P J's, Nicest black club in the 70's & 80's in Arkansas

catpool9

catpool9

"Rack Um"/ Rusty Lock
Silver Member
Back in the late 70's & 80's there was a black club in Pine Bluff,Arkansas called PJ's, it was a black club that catered to mostly black people but white people went to it occasionally mostly for dancing, it was a high class place, had a beauty salon, swimming pool, large kitchen,gigantic dance floor, and about three different poolroom/bars located in it, an awesome place to say the least.

Well ole PJ (black guy) was said to have hit the lottery back in Chicago, thats where was told he got the money to build such a place, but me personally, I think he was in the pharmaceutical business.

That place stayed open from about 6:00 P.M. until noon the next day, a pool shooter's paradise, you could hit all the bars/clubs around town playing pool untill closing 2:00 A.M., and some private clubs untill 5:00 A.M., then head out to PJ's and play pool until noon the next day.

A dam good place to make a score on the pool table, I've played a good player from Pine Bluff,Ar. named Mack McCook, he was originally from Maryland, he and I have played pool all over Arkansas in many a pool room/bar, sometimes he won, sometimes I would, Mack never really did run packages on ya, just was consistent at gettin out and the ocassionally 1 & 2 pack, which gets the cheese in most cases, I either made a big rack run or (couldn't make a ball........due to my drunkeness)...glad those days are over!

Mack has been dead for some years now, but I'll always remember him from the day!

I don't know if PJ's is still going today, but if it is, I bet its HOPPIN!:smile:


David Harcrow
 
There was a place like that in Freeport Long Island. A drag racing friend of mine (Pete) that was crazier than I thought at the time took me there to hustle pool. It was a high-class place and had many numbers runners, pimps, bookies, and drug dealers in it every night. Many top singing groups played there. Anyhow things were going well on the table. I was up a good bit when someone yelled out that I was a hustler and owned a room in East Islip.

This moron Pete pulls a sawed-off out from under his trench coat and starts spaying the joint. I run for one of the doors and fire a few rounds from a Saturday night special. Damn bullets flying all over the joint. Somehow we made it into his 1950 Olds with a Caddy engine and got away. A few weeks later Pete shot his girlfriend to death with a deer-slug and then blew his own head off. Man those were the days. Johnnyt
 
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Damn!

Gaaawwwwd Damn, Johnnyt, that kinda shit would scare the hell outta anybody...hehehehehe

Although I do have two different tales about bullets Flying!, which I'll share one of these days.


David Harcrow
 
catpool9 said:
Gaaawwwwd Damn, Johnnyt, that kinda shit would scare the hell outta anybody...hehehehehe

Although I do have two different tales about bullets Flying!, which I'll share one of these days.


David Harcrow
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Yeah it was a mess. It was in papers the next day. I got taken down to headquarters in Miniola a week or so later, (someone dropped a dime) for questioning. Pete was gone and so was my Saturday night spec. Two people were hit from his shotgun, but no one from my handgun. Got out of it with a good mouth piece. Johnnyt
 
PJ"s Night Club

Well you just had to be there to experience it, there was no gun play here, you went thru a metal detector at the door, and this was in 1979 when I first went, and made the trip routinely until about 1990 when I was n-state playing pool.

People was getting their hair done in the salon, swimming in the pool,eating at kitchen/ and all this was happening at late, late night hours of the night/morning....

was a good place to enjoy yourself, and gamble at pool, everyone black/white got along great!:smile:


David Harcrow
 
PJ's is still open, but it's a very dangerous night club now. I was told that shootings happen regularly there.
 
Johnnyt said:
Sounds like a cool place to enjoy yourself. Johnnyt
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In all seriousness JohnnyT, just from reading all your stories, there are very few people in pool, who'd id want to cross paths and chat with more than you.
 
chevybob20 said:
PJ's is still open, but it's a very dangerous night club now. I was told that shootings happen regularly there.
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Yep I can imagine PJ's has given way to the "gang bangers",and all the dope that is of abundance today, which is a shame, there was a place in time when it wasn't that way.


David Harcrow
 
Cool story


I'm glad those days are over, I'm too young 42, too remember black/white racial seggeration. I know I wouldnt have liked it-even now it makes me uncomfortable to think about and embarassed too. When Sammy Davis Jr played Vegas he had to use a seperate entrance and couldnt stay at the Sands with the rest of the Rat Pack, he has to stay ay tht Moulon Rouge:(a blacks casino) 15 minutes away. that is shameful.


I do remember in Kindergarden we had drinking water fountains for the girla nad a different one for the boys. I dont know if they still do that or not.
 
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