blame him a bit... so buy nothing, or something I still might develop slight grudge about money wasted etc.? Wait for appreciation and proper respect for tools of the trade to develop before giving him "my first-bought-cue"? Never ever giving up "my first"? (Even though it is a pretty production Mali circa 1977...)
Three options.
1. Instructions only at this point, cue is truly unimportant at this stage.
2. Should I greatly assist him an getting an inexpensive production starter cue for say less than <$200 (ancilliary point, which brand gives fair value... and before answering this, first answer Q1 before saying "do like me, this cue is best...."
3. or should I just close my eyes and give him my old (1978 era Mali, which I like the burl maple and looks of and am happy to store, my first cue and all, even though I won't be playing with it (so essentially useless though pretty junk) ever again (having moved on to custom cues of increasing values over the years)? (the "free option")
The nephew awaits.
First things first, he is a good student, chess player, athlete, involved in invitational baseball games as pitcher in St. Louis now, and has fears but faces them and has courage. His family nickname is "Bear Bait", derived from an incident 2 years ago in Colorado after our heads were filled with stories of that years bad weather/little forage for bears so breaking into cars and eating dead homeless people and entering homes to get needed food. Driving home we almost rammed a lanky brown bear headed over the mountain and 300 yards towards the cabin. After arrival and the SUV loaded with females still buzzing over the sighting... SOMEONE had to get out of the car first in the dark to open the cabin door, risking attack... so I turn to 11yr-old Rowan, and say, "you first, Bear Bait..." Some might have wilted into a puddle of pee and tears, but he looks at me... thinks... and then gets out of the car and opens the door and turns on the lights... Thoughtful, mindful, and brave. Challenge. Thought. Correct response. A good kid, methinks, ready for the pressure of billiards played well. Grades improved following confidence gained in sports and social standing derived therefrom. He's a smart jock now, a handsome blonde and destined for 6'3" or more to boot. Ooohhh la la, girls watch out.
On the Cue issue, should an uncle present a 13-yr old with a decent oldie with history starter production cue? Or let him play with junk off the wall first everywhere, as I learned so one can appreciate what makes one cue better than another, eventually getting his own starter cue once he has "bought into" the game and decided he is a player, at, say, age 19 or so (not so curiously when I purchased my first second-hand production Mali I am considering giving to him... 26 years ago...) he might well lightly treat his first stick, or it gets stolen, warped... sold for $15 for crack cocaine.... not that I think he will, but teenage years are fraught with wildly possible outcomes and misplaced trust in choices of friendship.
Would I hold it slightly against him if something, perhaps beyond his youthful control illusion, happened to the cue I still retain fondly? Uhm, yes, slightly I might blame him a bit... so buy nothing, or something I still might develop slight grudge about money wasted etc.? Wait for appreciation and proper respect for tools of the trade to develop before giving him "my first-bought-cue"? Never ever giving up "my first"? (Even though it is a pretty production Mali circa 1977...)
Three options.
1. Instructions only at this point, cue is truly unimportant at this stage.
2. Should I greatly assist him an getting an inexpensive production starter cue for say less than <$200 (ancilliary point, which brand gives fair value... and before answering this, first answer Q1 before saying "do like me, this cue is best...."
3. or should I just close my eyes and give him my old (1978 era Mali, which I like the burl maple and looks of and am happy to store, my first cue and all, even though I won't be playing with it (so essentially useless though pretty junk) ever again (having moved on to custom cues of increasing values over the years)? (the "free option")
The nephew awaits.
