Bill Stroud pool stories................

garczar said:
When the new AZ format started i took everyone(4) off my 'Ignore' list. I thought, heck i'll give 'em all fresh lives. Well, congrats Jaden. You are now the first to be firmly ensconced there. What a colossal tool.
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I decided to do the same thing.
 
lol, old pool players are something else. A man who had more of a positive impact to the game and community suffers a serious trauma, and is both unable and unwilling to follow through on a free deal, and people are swearing him off with merciless scorn. Buddy Hall dumps on live television, doing immeasurable harm to the game and our sport, and people still put him on a pedestal and ask him to partake in community events. Weirdos.
 
Jaden said:
Really? Jay Helfert who spoke to the man himself about it and appears to be the only one who did agreed with me. Whether I do or don't doesn't matter. You can try to defend asshattery all you want, it's only assholes who will try and defend it. The people that agree with me know that dickheads will be the ones who respond so they don't want to speak up and I don't blame them. I have elephant skin, so I don't care.

Jaden
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You are crying because you didn’t get something you didn’t pay for? Is that correct?
 
JoeyInCalif forwarded to me as he knows I am not enchanted with the new format. I really enjoyed it and as I mentioned to Joey all that was talked about were games not sets. Good stories and I thank you. Nobody will ever know for sure but I personally, having had cancer 7 times, do not think that he ever started out to scam anybody. His legacy can not be tarnished by people who claim to be able to mind read the man. Good player, good cue maker and good person who met a bad end.
 
surlytempo said:
lol, old pool players are something else. A man who had more of a positive impact to the game and community suffers a serious trauma, and is both unable and unwilling to follow through on a free deal, and people are swearing him off with merciless scorn. Buddy Hall dumps on live television, doing immeasurable harm to the game and our sport, and people still put him on a pedestal and ask him to partake in community events. Weirdos.
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Weird reply.
 
Island Drive said:
My wife and I became good friends in the 70's and went to dinner with Bill & Barb quite few times. We were young, firing on all cylinders, together we spent time at their home in the early 80's/barbeque and good wine. Been to Billys shop in the early yrs on Garden of the Gods/Colorado Springs before he moved it too his home. The business front/bldg had a GC in this work space . Billy was also our 8 ball team mate ''Bank Shot Wizards'' + Scott the Shot Smith captain, JR Harris, myself, Carl Nelson and Brett the Jet Scotts younger brother. During those early 80's Stroud shot above 900 every year. Those years, there was no BIH and A break scratch was ''in the kitchen''. :)
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Billy made me a beautiful cue while he was in Colorado Springs, still have it. I know everyone of those boys you mentioned and Bill's cue didn't help very much when we (Galaxy Lounge) played against the Bank Shot Wizards, Tam-O-Shanter Lounge or that Bowling Alley team (don't remember their name but they had some world beaters on that team also). Billy was a good man of few words. RIP Bill Stroud.
 
My only complaint about Bill Stroud is I have developed a problem with the fingers on my grip hand and can only use a wrapless cue. I've been looking without success for a JossWest wrapless and apparently he made very few wrapless cues. I didn't realize he was originally from Lexington Missouri.
 
alstl said:
My only complaint about Bill Stroud is I have developed a problem with the fingers on my grip hand and can only use a wrapless cue. I've been looking without success for a JossWest wrapless and apparently he made very few wrapless cues. I didn't realize he was originally from Lexington Missouri.
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Seal it over like a Meucci. Can always strip it off. Just an idea.
 
I was here throughout the whole thread time, from its beginning thru all the additional fiascos. I didn't participate in the contest because i have zero artistic ability, but it was fun watching what everyone else was doing.

It was a shame that it ended the way that it did. It was a shame that Mr. Stroud couldn't at least come here and apologize for not being able to fulfill his end of the contest. I think that if he had at least done that, most of the anger of the whole thing would have been dissipated.

Since he has passed, I don't see the point of continuing piling on, but to each his own.
 
ibuycues said:
Bill Stroud was in the pool world for over 50 years, and was known as a man of character who had happy campers for decades who bought superb cues from him, cues that generally delighted the purchasers.

He had dozens of stellar innovations that improved the way in which cues were made, and always gave generously of his time and knowledge to fellow cuemakers.

He introduced the idea of DYD to AZ to cause a body of players to bring their own creativity to the design of cues. Many of the designs found their way into cues made by others, even into some custom case designs, as I remember.

I get that he fell short in delivering on the DYD cue, and understand the anger. I was one who spent time on a design, and later had the cue made by someone else.

Bill had planned for 30 years to return to playing when his years as a cuemaker were completed. At one time he was an excellent, A-level player, a very smart one too. He waited too long.
He developed massive headaches from the brain cancer, terrible, complicated eye surgeries for several years. He got into some real head and eye issues during the DYD time frame. He sold his equipment when he was told he would not have a long time ahead, so Barbara would not be stuck with a workshop to address.Then, with advances in cancer treatment, immuno-treatments were able to extend his life a bit.

He played in several tournaments, including Oklahoma tournament (finished top 4), and a couple DCC events. After each match, he was so tired he immediately went to lie down, couldn’t even roll over. He was just trying to complete His dream in the short time he had left.

Those who knew him well knew how proud and stubborn he was. Would never even mention the troubles he was in, let alone how it was affecting him. I tried several times on calls with him to have him let me explain to the world what he was going through. His pride got in the way, would not let me even hint that he was in harm’s way.

No, he didn’t deliver on DYD. I get it. Terrible, certainly! But I also see clearly the overarching situation, and although he couldn’t finish the cue, he entered into that whole thing with good intentions. Not wanting to screw anyone. At all.

He is gone. I remember him for all the bright lights he brought to our pool world, several thousand happy campers, cuemaker assistance, innovations, and all the rest, and will not stand by while someone who got his nose bent tries to diminish totally the life work of a great contributor. And friend.
Bill, may you rest in gentle peace forever.

Carry on!

Will Prout
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Will Prout,
You were and are a great friend to Bill Stroud. Thank you for explaining "The Rest of the Story".
 
I did not know Bill Stroud personally , nor have I played with any of his cues. I just wanted to say that speaking of someone in such a negative
way, regardless of the cuemaker, past or living, is unnecessary and quite rude. May He rest in peace.
 
Edit: never mind


Thank you for sharing the video. I enjoyed it. Rest in Peace Bill.
 
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I have been out of the pool circuit for many years now so I have no clue about Bill's promise on the DYD. I contacted him a couple years back about a original Joss made by him and Danny. He verified it may had been one of the first cues they made back in '68 or '69 when they together had their shop in Jersey before they split up.. He mentioned he had been sick and was very tired but he was the perfect gentleman the entire time and even gave me Danny's phone number.. I once shot with one of his Joss West brands and it was like the 2nd best cue I had ever played with.. Great cue maker and that alone is his TRUE legacy and nothing else really matters.. R.I.P.

This is one of his first with ivory ferrules. Great splice work with the rare violet veneer and hits superbly. The case it came with, also rare..
 

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ibuycues said:
Bill Stroud was in the pool world for over 50 years, and was known as a man of character who had happy campers for decades who bought superb cues from him, cues that generally delighted the purchasers.

He had dozens of stellar innovations that improved the way in which cues were made, and always gave generously of his time and knowledge to fellow cuemakers.

He introduced the idea of DYD to AZ to cause a body of players to bring their own creativity to the design of cues. Many of the designs found their way into cues made by others, even into some custom case designs, as I remember.

I get that he fell short in delivering on the DYD cue, and understand the anger. I was one who spent time on a design, and later had the cue made by someone else.

Bill had planned for 30 years to return to playing when his years as a cuemaker were completed. At one time he was an excellent, A-level player, a very smart one too. He waited too long.
He developed massive headaches from the brain cancer, terrible, complicated eye surgeries for several years. He got into some real head and eye issues during the DYD time frame. He sold his equipment when he was told he would not have a long time ahead, so Barbara would not be stuck with a workshop to address.Then, with advances in cancer treatment, immuno-treatments were able to extend his life a bit.

He played in several tournaments, including Oklahoma tournament (finished top 4), and a couple DCC events. After each match, he was so tired he immediately went to lie down, couldn’t even roll over. He was just trying to complete His dream in the short time he had left.

Those who knew him well knew how proud and stubborn he was. Would never even mention the troubles he was in, let alone how it was affecting him. I tried several times on calls with him to have him let me explain to the world what he was going through. His pride got in the way, would not let me even hint that he was in harm’s way.

No, he didn’t deliver on DYD. I get it. Terrible, certainly! But I also see clearly the overarching situation, and although he couldn’t finish the cue, he entered into that whole thing with good intentions. Not wanting to screw anyone. At all.

He is gone. I remember him for all the bright lights he brought to our pool world, several thousand happy campers, cuemaker assistance, innovations, and all the rest, and will not stand by while someone who got his nose bent tries to diminish totally the life work of a great contributor. And friend.
Bill, may you rest in gentle peace forever.

Carry on!

Will Prout
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A beautiful post by Will.....I didn’t like what happened with the DYD until I found out he had became pretty well legally blind from his cancer....I stopped posting about it. I certainly won’t judge a man under those circumstances.

Bill was one of those “don’t complain and don’t explain” guys.
 
ibuycues said:
Bill Stroud was in the pool world for over 50 years, and was known as a man of character who had happy campers for decades who bought superb cues from him, cues that generally delighted the purchasers.

He had dozens of stellar innovations that improved the way in which cues were made, and always gave generously of his time and knowledge to fellow cuemakers.

He introduced the idea of DYD to AZ to cause a body of players to bring their own creativity to the design of cues. Many of the designs found their way into cues made by others, even into some custom case designs, as I remember.

I get that he fell short in delivering on the DYD cue, and understand the anger. I was one who spent time on a design, and later had the cue made by someone else.

Bill had planned for 30 years to return to playing when his years as a cuemaker were completed. At one time he was an excellent, A-level player, a very smart one too. He waited too long.
He developed massive headaches from the brain cancer, terrible, complicated eye surgeries for several years. He got into some real head and eye issues during the DYD time frame. He sold his equipment when he was told he would not have a long time ahead, so Barbara would not be stuck with a workshop to address.Then, with advances in cancer treatment, immuno-treatments were able to extend his life a bit.

He played in several tournaments, including Oklahoma tournament (finished top 4), and a couple DCC events. After each match, he was so tired he immediately went to lie down, couldn’t even roll over. He was just trying to complete His dream in the short time he had left.

Those who knew him well knew how proud and stubborn he was. Would never even mention the troubles he was in, let alone how it was affecting him. I tried several times on calls with him to have him let me explain to the world what he was going through. His pride got in the way, would not let me even hint that he was in harm’s way.

No, he didn’t deliver on DYD. I get it. Terrible, certainly! But I also see clearly the overarching situation, and although he couldn’t finish the cue, he entered into that whole thing with good intentions. Not wanting to screw anyone. At all.

He is gone. I remember him for all the bright lights he brought to our pool world, several thousand happy campers, cuemaker assistance, innovations, and all the rest, and will not stand by while someone who got his nose bent tries to diminish totally the life work of a great contributor. And friend.
Bill, may you rest in gentle peace forever.

Carry on!

Will Prout
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Well said!
 
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