My Cue's Long, Lost Brother - CJ Wiley

CJ Wiley

CJ Wiley

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I was at a local pool room last night hitting some balls and I kept hearing the sound of the guy on the next table hitting his shots. This seemed kind of odd, I'm usually not aware of the sound of someone hitting the cue ball, this seemed strangely different.

I watched him hit a couple of shots and he seemed to be playing very similar to how I do as far as the contact of the cue ball and the sound that it made. I approached him between games and said "you're not from around here are you?" he replied "no, I'm from Mississippi...you don't remember be do you?"

I looked at him for something to "jog" my memory (something was familiar) and answered "I know we've talked before, and I like the way you hit the ball." He gestured at his cue and said "I bet you remember that cue!" Glancing quickly where he was pointing, wonder what he meant, I saw one of my original "signature line cues" I endorsed with McDermott many years ago.

"Wow, that's one of my originals." He smiled, with a twinkle in his eye and exclaimed "that IS your original, I bought it off you after watching you play with it back in '94'...you had retired it to the display case at 'CJ's' and I convinced you to sell it to me, I've had it ever since."

This sent a shiver down my spine as I picked it up looking at the yin and yang sign I had used on the butt, and the special wood used for the original design. "That's why I kept noticing the sound it made, it was modeled identically after the Bludworth Cue I'm playing with now."

What a surreal moment as my mind raced to understand how I could have identified the sound made by my cue's long, lost brother. "That's amazing, we were basically using the same cue playing side by side and I unconsciously was signaled by the sound your cue made and it stood out like a church bell on Sunday morning.

We both had a laugh, talked about the "good ole days at CJ's," and chalked this up as one of those special times in life that makes me wonder how it's all enter woven so beautifully together. A part of me wants to understand and the other part is glad I don't. 'The Game is the Teacher' www.cjwiley.com
 
Wow. Very, very cool. Did you take any pics? Did you get the guy's info, in case he ever decides to let go of it?
 
CJ,

Cool story. I had a similiar instance in golf. I had a Lynx Predator metal 4 wood that was offset. I could hit that club 235 yards or a could choked down on the grip & pop it up & get just 160 yards out of it. Anyway I traded it in for I can't remember what. About 15 years later I'm playing in a tournament & this guy is using the same small headed metal wood from all different distances so on one of the tees I look in his bag & its my old 4 wood. I could tell because it had a small nick in the sole near the face. I told him it was my old club & he said that it's the only wood he uses when he can't hit an iron.

It really is a small world but it seems that really good implements live long lives.

Best Regards to You &
 
If Sigel was playing in a room on a Friday night with fifty tables, and if they were Gold Crowns, you could blindfold me and I could instantly point directly at his table. His obj. balls were always sliding into the pocket, not rolling. It makes a define slapping sound when the ball hits the back of the pocket. Kinda sad that this sound with the newer webbed pockets doesn't happen. To me its similar to taking the sound away from a golf ball falling into the hole. Maybe they should line the hole with felt ;) and make it quiet. Similarly, a cue like CJ's will probably change its sound again if the player falls in dead stroke.
 
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Here's a picture of me using the Bludworth, the cue in the story was modeled afte

Island Drive said:
If Sigel was playing in a room on a Friday night with fifty tables, and if they were Gold Crowns, you could blindfold me and I could instantly point directly at his table. His obj. balls were always sliding into the pocket, not rolling. It makes a define slapping sound when the ball hits the back of the pocket. Kinda sad that this sound with the newer webbed pockets doesn't happen. To me its similar to taking the sound away from a golf ball falling into the hole. Maybe they should like the hole with felt ;) and make it quiet. Similarly, a cue like CJ's will probably change its sound again if the player falls in dead stroke.
Click to expand...

Yes, I can tell a LOT about how someone plays by the way their game "sounds". The way a champion hits the ball is more distinct.

My contact makes a more distinct sound because I slightly deflect the ball (using the TOI technique) so I can hit the ball a shade fuller and it has a "fuller" sound. Mike Sigel always guarded against the "skid" and hit the ball a shade fuller as well using his own technique.

Buddy Hall, who I admire in many ways had a great stoke that produced a very full, distinct hit on the cue ball. We all have our "relationship" with the cue ball that gives us maximum feel and touch. This "relationship" also transfers to a better feel for the pocket and the ability to hit different sections of the pocket to change the cue ball's path as opposed to "spinning" it unnecessarily. When it really counts I'll always recommend "LESS SPIN TO WIN". 'The Game is the Teacher'

Here's a picture of me using the Bludworth, the cue in the story was modeled after. To this day this is the best hitting cue's I've ever owned.

199b-09l.gif
 
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CJ Wiley said:
I was at a local pool room last night hitting some balls and I kept hearing the sound of the guy on the next table hitting his shots. This seemed kind of odd, I'm usually not aware of the sound of someone hitting the cue ball, this seemed strangely different.

I watched him hit a couple of shots and he seemed to be playing very similar to how I do as far as the contact of the cue ball and the sound that it made. I approached him between games and said "you're not from around here are you?" he replied "no, I'm from Mississippi...you don't remember be do you?"

I looked at him for something to "jog" my memory (something was familiar) and answered "I know we've talked before, and I like the way you hit the ball." He gestured at his cue and said "I bet you remember that cue!" Glancing quickly where he was pointing, wonder what he meant, I saw one of my original "signature line cues" I endorsed with McDermott many years ago.

"Wow, that's one of my originals." He smiled, with a twinkle in his eye and exclaimed "that IS your original, I bought it off you after watching you play with it back in '94'...you had retired it to the display case at 'CJ's' and I convinced you to sell it to me, I've had it ever since."

This sent a shiver down my spine as I picked it up looking at the yin and yang sign I had used on the butt, and the special wood used for the original design. "That's why I kept noticing the sound it made, it was modeled identically after the Bludworth Cue I'm playing with now."

What a surreal moment as my mind raced to understand how I could have identified the sound made by my cue's long, lost brother. "That's amazing, we were basically using the same cue playing side by side and I unconsciously was signaled by the sound your cue made and it stood out like a church bell on Sunday morning.

We both had a laugh, talked about the "good ole days at CJ's," and chalked this up as one of those special times in life that makes me wonder how it's all enter woven so beautifully together. A part of me wants to understand and the other part is glad I don't. 'The Game is the Teacher' www.cjwiley.com
Click to expand...

Hello CJ,
I like that story and how it turned out for you. Are you friends with Buddy Hall? That sounds like a great cue! Thanks for sharing with us.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
sound

CJ Wiley said:
Yes, I can tell a LOT about how someone plays by the way their game "sounds". The way a champion hits the ball is more distinct.

My contact makes a more distinct sound because I slightly deflect the ball (using the TOI technique) so I can hit the ball a shade fuller and it has a "fuller" sound. Mike Sigel always guarded against the "skid" and hit the ball a shade fuller as well using his own technique.

Buddy Hall, who I admire in many ways had a great stoke that produced a very full, distinct hit on the cue ball. We all have our "relationship" with the cue ball that gives us maximum feel and touch. This "relationship" also transfers to a better feel for the pocket and the ability to hit different sections of the pocket to change the cue ball's path as opposed to "spinning" it unnecessarily. When it really counts I'll always recommend "LESS SPIN TO WIN". 'The Game is the Teacher'

Here's a picture of me using the Bludworth, the cue in the story was modeled after. To this day this is the best hitting cue's I've ever owned.

199b-09l.gif
Click to expand...

Sound

Sound /vibration

I have noticed that I to listen to the way a cue sounds too.

MMike
 
His position play is flawless and his shot-making impressive indeed.

Lock N Load said:
Hello CJ,
I like that story and how it turned out for you. Are you friends with Buddy Hall? That sounds like a great cue! Thanks for sharing with us.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...

Yes, I used to practice with Buddy when we both lived in Tampa and have worked with him privately in Kentucky on certain techniques. He's a "warehouse" of information and keeps things fundamentally simple.

I was using the Buddy Hall Bludworth against Steve Mizerak in our legendary 11/10 match in Reno. Buddy did that commentary as well as several other ones including the one in the finals of the winners against Mike Sigel at the Bicycle Club Casino.

Buddy, still to this day runs out as well as anyone I've ever seen. His position play is flawless and his shot-making impressive indeed. No one every doubted his ability at rotation games and he beat Efren playing one pocket on more than one occasion.
 
Great story CJ, I had a Black Boar, but had to sell it because of hard times, I will never forget the hit I got with that cue, I always went into a game thinking I had an advantage, simply because of the cue.

CJ, when you get back into your full playing mode, would you be interested in playing in a TAR match, and if so, are their any particular players you would be interested in playing?
 
Three cool stories from your older days.
Story #1 I lived in Rockwall about 18 years ago and CJ's was the only place I played. Nobody in Dallas who had a good cue would let anyone but Ben (I think that was his name) put a tip on their cue. He used to slam a tip with a small mallet and after he put it on your cue, you might have to dress mushrooming once, and that was it. No layered tips back then, but some players actually glued one tip on top of another. Do you know what became of Ben?

Story #2 I traded cues with you once. You have a few Danny Stout cues in the case in your poolhall and I really liked one of them. I traded a brand new Joss for it. I played with that Stout, but traded it away about 10 years ago. Always wanted to get it back, but never knew where it ended up. About a year ago, I was at Bogies in Houston and one of my buddies, who trades cues pretty regularly, came to show me a new cue he had picked up. It was the Stout I had traded for with you. It is his playing cue.

Story #3. I was introduced to a guy near New Orleans who had collected cues and was interested in selling or trading a few. I ended up making a trade for a couple, and wanted to make a second trade, but unfortunately the guy died of a hear attack and his wife would not sell any of the cues he had left. One of the cues was the other cue Bludworth had made for you to try out with the same design as the one you picked. From what I was told, Blud made 2 or three and gave you pick of the litter? Would be neat to know where the cue is now.
 
cuenut said:
Three cool stories from your older days.
Story #1 I lived in Rockwall about 18 years ago and CJ's was the only place I played. Nobody in Dallas who had a good cue would let anyone but Ben (I think that was his name) put a tip on their cue. He used to slam a tip with a small mallet and after he put it on your cue, you might have to dress mushrooming once, and that was it. No layered tips back then, but some players actually glued one tip on top of another. Do you know what became of Ben?

Story #2 I traded cues with you once. You have a few Danny Stout cues in the case in your poolhall and I really liked one of them. I traded a brand new Joss for it. I played with that Stout, but traded it away about 10 years ago. Always wanted to get it back, but never knew where it ended up. About a year ago, I was at Bogies in Houston and one of my buddies, who trades cues pretty regularly, came to show me a new cue he had picked up. It was the Stout I had traded for with you. It is his playing cue.

Story #3. I was introduced to a guy near New Orleans who had collected cues and was interested in selling or trading a few. I ended up making a trade for a couple, and wanted to make a second trade, but unfortunately the guy died of a hear attack and his wife would not sell any of the cues he had left. One of the cues was the other cue Bludworth had made for you to try out with the same design as the one you picked. From what I was told, Blud made 2 or three and gave you pick of the litter? Would be neat to know where the cue is now.
Click to expand...



Believe his last name was Tubbs . Think he worked out of the Billiards Den in Richardson for a while .
 
I want to play PJ and Lou

irock said:
Great story CJ, I had a Black Boar, but had to sell it because of hard times, I will never forget the hit I got with that cue, I always went into a game thinking I had an advantage, simply because of the cue.

CJ, when you get back into your full playing mode, would you be interested in playing in a TAR match, and if so, are their any particular players you would be interested in playing?
Click to expand...

Yes, I want to play PJ and Lou ...I'll play in between them and give them the 5/7 and the break with a 30 second shot clock.
 
Curtis proceeded to show me another cue just like the one I wrote about.

cuenut said:
Three cool stories from your older days.
Story #1 I lived in Rockwall about 18 years ago and CJ's was the only place I played. Nobody in Dallas who had a good cue would let anyone but Ben (I think that was his name) put a tip on their cue. He used to slam a tip with a small mallet and after he put it on your cue, you might have to dress mushrooming once, and that was it. No layered tips back then, but some players actually glued one tip on top of another. Do you know what became of Ben?

Story #2 I traded cues with you once. You have a few Danny Stout cues in the case in your poolhall and I really liked one of them. I traded a brand new Joss for it. I played with that Stout, but traded it away about 10 years ago. Always wanted to get it back, but never knew where it ended up. About a year ago, I was at Bogies in Houston and one of my buddies, who trades cues pretty regularly, came to show me a new cue he had picked up. It was the Stout I had traded for with you. It is his playing cue.

Story #3. I was introduced to a guy near New Orleans who had collected cues and was interested in selling or trading a few. I ended up making a trade for a couple, and wanted to make a second trade, but unfortunately the guy died of a hear attack and his wife would not sell any of the cues he had left. One of the cues was the other cue Bludworth had made for you to try out with the same design as the one you picked. From what I was told, Blud made 2 or three and gave you pick of the litter? Would be neat to know where the cue is now.
Click to expand...

I went to take BEN TUBBS some DVD's last night and told the story I just wrote about. One of the guys at CK's on Skillman/635 was Curtis, the GM and he immediately said "a cue like this?"

Curtis proceeded to show me another cue just like the one I wrote about. Only this one had my signature on it. What's the chances and what's Life trying to tell me? I guess there's more of those cues that I realized.
 
Very cool story. I hope not ever have this experience though. If I have something that plays that well, I hope I never loose it!


thanks for the story,

Justin
 
Not sure if you misunderstood it, but the one I was talking about was a Bludworth with the red dot and his proprietary screw, not a McDermott.
 
CJ Wiley said:
I went to take BEN TUBBS some DVD's last night and told the story I just wrote about. One of the guys at CK's on Skillman/635 was Curtis, the GM and he immediately said "a cue like this?"

Curtis proceeded to show me another cue just like the one I wrote about. Only this one had my signature on it. What's the chances and what's Life trying to tell me? I guess there's more of those cues that I realized.
Click to expand...

Hey Mr. CJ,
Simply put, you must be a Bad Man!!!! Period! And that is my opinion.....
Lock <------- Thinks you are his Friend!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
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