Do you remember when,,,?

L.S. Dennis

L.S. Dennis

Well-known member
Wimpy’s red ferrule,,
 

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I don’t think it mattered what color the ferrule was on Wimpy’s cue, he was a phenominal shot maker according to Babe Cranfiled. The right hand positioning on the cue is curious though,,,
 
Bob Meucci gave Lassiter and others custom cues in '77,it's been years since I've seen it. I remember the butt cap was ivory.
 
This photo was late in his career when his eyes were getting bad. He was probably in his 60's then, well past his prime. I think this was taken in Sacremento around 1979 or 1980. I was at the tournament at the Senator Hotel and Luther played a great match with Takeshi Okumuru, a terrific player from Japan. Notice where he was gripping the cue, above the joint on the shaft. Lassiter did some very innovative things for his era, unlike anyone else. He had a variety of stances and grips he used when he had an awkward shot. Luther was the one who I overheard telling another player to shoot into the rail just behind the cue ball when it was on the rail. He said you will never miscue that way and he was right.
 
PoolBum said:
Sports Illustrated article on Wimpy from March of 1964:

vault.si.com

You don't beat Wimpy at the game he loves

On the final day of the World's Pocket Billiard Tournament in New York a week ago, Luther Lassiter had breakfast in bed and then walked west on 42nd Street to
vault.si.com vault.si.com
Click to expand...
Great story here! Really captures who Wimpy was. I love it when he calls himself a "player beater," because that's exactly what he did for decades, just beat the best players in the game! He never played tournaments until he was in his 30's and no one wanted to gamble with him anymore.
 
Meucci made Lassiter a cue with a 9 ball rack inlayed in the butt. The balls were all correctly colored and detailed. I saw the cue years ago and would assume some collector still has it.
Lassiter also had a cue with a gold coin inlayed in the butt. It was kind of crudly done.
 
When I have the bridge as far away as possible I have trouble seeing where the ferrule is and just guess on how far to stroke it.
Maybe I should paint my Ferrule a light gray to help?
Maybe just a small red dot and keep the dot up for long bridge shots?
Any other ideas?
I'm 74 and don't see quite as good anymore.
 
middleofnowhere said:
Meucci made Lassiter a cue with a 9 ball rack inlayed in the butt. The balls were all correctly colored and detailed. I saw the cue years ago and would assume some collector still has it.
Lassiter also had a cue with a gold coin inlayed in the butt. It was kind of crudly done.
Click to expand...
measureman said:
When I have the bridge as far away as possible I have trouble seeing where the ferrule is and just guess on how far to stroke it.
Maybe I should paint my Ferrule a light gray to help?
Maybe just a small red dot and keep the dot up for long bridge shots?
Any other ideas?
I'm 74 and don't see quite as good anymore.
Click to expand...
The red dot is interesting,,
 
jay helfert said:
This photo was late in his career when his eyes were getting bad. He was probably in his 60's then, well past his prime. I think this was taken in Sacremento around 1979 or 1980. I was at the tournament at the Senator Hotel and Luther played a great match with Takeshi Okumuru, a terrific player from Japan. Notice where he was gripping the cue, above the joint on the shaft. Lassiter did some very innovative things for his era, unlike anyone else. He had a variety of stances and grips he used when he had an awkward shot. Luther was the one who I overheard telling another player to shoot into the rail just behind the cue ball when it was on the rail. He said you will never miscue that way and he was right.
Click to expand...
Jay, is this the same player as Okumura who lost in the 2000 US Open final? If so I didn't know he was around that long.
 
axejunkie said:
Jay, is this the same player as Okumura who lost in the 2000 US Open final? If so I didn't know he was around that long.
Click to expand...
Yes, same guy. He may have been the best Japanese player until Oi came along. Very solid all around game. His wife, Yoko Miura was one of the best women players in the 1980's as well.
 
jay helfert said:
This photo was late in his career when his eyes were getting bad. He was probably in his 60's then, well past his prime. I think this was taken in Sacremento around 1979 or 1980. I was at the tournament at the Senator Hotel and Luther played a great match with Takeshi Okumuru, a terrific player from Japan. Notice where he was gripping the cue, above the joint on the shaft. Lassiter did some very innovative things for his era, unlike anyone else. He had a variety of stances and grips he used when he had an awkward shot. Luther was the one who I overheard telling another player to shoot into the rail just behind the cue ball when it was on the rail. He said you will never miscue that way and he was right.
Click to expand...
I think in the picture he is about to take an intentional foul. Maybe holding the cue like that let him hit the cueball and not move it very much. Some times players would hold the cue vertical and touch the top of the cueball not moving it at all.
 
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