Wander around our showroom long enough and you may just happen to take your eyes away from the cues, pool tables, shuffleboard tables, and games long enough to notice a few of the paintings, pictures and posters adorning the walls. One of these, located on the South end of the room near the checkout counter, is a poster featuring every single one of the D-Series cues lined up next to each other on a pool table. Look closer and you’ll notice that these are not your everyday D-Series cues; they’ve each been customized with a grey stain and leather wrap.
The poster hanging in the McDermott Showroom
The cues on the poster belong to McDermott collector Danny “Rabbit” Rogers. He took up pool in the early 1980s during his time in the US Air Force. While stationed at Lackland, a fellow airman let him play with his D-4, and convinced Danny to pick up a McDermott cue of his own. He found himself a D-2 at a local dealer. Eventually, he traded up to a D-13, and then his D-Series infatuation really began.
Danny set his mind on collecting every model of the D-Series, and would search classifieds (and later websites) looking for the models that he didn’t yet own. When he finally completed his collection, he sent it in to us to be refurbished into a matching set, with each getting a grey stain and leather wrap.
When the cues arrived at the McDermott factory, our lead customer service representative Jayme worked with Danny to get him what he wanted.
“This was the first complete D-series refurbishing project to my knowledge” explains Jayme. “He is a huge McDermott fan and loves the D-series. It was his idea to collect the entire set and then have them all match with the same grey stain color and black lizard leather wraps.”
In fact, even a few of the cues in the series that feature exotic woods received the stain, going against the conventional wisdom that exotic woods do not always take stains well. Danny was thrilled with the results.
“The D-3 was always my least favorite of the 26 cues in this series. Seeing this finished cue [after staining] has changed my mind.”
Danny was so pleased with his refurbished D-Series that he worked with McDermott to design a poster for the collection. But, he isn’t finished yet. Starting with some extra D-Series cues that he received in various trades and auctions, he recently finished collecting another complete set of D-Series cues. For this next collection, he intends to send them in and have them stained a different color.
Although he was the first to send in a complete D-Series set for refinishing, Danny’s story is one we hear often. Collectors all over the world send in their McDermott’s to give them new life with custom wraps, stains, modern shafts, or even simple restorations to factory-new condition. You can learn more about Danny’s collection at his website, and learn more about the services we offer on our Repairs and Refurbishing page.
I love the D series! I bought a D14 when I was a young man growing up in Wisconsin and took it with me my entire military career in the Marine Corps. The cue found its way to all over the USA from Beaufort SC to Yuma AZ and went on a few more exotic trips around the world it even found itself in Iraq a few times. The years of travel with me it has encountered many bumps and dings. When I returned home it was retired to a dark closest in my mother’s house until a few weeks ago following my mother’s passing. While researching the old cue I ran across this article and seeing the beautiful work that has been done on these cues of getting my old friend refinished and touched up.
First of all, Daniel, Thank you for serving and defending our Great Country! The US Military holds a very special place in my heart and deserves all the Respect!
Your notes on the old D-14 warms my heart. These are some of the best cues ever created (IMO) and seem to keep on keeping on!
There are stories posted about each of my personal experiences with my D-Series cues posted on my web site. Very entertaining and informative for some readers.
Semper Fi Marine! Thank you for your service. That is a great story you really should hang on to that for sure. I would love to own a Mcdermott myself i have been looking. I love the game I need a lot of practice though. I have a pool cue coming but unfortunately it’s not a Mcdermott I am keeping an eye out for one. This article was really interesting i am glad i read it. From one Marine to another take care of yourself and thanks again for the story.
I love my D23 Rosey that I have had since the 80s. It has been stolen TWICE and, like a loyal dog, has found it’s way back to me each time.
Keep an eye on that baby. I never cues had feet or wings but they seem to walk or fly when we are not looking at them!
Best of Luck!