We were there. We saw how great he was doing. We enjoyed watching him pocket ball after ball. Gene really enjoyed it and since we had missed the stuff about the Crown Cues shaft, it was a nice surprise.
Blackjack stayed very dedicated to the cause, even with the frustration of people getting in his way, over and over. He was supposed to have a sectioned off area and the pool hall decided to open it up, allowing traffic to walk by, wander around, stand in his way, etc..
Dwight did all he could, but it just wasn't enough. They had a lot of people there and I suppose the money from just a few table rentals was worth more to them than being supportive of a good cause. Surely they didn't realize how close he was to the end, or how it would make them look.
I don't think anyone blames Blackjack for leaving, although it was a real shame that he got so close and they didn't let him finish, before opening up the area. What a trooper he was to hang on as long as he did.