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Barringer Custom Handcrafted Cues in Billiard Wholesale Directory

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York he had an opportunity at a very early age to learn from some of the best players of that time. At the age of 13, he would immediately go to Arties Rat Hole (as it was affectionately known in those days) each day after school. Of course you had to be 18 to play pool but enforcement of laws in those days was, shall we say a little lax (and lets not forget that this was Brooklyn!). He would rack the balls for the old-time players who were playing razzle or nine ball and for doing so, would receive 25¢ for each rack (at least thats what he remembers). And of course, they would always show him some pointers in the game. Soon he began playing like a champ. Arties Rat Hole was a popular Brooklyn Pool Room, located on the corner of East 14th Street and Avenue J. The pool hall scene in the film entitled The Lords of Flatbush was actually filmed at Arties. In fact, there was a Goodfella named Tony Junior Sirico who hung out there. Today, Junior is Paulie Walnuts on the hit show, The Sopranos (ey yo, whatcha doin). And yes, Arties Rat Hole was everything you can visualize of a pool hall in the 1950s and 1960s -- dark, dusty, dirty and yes there was a little short, stumpy old man named Artie. Of course the tables were old but played nicely and yes there was always one special table that only the chosen few got to use. A Man Named George. Yes, we are of course referring to George Balabushka! It was, he believes 1972 when one of the steadies at Arties (a man whose name eludes him at this time) took him over to meet Mr. Balabushka in the hopes of ordering a cue. He was, 17 or so at the time. This area is a little fuzzy in his mind but weeks later and $125 poorer, he was the proud owner of a Balabushka! It played well but was a little heavier than he actually wanted. None-the-less, everyone knew that he had a famed Balabushka. He was challenged many times to play for that cue but never did as his game still needed improvement. He was only able to run 70-80 balls at that time; a far cry from his top run of 128 balls. He was a great choker and was notorisusly known to always leave a hanger. He could never get to the next real professional level. Perhaps it was the pressure.

 

Address: Barringer Custom Cues, Post Office Box 4322, Boynton Beach, Fl 33424
Website: http://www.barringercues.com/