I plan on hitting the million this Sunday

[HawaiianEye]

Planning on taking the cue that won The Million Dollar Challenge Tournament out for some fresh air this weekend.

The last time it got a workout was when CJ Wiley used it to win the tournament in 1996. CJ beat Earl Strickland in the finals after Earl had already won the $1,000,000 bonus for running 11 racks earlier.

It is the second cue from the top in this photo.

 

[HawaiianEye]

 

[HawaiianEye]

 

[bbb]

Who built it?
And the others?
It will play better if you use TOI
edit to add
you are fortunate to own a piece of pool history

 

[jasonlaus]

Who built it?
And the others?
It will play better if you use TOI

Looks like McDermott logo

 

[HawaiianEye]

Who built it?
And the others?
It will play better if you use TOI
edit to add
you are fortunate to own a piece of pool history

It was a McDermott prototype made for CJ for the tournament. It became the RS-11.

The top cue is a cheap Cuetec that I used for breaking. I put a White Diamond tip on it.

The third cue is a Hall of Fame Balabushka replica made by ADAM Japan. The HOF cues had no logos and were not sold under the George Balabushka line of cues they sold.

The bottom cue is a Titlist conversion by Mike Pancerny in Detroit. I provided the 1950s one-piece cue and he converted it. He made one shaft for it and he made a second one from a Predator 314-2 FAT partial blank I provided.

 

[bbb]

It was a McDermott prototype made for CJ for the tournament. It became the RS-11.

The top cue is a cheap Cuetec that I used for breaking. I put a White Diamond tip on it.

The third cue is a Hall of Fame Balabushka replica made by ADAM Japan. The HOF cues had no logos and were not sold under the George Balabushka line of cues they sold.

The bottom cue is a Titlist conversion by Mike Pancerny in Detroit. I provided the 1950s one-piece cue and he converted it. He made one shaft for it and he made a second one from a Predator 314-2 FAT partial blank I provided.

thanks for the reply

 

[AtLarge]

It was a McDermott prototype made for CJ for the tournament. It became the RS-11. ...

The tournament was in April of 1996. The RS-11 was available well before that. I have a McDermott price list effective in March of 1995 showing it with a list price of $725. It went up to $745 on their October 1996 price list. McDermott Cues started in 1975. The RS-11 is shown in their 20-Year Anniversary (1995) brochure. I was considering buying that model and even spoke with someone at the factory about it in Feb. 1996..

 

[HawaiianEye]

The tournament was in April of 1996. The RS-11 was available well before that. I have a McDermott price list effective in March of 1995 showing it with a list price of $725. It went up to $745 on their October 1996 price list. McDermott Cues started in 1975. The RS-11 is shown in their 20-Year Anniversary (1995) brochure. I was considering buying that model and even spoke with someone at the factory about it in Feb. 1996..

By "prototype", maybe CJ meant it was tailored to his specs. I will ask him the next time I talk to him. He was using a Blud at that time, but McDermott was a major sponsor of the tournament and they were coming out with a line of CJ Wiley cues.

This cue is way thinner than my other McDermott cues, especially at the joint. Since my other shafts were way wider, I had another maker make a custom shaft to fit it. I did not want to use the original shaft. The original shaft still has the original tip and probably chalk from the tournament. CJ went back to his Blud after the tournament and this cue took a nap for many years.

Speaking of McDermotts, I have a C-14 from their 1980-84 line that is one of the best playing cues I have ever played with. I bought it new in 1985 and it played so well that I made it my main player and sold the custom that Richard Black made for me in 1981.

 

[HawaiianEye]

 

[AtLarge]

The 1995 brochure shows two versions of many of the cues in the RS (Revival Series) line and other lines -- one with the forearm unstained and one with an American Cherry "optional stain at additional charge." I think they had other custom stains ($20 extra) as well. Looks like yours is a stained version. I still like that model!

 

[Dead Money]

It was a McDermott prototype made for CJ for the tournament. It became the RS-11.

The top cue is a cheap Cuetec that I used for breaking. I put a White Diamond tip on it.

The third cue is a Hall of Fame Balabushka replica made by ADAM Japan. The HOF cues had no logos and were not sold under the George Balabushka line of cues they sold.

The bottom cue is a Titlist conversion by Mike Pancerny in Detroit. I provided the 1950s one-piece cue and he converted it. He made one shaft for it and he made a second one from a Predator 314-2 FAT partial blank I provided.

Nice assortment! Love the titlist conversion.