The opportunities or few and far between, especially for any type of sponsorship. How many Black Senators, Male or Female, Senators do you see? Most White Players don't think that Black Players have enough natural Talent to play World-Class Pool!! Most parents hated Pool because of its reputation, and after begging for a Pool table in my zBasement, my dad took it out of the House because I fell in love with the game, hardly wanted to play baseball and basketball to try to quickly learn to Play pool, and the reputation for Good Players to skip school and Gamble, which I never Did! Pool has a terrible reputation, and has less visibility the Pickleball or Cornhole competition.Bowling doesn't have the negative public impression that Pool has, and they gamble, a lot. Golfers gamble a Lot, but Pool has the Bad Reputation. I was lookout Suspiciously for trying to be a "Pool Shark" Nothing about it was considered to be positive, except to make you a better Gambler! The emphasis on training in the United States is poor, compared to other countries, but for the same reasons that you don't see many minorities in leadership positions in Business, Government, Auto Racing, etc.. it's not because Blacks don't have interest or that it doesn't or didn't pay well. It's DISCRIMINATION! The same reason that you have so few Women in highly visible, lucrative, positions of power. Cisero Murphy wasn't allowed to play in the U.S. Open, despite winning the New York City Championship at 16, and winning the Eastern States 14.1 Championship six straight times until fellow Players threatened to pullout if he wasn't allowed to play, and as soon as he was allowed to play, he won Back-to-Back Titles. Not much has changed, most Black Players feel that Josh Roberts plays well enough to be on the Mosconi Cup Team, but not likely in America, and Blacks were surprised that Rodney Morris was on the Team as many years as he was. Auto Racing, not many opportunities. Golf, not many opportunities. Tennis, not many opportunities. Senator, not many opportunities. CEO, not many opportunities. Decision maker positions for Minorities, not many opportunities, especially in America. In the 1960's and even until Filipinos and Oriental people started being allowed to play in America, pool languished, and has vastly improved since races and Nationalities from all over the world were accepted and allowed to play in America. Men can't speak fully to the lack of pay and opportunities for Women, and most on this panel can't fully speak to the drastic lack of opportunities in Pool. There was a time when Blacks weren't considered good enough or smart enough to play Major League Baseball, Basketball, Middle Linebacker, Quarterback, Coach any Team, or a general manager, but the lack of Exposure, the lack seeing someone like yourself, and the lack of Training/Coaching/Exposure on TV/Heroes to emulate, and support from the Sport itself has affected the Quality and competitiveness of the American Pro Game. The Average African American doesn't see themselves playing Pro Baseball, so they don't have much interest growing up, and can't even throw to first Base or Home Plate, but can play Basketball or Football. Baseball doesn't care, and Pool doesn't Care. Adverising of any kind is almost non-existent, and Parents still think that Pool is a terrible thing for their kids to do with their time, or that there is no real benefit, other than having a little useless fun, in a BAD ENVIRONMENT, regardless of the Tournaments, Video Games, Darts, Basketball Hoops, Cable, and Leagues!
