The prettiest stroke I have ever seen belonged to a guy I believe was just a solid shortstop. I was looking for video of a slipstroke and somebody sent me a very short video of this man, no longer than a gif although it was a standard video file. I could let it loop for ten minutes or more at a time. Big slip, but he was doing other things too. It seemed his right arm was made of rubber or had at least one extra elbow joint in it.
Didn't seem human and it was absolutely hypnotizing trying to figure out how he shot! Reminds me of a lady I followed around a mall in Terre Haute watching her walk. She had movement that just didn't seem possible too! I quit following her only because I didn't want somebody reporting me thinking I was stalking for nefarious reasons.
The sad part about the stroke, I lost the video when a computer died without warning. The guy I thought I got the video from didn't have it. I don't know who I was watching and have never seen any other video of him playing. One of the main reasons I practice a slip stroke enough to be able to use it now and then. Nothing magic when I do it, he was pure magic!
Allen Hopkins has the prettiest ugly stroke in pool. Ain't much to go wrong with a six inch jab! A black man, pretty sure it was Cisero Murphy, had a sweet stroke, pretty to watch and he was near magic shooting himself!
My opinion, a pump stroke using the whole arm is prettier than a pendulum. Just as effective if not more so. A pendulum is easier for an instructor to teach and troubleshoot, it's main virtues assuming a player can get low to the table. A pendulum is lousy with a high stance.
Hu