Grady's $150 "Real" Balabushka???

I heard a very interesting story last night from a source I deem reliable and wanted to check the validity with, Grady.

The story went something like this. Grady, like all of us have done, books a loser, out west some where and taps out. He borrows $150 on his Balabushka to get back east. He tells the guy he obviously wants the cue back and asks the guy to hang on to it for him. Shortly afterwards, Grady, gives a guy, who is going to the same area, $150 and asks him to pick up his Balabushka for him. The guy gets there, starts gambling with the guy who had the cue, loses all his money and Grady's $150. I was told Grady was so hot that he never retrieved the cue.

How bout it, Grady? Any truth to this sad little ditty?

While we're asking Grady questions and I've read nearly ALL of Grady's posts, I have two questions about previous Grady posts.
1.) What became of Grady's $25,000 cue that Blud was building him.
2.) What became of Grady's offer to house and train a young protege ?
Doug
( see, I AM paying attention )

Answers

Answers

"Artesia Kenny", who was supposed to be a friend of mine , bought a Bushka of mine that had been stolen for $100; some friend, he knew it was mine and wouldn't let me buy it from him for what he had paid for it ($100).
"Buttermilk", another purported friend, stole two Bushkas from me, one of which was a gift from Weldon Rogers. It broke my heart to lose that cue.
A Bill Stroud product, with playing cards on it, a one of a kind cue, was stolen while I was sleeping in my hotel room in Lake Tahoe. It surfaced years later but wasn't in good enough shape to warrant buying it.
Janice, Leonard's wife, passed away and the $25,000 cue project just got permanently tabled. I still think it was a good idea.
Now, as to the proteges, we tried three and they just didn't work out. I haven't given up on this because there are quality prospects out there. I'll try it again sometime in the future.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk

Grady said:

"Artesia Kenny", who was supposed to be a friend of mine , bought a Bushka of mine that had been stolen for $100; some friend, he knew it was mine and wouldn't let me buy it from him for what he had paid for it ($100).
"Buttermilk", another purported friend, stole two Bushkas from me, one of which was a gift from Weldon Rogers. It broke my heart to lose that cue.
A Bill Stroud product, with playing cards on it, a one of a kind cue, was stolen while I was sleeping in my hotel room in Lake Tahoe. It surfaced years later but wasn't in good enough shape to warrant buying it.
Janice, Leonard's wife, passed away and the $25,000 cue project just got permanently tabled. I still think it was a good idea.
Now, as to the proteges, we tried three and they just didn't work out. I haven't given up on this because there are quality prospects out there. I'll try it again sometime in the future.

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Grady, you must be referring to Sterling "Buttermilk" Ward arent you? You are aware of course, that among his other deviousnesses he was a convicted child molester? If you didnt know, I must also say that I have no qualms whatsoever snitching on a sumbitch like that. He got caught with the 8 or 9 year old child of his lifelong friend Bill Gibbs. I never heard what happened after he got caught. I know Bill Gibbs would have killed him if he could have gotten to him.

the Beard

Yes, I know about that AND he married a 13 year old Mexican girl. I knew Bill Gibbs and liked him. Actually, Randi made me take off the Sterling Ward part and use just Buttermilk. What's bad is that these guys were supposed to be my friends.

Taking someone "under your wing"

Taking someone "under your wing"

Perhaps this deserves a seperate thread like "Taking someone under your wing", but I figured I'd ask it here briefly.

I remember seeing that offer you posted a while back, as at the time I had been laid off, but after thinking about it, I am
probably too old, and also did really not have enough funds to get there, etc.. Plus, I don't really know too much about
one pocket, and I remember from one of your tapes, that you consider that skill mandatory in order to excel as successful gambler.

But, I'm interested in why the three persons you tried did not work out, at a general level, as I suspect the details are a
little personal. But I suspect that the folks you tried, perhaps did not have the dedication to practice for *many* hours a day,
day-after-day. From some of the videos I have seen on youtube, such as the 6-part 10-ball ring game, I saw how well some
of the younger folks out there can play, and to be honest it scares me a little.

Why the proteges didn't work out..

Why the proteges didn't work out..

The first thought he knew more than his teacher and he was dishonest. The second had a problem with oversleeping instead of appearing at scheduled events. The third just couldn't seem to commit.

Thanks

Thanks

Thank you for taking the time to post an answer.

Mentorship

Mentorship

Grady, if you're still moderately interested in a protege, there might be 1 or 2 candidates in southern Mississippi or the Dixie Riviera. In a general sense, if the kid could play (that is, he could already run a rack of 9-ball, and has an eye for 1P moves), how much time would you imagine he'd need to dedicate in SC for you to work with him? If it's for an extended period, would there be work available locally to support him while he learns from you? Perhaps this would be a project that would fit better when y'all get your new room opened?

Thanks~

Doc

Grady, when you first mentioned your protege program, I had two local players (brothers) in mind. I thought that either one would be a perfect fit.
The older of the two and better player at the time, learned to drive and discovered online and homegame poker and was winning four digit jellybeans at 16-17 years old. Next, will be girls and pool will become a distant fourth.
The younger of the two, at 15, just played in Tommy Kennedy's tournament here locally yesterday and led room owner Dan Lavoie 6-2 before it became hill-hill and young Matty M. beat Dan. Good shooting for the 15 year old. He was illuminated in his next match when he faced Tommy Kennedy. He is a fine young man, well spoken and with proper manners and morals.
I'll keep an eye on him as he nears graduation from school age.
Doug

Ok, thanks, Doug.

Bill Gibbs

Bill Gibbs

Grady said:

I knew Bill Gibbs and liked him.

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Bill Gibbs hung around the Golden Cue in Rosemead (Before it moved to So. El Monte) and played cards there every day. He had to get a pacemaker put in and the day he got out of the hospital, he played in a pinochle game for 24+ hours. He took a double set playing a spades hand and got mad and threw a chair halfway across the room. He ended up back in the hospital, having bypass surgery this time, and passed away a short time later. I liked Bill too. I was playing Mexican Johnny once and Bill didn't like him. He told me if I didn't beat him he would kick my A**. Bill was quite a character.

Hey Doug,

Did TK win it? I figure he did...plenty of lobsters as you put it.

And Grady,

I saw that card cue back in Memphis...man what a beautiful cue. The guy even had the story on it, with it being stolen from you and him knowing it. I just shook my head in disbelief. It looked in good condition back then, but this was around 95 or 96. Sorry to hear it didn't survive the years.

Shorty

Shorty said:

Hey Doug,
Did TK win it? I figure he did...plenty of lobsters as you put it.
Shorty

Click to expand...

Nope, TK from FLA ran like the horses that I bet on....

39 players turned out for the Tommy Kennedy-Jerry Pechauer Southeast Open Nineball Tournament at Hammer Heads Billiards here in Florida.
This is a true double-illumination tournament and you must beat the winner's side player two races to nine to win. The results were:
1st Donnie Mills
2nd Richie Orem
3rd Jason Richco
4th Tony Crosby
I don't have the payouts, but Donnie won $600+ for 1st.
Donnie Mills won the winner's side and Richie Orem fought his way through the left side of the board to play Donnie in the finals.
<insert sad music Here> Richie O. beat Donnie the first set and was leading the second set 8-3 (EIGHT TO THREE) when he turned the table over to Donnie Mills. I commented on Donnie's abilities at the last tournament at Hammer Heads when he was playing Buddy Hall. Donnie plays this rack-your-own VERY well on these tough Diamond tables.
Anyway, Richie O. leading 8-3 and on the hill in the second set, turned the table over to Donnie Mills, who calmly went about running the set out to claim 1st Place.....
Doug
( Forums participant "Shorty" came over from the east coast of Florida and ran into some very bad luck. It seems that his opponents COULD run 3 friggin balls. Too bad Shorty, but Happy 36th Birthday today )

Hey man, thanks for the update and excellent reporting!

Yeah, I definitely left my game at home...was good experience though...let's me know I have a lot of work ahead of me before I go to Decatur in August for the next wheelchair event.

Shorty

Here is a pic of Grady playing with that JOSSWEST. This is off of the great Bill Porter photo website.

Young Prodigy

Young Prodigy

Grady,

I love your personality and have watched some of your gambling. I have a young player, sixteen looks like he's twelve. I would love to put him in some tutoring. I would be willing to arrange a means of support for the young man while he learns as long as I'm in for the long hall on the road. Let me know if you might be interested and we can arrange a meeting or something

Young Prodigy

Young Prodigy

Best response via email at iba7467@yahoo.com