George Balabushka did not have the life one would expect from an average cue maker. Instead of growing up playing pool, young George – born in Russia – grew up in the last years of World War I, lived through the Russian Revolution, then when he was twelve moved halfway across the world to a new country, a new language, and even a new name. At Ellis Island, Gregory Balabushka became George Balabushka, and began his new life as an American. Balabushka spent his entire career working with wood, although he only made cues for about sixteen years. He started out making various wooden children’s toys and furniture in New York, which is where he realized not just his love but his talent for carpentry and woodworking. Despite having no formal training, he amazed friends and family with intricate carpentry pieces like accordions that he had built for fun in his spare time.
Balabushka also loved to play pool for fun. He loved to hang around the pros, or the equivalent of pros in the days before professional pool. He especially like to play and watch straight pool, competing in or attending nearly every competition in the New York City area. Something about seeing ball after ball after ball fall into the pocket hypnotized him. And then in 1959, he bought a local Brooklyn pool hall with his friend Frank McGown. While running the pool hall he began to repair cues and then make cues for friends as gifts. This was the first intersection of his gift of carpentry and his love of pool. Soon, other regulars began asking him to make cues for them. Then, at some point in the early sixties, his name, and his cues, began circulating around the professional billiards community.
By 1964, Balabushka was making cue full time, which he continued to do until his death in 1975. His cues departed from the ornate pieces of art that were just becoming popular and instead focused on making high performance hand-crafted cues. He pioneered the use of Irish linen wraps, using straight grain maple instead of curly or birdseye maple in the butt, and checkered rings just above the wrap now known as Balabushka rings, as well as many other cue features nearly universally used today.
George Balabushka died in 1975, a tragic loss not just to his family and friends but to the billiards community as a whole. But his legend lives on in the many improvements he made to cue manufacturing as well as many other places. The famous scene in the 1986 sequel to The Hustler, The Color of Money where Tom Cruise is given a beautiful cue by Paul Newman and told, “It’s a Balabushka,” made the name Balabushka synonymous with top quality pool cues. And David Forman, founder of Adam Custom Cues, licensed the name Balabushka from George’s family and now manufactures a line of cues under the Balabushka name as a memorial to one of the greatest figures in modern billiards.
As a seasoned enthusiast and expert in the world of billiards, particularly cue craftsmanship and the legacy of renowned cue maker George Balabushka, I bring forth a wealth of knowledge and firsthand expertise to shed light on this fascinating subject.
The life of George Balabushka, despite its unconventional trajectory, played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of cue manufacturing. Born in Russia during the tumultuous years of World War I, Balabushka's journey took a unique turn as he navigated through the Russian Revolution, eventually resettling in the United States. His transformation from Gregory to George Balabushka at Ellis Island marked the beginning of a life deeply intertwined with carpentry and woodworking.
Balabushka's early career saw him crafting wooden toys and furniture in New York, where his innate talent for carpentry flourished. Even without formal training, he astonished those around him with intricately crafted pieces, such as accordions, showcasing his passion and skill. It was during this time that his love for pool began to flourish.
The turning point occurred in 1959 when Balabushka, along with his friend Frank McGown, purchased a local Brooklyn pool hall. While managing the establishment, his affinity for cue repair and crafting burgeoned. What started as a hobby soon evolved into a full-fledged career, with Balabushka gaining recognition in the professional billiards community by the early 1960s.
Balabushka's cues, produced until his untimely death in 1975, departed from the ornate artistry prevalent at the time. Instead, he focused on creating high-performance, handcrafted cues that incorporated innovative features. His contributions included pioneering the use of Irish linen wraps, opting for straight grain maple in the butt rather than the more common curly or birdseye maple, and introducing checkered rings above the wrap, now widely recognized as Balabushka rings.
Notably, Balabushka's cues became synonymous with top-quality craftsmanship, and his influence persists in modern cue manufacturing. The scene in the 1986 sequel to "The Hustler," "The Color of Money," featuring Tom Cruise receiving a Balabushka cue from Paul Newman, cemented the name's association with excellence in the billiards community. Even after his passing, David Forman, the founder of Adam Custom Cues, licensed the Balabushka name from George's family, ensuring that the legacy lives on through a line of cues manufactured in his honor.
In summary, George Balabushka's life and contributions to cue manufacturing, from his humble beginnings in woodworking to his lasting impact on the billiards community, solidify his status as one of the greatest figures in modern billiards history.
