There were 3 poolrooms in the small 50s midwest town where I grew up, and the one with the best equipment/players had a decidedly racist management. I usually laughed along with my teenage peers at the racial humor bandied about there, but had to confront a disturbing awakening when the black school friend I was hanging with then refused my invitation to go play pool with me. He was reluctant to explain, but finally admitted that he wouldn’t be allowed in. It never occurred to me before then how the former evil would naturally lead to the latter (go figure).
A couple pool halls I played at were segregated well past when the law allowed them to be. I don't remember if it was the city or the state that declared that bars and pool halls, maybe restaurants too, had to be integrated. I owned a business too so while I didn't care one way or another about integration I did care about the gubment telling business owners what they had to do!
The pool halls were both designed by the same man and were classic pool halls. A couple tables wide, the counter about seventy-five feet from the front door, the whole thing maybe 125' deep or so. Often a lady worked the counter one place and we were especially protective of her. We had one of the largest black universities in the nation in town, maybe five miles from the pool halls, more or less. The lady had made it plain she wasn't comfortable serving black customers.
One Saturday afternoon about a half dozen largish young black men walked in and walked up to the counter, ordering beer. As usual Ms Sue didn't refuse service, she was just very slow giving it. Before the beer was in front of them there were about twenty pool players surrounding them. Most of the players had brought house cues with them. There was a minute or two of silence and the young men decided they weren't all that thirsty after all!
Not many months later with a few days notice four of the front line of that university football team decided they were going to go in there and get served. I'm here to say those young men were big! The usual shuffle of feet and over a dozen pool players circled them, house cues in hand for the most part. Same thing, they departed quietly.
It was partly being outnumbered and out armed that decided these incidents, I think a lot had to do with the silent menace of the players and their obvious willingness to do violence. I didn't weigh the racial issue too much, it was more defiance of government overreach. Looking back I can't say I am or was proud, I wasn't sorry either. Our reaction would have been the same had the government tried to cram any other group down the room owner's throats.
I accidentally stopped at a black place on the road and the reaction was much the same when I think about it. No violence but a very solid show of force. I was dry so I got some beer in cans and went down the road with the beer unopened until I was back on the highway!
The late sixties and early seventies were times of great turmoil but great promise too. I really thought I would see the end of racism. Now I have to think it ebbs and flows but never dies.
Hu
