Morbid curiosity

Lesh

One Hole Thinkifier
Silver Member
I was reading a thread about someone asking after a cue they had found that suggestively suggests that there may be some suggested possible maybe link to a famous player with absolutely no provenance. So.... it started me thinking (quiet you) - What happens to the pool cues and other regalia associated with deceased pool players? I mean, does it just spill out into family members hands whose kids kind it in the close and and play spear chucker spartacus with them or re-enact Earnest Borgnine in the Vikings when he gets fed to the dogs (awesome scene)?

Just a friendly question. Cuz I just KNOW when say.... Minnesota Fats cashed out, there must have been some serious lumber lurking in his closets. Or Grady Mathews or Ronnie Allen (well maybe not Ronnie since he ran through sticks like a heathen). You get the idea.

Im so sorry for your loss,

Lesh
 
I was reading a thread about someone asking after a cue they had found that suggestively suggests that there may be some suggested possible maybe link to a famous player with absolutely no provenance. So.... it started me thinking (quiet you) - What happens to the pool cues and other regalia associated with deceased pool players? I mean, does it just spill out into family members hands whose kids kind it in the close and and play spear chucker spartacus with them or re-enact Earnest Borgnine in the Vikings when he gets fed to the dogs (awesome scene)?

Just a friendly question. Cuz I just KNOW when say.... Minnesota Fats cashed out, there must have been some serious lumber lurking in his closets. Or Grady Mathews or Ronnie Allen (well maybe not Ronnie since he ran through sticks like a heathen). You get the idea.

Im so sorry for your loss,

Lesh

Many top players hock their cues every time they get broke, which is often. Some give the cues to an opponent in lieu of a payment owed from gambling and losing.

Here's a cue that Red gave to a guy 30-40 years ago for a gambling debt. Long story about why I have it now.

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GeoEnvi

Diamond System Enthusiast
Silver Member
I vaguely remember hearing that Mosconi's stuff was up for grabs in New Jersey after he passed. The kids didn't know the value of the heirlooms they were sitting on, or so the story went.

Any truth to that?

I - by the way - have Jon Voight's pencial. Found it in a used car.
 

Type79

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I vaguely remember hearing that Mosconi's stuff was up for grabs in New Jersey after he passed. The kids didn't know the value of the heirlooms they were sitting on, or so the story went.

Any truth to that?

............ No
 

Lesh

One Hole Thinkifier
Silver Member
Wow...
Got a special place in my heart for Red.
Actually knew him when I was a kid in Detroit. I would get left at my Uncle Franks house every now and then and Frank would take me over to the rack so he could play cards and I could watch the loud scary men play pool.

I was so oblivious to what was going on in that place that I had never made the connection that he was actually a fairly well-known money player. Hell, I used to call him the Wolfman.... what did I know, I was 7-10 years old. God Bless drunk gambling uncles the world over.

Lesh


Many top players hock their cues every time they get broke, which is often. Some give the cues to an opponent in lieu of a payment owed from gambling and losing.

Here's a cue that Red gave to a guy 30-40 years ago for a gambling debt. Long story about why I have it now.

View attachment 435658View attachment 435659
 
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Tramp Steamer

One Pocket enthusiast.
Silver Member
I don't think it's morbid curiosity to try and find out what became of a deceased pool player's cue.
Morbid curiosity would be if you went to the funeral home and asked him how it played. :smile:
 

bigshooter

<--vs Chuck Norris on TAR
Silver Member
I don't think it's morbid curiosity to try and find out what became of a deceased pool player's cue.
Morbid curiosity would be if you went to the funeral home and asked him how it played. :smile:

Thanks for the laugh! :thumbup:
 
Many top players hock their cues every time they get broke, which is often. Some give the cues to an opponent in lieu of a payment owed from gambling and losing.

Here's a cue that Red gave to a guy 30-40 years ago for a gambling debt. Long story about why I have it now.

cr1.jpgcr2.jpg

Wow...
Got a special place in my heart for Red.
Actually knew him when I was a kid in Detroit. I would get left at my Uncle Franks house every now and then and Frank would take me over to the rack so he could play cards and I could watch the loud scary men play pool.

I was so oblivious to what was going on in that place that I had never made the connection that he was actually a fairly well-known money player. Hell, I used to call him the Wolfman.... what did I know, I was 7-10 years old. God Bless drunk gambling uncles the world over.

Lesh

In that case, here's another. It's my regular player. A Schon 6 pointer and 2 shafts with "Cornbread Red" engraved on the buttcap. I've played with no other cue since 1986 when I bought it.

P.S. There's a way of knowing if Red ever played with a cue more than a day or two.

RBL

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Ken_4fun

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In that case, here's another. It's my regular player. A Schon 6 pointer and 2 shafts with "Cornbread Red" engraved on the buttcap. I've played with no other cue since 1986 when I bought it.

P.S. There's a way of knowing if Red ever played with a cue more than a day or two.

RBL

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I wish I knew where you live. I would love to spend the weekend with you telling me stories. I always enjoy your posts. Thanks

Ken
 

book collector

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A lot of them are in the Glenn family collection, Pete traveled all over the country buying them up for 30 years, after the whole town the player lived in, had a chance to buy them and were "too smart".
When everyone else was trying to steal it , Pete came in and bought them.
I bought some of Mosconi's personal papers with a partner, We didn't buy them directly from the Mosconi family, so they may have had a broker or a friend helping them.
We payed dearly for that stuff.
I have bought a couple of book collections and if they have any value they are usually through a book dealer.

Not any great bargains there, in fact, the book dealers are usually ridiculously priced.
I got a few good deals on antique billiard items but usually people have no idea what the stuff is really worth , so it's either not for sale, or it's for sale at 5 times its value.
I still can't get over what a genius move one huge collector made.
He wrote a book telling the values of billiard antiques, put pictures of his collection in the book as examples and then started selling it all on fleabay!
Absolute genius!
Not sure what would happen if you were an ambulance chaser and went to the widow 5 minutes after her husband died, and wanted to buy his "stuff" .
That's just not my style.
When I started collecting 40 years ago, you couldn't find much, no ebay, the internet was just starting to get in peoples hands, so when you found something you bought it .
Some things I have, I gave way too much money for, a few I got pretty cheap , it sorta works out I broke about even , if I counted all the hours searching , researching and thinking about the stuff , it's a joke.
The secret to collecting for me , is never buy anything you don't love, that way , if you get stuck with it you will still be happy.
I'm still happy!
Especially if anyone wants to get me even on this Mosconi stuff!
 

Lesh

One Hole Thinkifier
Silver Member
I'm just have this feeling that I'm sure is a shared feeling... its like a dark cold shadow when it comes to the legacy of pool (you know, that feeling that comes over the climate of any social exchange where anyone discovers you play pool regularly). Pool doesn't get the same respect that other sports do. There is this kind of attitude that pool doesn't deserve respect. Like there is no culture or history worthy of note or people that contributed to it that are substantial entities in society. Opinion? I don't think so... I think there is a great, giant, wide gulf of absolute champions by any standard in the past, current days and future of pool that deserve respect.

We don't have a Cooperstown...
I think we need one. Perhaps the site where the Jansco Bros. held their legendary tournaments?

Lesh
 

Catahula

I said "SIT!"
Silver Member
Thank you

I don't think it's morbid curiosity to try and find out what became of a deceased pool player's cue.
Morbid curiosity would be if you went to the funeral home and asked him how it played. :smile:

There is actually snot on my computer after reading that. I'm stilling wiping and laughing. :thumbup:
Tommy
 
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