Cue Makers as Players

ScottR

ScottR

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This subject of whether a cue maker is a "player" has been brought up in other threads. I believe someone who plays well has a distinct advantage in making a cue. Not taking anything away from the difficulty in constructing a quality cue; just in terms of the way it "feels". Very subjective I know.

So, who are the cue makers out there who are/were good players too?

Here are a few I know or have heard about.

Bill Stroud and Dan Janes were road partners before cue making. Bill continued to play 1 pocket after they split, and I don't know about Dan.
Seems like a guy named Mike Sigel used to play pretty sporty. :p
I have heard that Paul Mottey and Dennis Searing play well.
And, from my neck of the woods, Chris Hightower and Danny Tibbitts are players.

Scott
 
ScottR said:
This subject of whether a cue maker is a "player" has been brought up in other threads. I believe someone who plays well has a distinct advantage in making a cue. Not taking anything away from the difficulty in constructing a quality cue; just in terms of the way it "feels". Very subjective I know.

So, who are the cue makers out there who are/were good players too?

Here are a few I know or have heard about.

Bill Stroud and Dan Janes were road partners before cue making. Bill continued to play 1 pocket after they split, and I don't know about Dan.
Seems like a guy named Mike Sigel used to play pretty sporty. :p
I have heard that Paul Mottey and Dennis Searing play well.
And, from my neck of the woods, Chris Hightower and Danny Tibbitts are players.

Scott
Click to expand...

Bobby Hunter.
 
jack madden played pretty sporty from what i've read.



i do think its the same with cuemakers as instructors though............sometimes they can't play as well, but they can make a great cue........and vice versa.

VAP
 
ScottR said:
This subject of whether a cue maker is a "player" has been brought up in other threads. I believe someone who plays well has a distinct advantage in making a cue. Not taking anything away from the difficulty in constructing a quality cue; just in terms of the way it "feels". Very subjective I know.

So, who are the cue makers out there who are/were good players too?

Here are a few I know or have heard about.

Bill Stroud and Dan Janes were road partners before cue making. Bill continued to play 1 pocket after they split, and I don't know about Dan.
Seems like a guy named Mike Sigel used to play pretty sporty. :p
I have heard that Paul Mottey and Dennis Searing play well.
And, from my neck of the woods, Chris Hightower and Danny Tibbitts are players.

Scott
Click to expand...

Mike Gulyassy was a former Mosconi Cup participant.
 
i don't think that's the case at all. there's no advantage.

WHAT THERE IS, however, with players turned cuemakers,,,,is a very definite idea of what a good hit should be. but realize,,,,it's what a good hit is TO THEM.

bill stroud. i think scruggs was a player. joey gold. tascarella. don't know about gutierrez, but never heard anything about it,,,,,tad or schraeger either. i saw black play terribly once. craig peterson was no better than me and liked 3 cushion. whoever said sigel was a good cuemaker? let's not give him gold stars just yet....charges a lot, though.

you also have a situation today where technology has made cuemaking easier. so EVERYONE is coming out of the woodwork.
 
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ScottR said:
This subject of whether a cue maker is a "player" has been brought up in other threads. I believe someone who plays well has a distinct advantage in making a cue. Not taking anything away from the difficulty in constructing a quality cue; just in terms of the way it "feels". Very subjective I know.

So, who are the cue makers out there who are/were good players too?
Click to expand...

I think it can be reasonable to assume that most cue makers must have above average playing ability or else there would be no reason to stick with and love the sport.

The professional world class players include Sigel and Bobby Hunter.

Tidbits from the InsidePool Cue Maker's Corner articles:

Jack Madden (July/Aug 2005 Issue) came in 3rd at Tony Stonier's World 9-ball Open one year. Other than Bobby and Mike, Jack might be the the next highest tournament-accomplished cue maker today.

Jerry McWorter was a strong player up and down the west coast before he started making cues. Richard Harris was a road player in the Ohio/KY area while he was starting out making cues. The late Ray Schuler won the US Amateur 3C Championship.

Fred
 
And from Melbourne...

Florida that is.

Pete Ohman is a pretty decent shot as well...and an excellent cuemaker in my opinion. He is the maker of Omen cues, but problem is, I can't get my hands on one to save my tail...they get snatched up quickly!

Shorty
 
I propose a World Nine Ball Championship for Cuemakers. You would need to be a member of the ACA or ICA or have been listed in the 2nd Edition Blue Book of Cues as a Cuemaker to qualify. That would eliminate a road player from proclaiming himself a cuemaker after building one sneaky pete and playing. Hopkins and I have discussed having just such a tournament at the EXPO in March but have not firmed it up. I think I can beat at least 80% of all the other cuemakers out there, but I am not foolish enough to think I am near the top. I know at least a couple of dozen I have no chance against in the long run. But race to 7 or 9 single elimination on Diamond smart tables could be anyones win.
Chris
www.hightowercues.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com
 
Shawn Putnam is the best active playing cuemaker right now. But he might not qualify to play the cuemakers tournament because he has chosen to keep his cuemaking low key and represent other cuemakers who sponsor him.
 
cueman said:
I propose a World Nine Ball Championship for Cuemakers. You would need to be a member of the ACA or ICA or have been listed in the 2nd Edition Blue Book of Cues as a Cuemaker to qualify. That would eliminate a road player from proclaiming himself a cuemaker after building one sneaky pete and playing. Hopkins and I have discussed having just such a tournament at the EXPO in March but have not firmed it up. I think I can beat at least 80% of all the other cuemakers out there, but I am not foolish enough to think I am near the top. I know at least a couple of dozen I have no chance against in the long run. But race to 7 or 9 single elimination on Diamond smart tables could be anyones win.
Chris
www.hightowercues.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com
Click to expand...

if putnam qualifies.........i'm guessing a putnam vs. sigel final.

VAP
 
Quote from Skip Weston's web site: "There was lots of great pool talent in northern New Jersey at that time and tough competition was readily available in players like Ray Martin, Jack Calavita, my good friend Pat Fleming(Accustats), Alan Hopkins,Steve Mizerak, Neptune Joe, Tommy Roucco, Toby Sweet and on and on. Now, I'm not going tell you that I play better than any of these people or even as well as most of them. However, with the exceptions of Alan Hopkins and Steve Mizerak, I have managed over the years to win a few games from the rest of them. I've run over a hundred balls on several occasions and won my share of nineball tournaments."

Anyone who has run over 100 balls on several occasions plays pretty sporty in my opinion. Of course the players such as Sigel and Putnam are tops.
 
What about Mike Siegal Cues, as I understand he is making some High Dollar Cues.
 
Good call Shorty. Pete Ohman is probably better than most. I talked with him for a while down at Valley Forge and he said rather modestly "Yeah. I play alright." One of the other guys in his booth looked at me and said "Don't be fooled. He's played with everyone from Ginky to Mizerak and even won a few of those matches." Used to play pro in Florida. I even wanted to play him that afternoon just for kicks until I saw him nail about 5 object ball jumps, length of the table.

Then there's Skip Weston. Played at Crown in Jersey where there are more than just a few players. Some real talent. Used to play tournaments there too and was rated an A+ player. Then, quit playing pool for like 5 to ten years and focused on cues and one night, showed up, played with the same same rating and won the whole thing. If I'm not mistaken Teddy G. was there too as that used to be his home room. They would be my votes.
 
Man, that Tony Sciannella can play, the man STOLE all of my marbles about 6 years ago and STILL has not given them back :mad: ;)

Amanda
 
Mike, might be the best but by far the most underated player/cue maker is, Russ Espiritu. If they only knew.
 
cueman said:
Shawn Putnam is the best active playing cuemaker right now. But he might not qualify to play the cuemakers tournament because he has chosen to keep his cuemaking low key and represent other cuemakers who sponsor him.
Click to expand...
Also, Larry Nevel has been partners with and has been helping Jimmy Reeves make cues now for about 5 or 6 months.

Mike
 
Also Bert Schrager was a Fairly Good THREE Cushion Player back in the 1970's ;)
 
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