The biker fight in Waco made me wonder
- Thread starter alstl
- Start date
Years ago a friend of mine invited me to play in a tournament in a nearby town. We got there and half the guys in the bar were bikers. I won the tournament and wondered if I would ever leave alive. Those guys all wanted to buy me beers and are good friends of mine to this day. They have always had my back when I visit their bar.
Had a not so great experience in Little Rock. Strip Club playing pool with 1%'s hanging out.
A couple of the other local members told me not to worry about him, that he was an out of town clubber, a dick head and they had my back.
Sure, I decided I didn't need to be there any longer.
A couple of the other local members told me not to worry about him, that he was an out of town clubber, a dick head and they had my back.
Sure, I decided I didn't need to be there any longer.
Unknowingly, yes. I knew it was a bar that had bikers go there I just didn't know it was the Outlaws bar. I knew the guy I wanted to play a guy they called "Ham and Eggs". I got there early and hung around.
I was playing on the table with challengers when the place began to fill up with bikers. There were other normal people in the place but my problem was, I looked like a biker, long hair and beard, still do actually. A few asked me if I was a member of a club thinking I was just not wearing my colors.
I told them no but I was really getting uncomfortable. I took the first chance I could to get the hell out of there. Playing pool was now the farthest thing from my mind. People today too young who don't really remember, there was a time when bikers were a real part of our lives.
It was not that uncommon be driving and have a bunch of bikers pull up next to you and honestly you were a little scared. They had a track record and were the real deal.
They kind of went underground as they became more involved organized crime and no longer want all the attention they had been getting. They seemed to disappear from the scene, but not really.
I grew up in South Florida where the Outlaws hung out and you saw them often and they always made you nervous. If you were in a movie house and maybe a dozen or so came in, you left.
Many, many, many times. There was a lot of cash in biker bars. Most didn't work for the cash, if you handled them and yourself right, they let go of the cash just getting cursed out... it was a nice pay day. Talk about a high, you haven't a high if you never hustled a biker bar and getting out with their money. Those were thrilling times. Johnnyt
What do you think now? My wife and I have had this conversation many times, what I was like when she met me. How easy it would have been for me to be in prison or even dead with just a small twist of fate. I have to be honest, I skirted around the world I lived in pretty much due to my involvement with pool. A lot of the bad rep pool has is well deserved. I think I was smart but also lucky.
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I wasn't afraid of anything back then and I think that helps you get away with a lot. Today I'd give them their money back, and probably mine too if they looked like they were going to hurt me. Anyone know the biker bar called the Porthole in Town N Country? I owned those two tables and never had a problem getting paid. Of course one of the bouncers named Lurch was a friend of mine...that helped a bit. But I screwed it up after about a year. I got a little too close to one of the other bouncers girl, and was asked not to come back. Johnnyt
I played pool with some bikers a few times, one time was in a little bar in Sullivan County NY. I was in my 20s and didn't have too much fear in me and even less with some alcohol. It was some Pagans members all drunk and having a good time. I beat the one guy playing some 8 ball for $20 and offered to buy him a drink, he was pretty cool but they will try and test you and try to intimidate though.
I did have a head of a local biker chapter which was not an outlaw gang but some layman wannabes try to smack me up in a bar one time. I got out of the way of his drunken swing and my friend who was the bouncer and a burly retired Army guy yoked him up and things got hairy as there were a few other members in there and big dudes too. He has him on the bar in a stranglehold and I have another member right near me making sure I don't take a free shot, this member is like 6'7 and 300 pounds so that wasn't happening and its not my style anyway. Fortunately it just was at a stand still, the reason was I had a grin on my face and he was plastered, no words were even exchanged, haha.
I did have a head of a local biker chapter which was not an outlaw gang but some layman wannabes try to smack me up in a bar one time. I got out of the way of his drunken swing and my friend who was the bouncer and a burly retired Army guy yoked him up and things got hairy as there were a few other members in there and big dudes too. He has him on the bar in a stranglehold and I have another member right near me making sure I don't take a free shot, this member is like 6'7 and 300 pounds so that wasn't happening and its not my style anyway. Fortunately it just was at a stand still, the reason was I had a grin on my face and he was plastered, no words were even exchanged, haha.
Always smart to have the bartender, owner, bouncer or the big guy in the bar having your back as it makes hanging out and scuffling much easier because they like you. :smile:
This I can understand. You didnt go in there and play down. You went in for a tourney nd snapped it off. They probably respect that more then someone going in their trying to rob them.
Johnston City/$Marion, IL bar
I went with friends to a bar that was in between towns and could stay open much later. I saw a few bikers and had went to high school with one of the guys but did not know him. Anyway, I went up and asked him if he graduated from my high school and he had. We small talked a bit. Both he and another guy were in their Outlaw colors. His buddy was on the table. I played the guy and lost. The next time my quarter came up, he asks me if I want to play for a beer. I said sure. He broke dry and I started running out the rack. I had already pocketed four balls and was perfect on my next shot when he turns his cue upside down, looks at me threateningly, and says I am trying to hustle him... I was buzzed and not fazed at all. I said, "Are you ****ing serious? You asked me to play for a beer. It is a $2 beer...you really think I am trying to hustle you?". The guy I just talked to about going to the same high school steps between us and tries to calm him down and asks me to give the other guy some respect. I raked all of the balls off the table and said, "I'm done playing pool." Nobody else played a single game until the place closed. I am sure nobody played because of the bikers that did stay but did keep to their area of the bar which happened to be near the pool table. I went out on the dance floor with my friends...which were all chicks with me.
I went with friends to a bar that was in between towns and could stay open much later. I saw a few bikers and had went to high school with one of the guys but did not know him. Anyway, I went up and asked him if he graduated from my high school and he had. We small talked a bit. Both he and another guy were in their Outlaw colors. His buddy was on the table. I played the guy and lost. The next time my quarter came up, he asks me if I want to play for a beer. I said sure. He broke dry and I started running out the rack. I had already pocketed four balls and was perfect on my next shot when he turns his cue upside down, looks at me threateningly, and says I am trying to hustle him... I was buzzed and not fazed at all. I said, "Are you ****ing serious? You asked me to play for a beer. It is a $2 beer...you really think I am trying to hustle you?". The guy I just talked to about going to the same high school steps between us and tries to calm him down and asks me to give the other guy some respect. I raked all of the balls off the table and said, "I'm done playing pool." Nobody else played a single game until the place closed. I am sure nobody played because of the bikers that did stay but did keep to their area of the bar which happened to be near the pool table. I went out on the dance floor with my friends...which were all chicks with me.
Most Bikers are down to earth real people. Sure some can be edgy and may even be intimidating.
They key is RESPECT. Don't be a dick head and think your going to get away with it.
I worked in a biker bar for several years, not real, real hardcore, but many opportunities for things to go wrong, and if it did, it was usually someone drunk getting out of line, or within the ranks.
These guys are just people like the rest of us. They can be your best friends or your worst enemies, the choice is usually up to you.
They key is RESPECT. Don't be a dick head and think your going to get away with it.
I worked in a biker bar for several years, not real, real hardcore, but many opportunities for things to go wrong, and if it did, it was usually someone drunk getting out of line, or within the ranks.
These guys are just people like the rest of us. They can be your best friends or your worst enemies, the choice is usually up to you.
NPR, but I shook hands with Sonny Barger, once. He's the founder and past President of the Oakland chapter of the Hell's Angels. Pleasant fellow. :smile:
Don't believe it, many of those guys are psychotic. Someone mentioned about going to school with some of them and feeling safe. Again, don't believe it, they will turn on you in a second.
I knew many bikers and did not trust any of them, not even the ones I had gone to school with and knew since we were kids.
nice avi .... just saying :thumbup:
I have a couple "H A" that I am tight with...stay out of there shit and all is good
Depends when you catch them. If you run into one at a bar and he is there alone most of them turn out to be alright guys. You get them around their "pack' then it's a whole different story.
I'm from South Dakota and just hope this shit don't spill over to Sturgis this August.
usually the hang around guys that are the pain in the asses! patched bikers get in trouble if they cause shit and bring attention to club for bs
Banks
Banned
They're about the same as any other gang. Multiple is likely trouble, but alone they don't do much and are usually low-key. Some hung out at the first bar i frequented. One time, playing pool with a relatively young Joker, another was getting mouthy about a friend and i because he didn't like moving out of the way or something. The much smaller Joker walked up, opened his jacket a little, said something quietly and soon we were all friends.
Another time, a biker got kicked out for being drunk and trying to get roudy. A bit later, he returned with four or so buddies. The bartender was quick to chat with them and the next thing you know, the buddies were kicking their friend out of the bar!
That bar wasn't a biker bar, though. Just a place for people to get real drunk real cheap. Had it's share of all kinds of criminals and drinkers.
I remember growing up in SoCal and seeing rows and rows of bikers when we went to Big Bear for the burro races. Thought it was cool back then, until i learned better.
Back in the '80s in Leesville, Louisiana, when I was stationed at Ft. Polk, I used to hang out in a little dive called the "Wolf's Den", which was the main hangout/clubhouse of the local gang, a 1% club, albeit a pretty small chapter. I played nickel/dime games with several of those guys on one of the two Valley Cougar BBs they had there. I took a little over $100 off a guy one night...he was kind of a jerk for the most part, but like the others took losing no harder than your average casual player. I had no problems with any of them. The next night he was stabbed to death by a fellow club member for slapping his old lady; he bled out under that very same table. Place closed for a couple of weeks. I even got a tattoo from the chapter president, a pretty nice fella and a damn good tattoo artist.
Another time, just three doors down from the Wolf's Den was another little hole abutted up against the railroad tracks. I took $200 off a group of railroad men playing 3 ball (Leesville was a layover for the railroad, lots of those guys passing through)...I left about midnight; one of the railroad workers was found the next morning on the tracks behind the bar. He'd been cut in half with a chainsaw. Yessiree, Leesville was a pretty rough place back then; probably still is.
Another time, just three doors down from the Wolf's Den was another little hole abutted up against the railroad tracks. I took $200 off a group of railroad men playing 3 ball (Leesville was a layover for the railroad, lots of those guys passing through)...I left about midnight; one of the railroad workers was found the next morning on the tracks behind the bar. He'd been cut in half with a chainsaw. Yessiree, Leesville was a pretty rough place back then; probably still is.
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I love to ride and rode most of my life from age 15.
Don't ride any more, I had a near death accident about 10 years ago.
I'm '6'3 but not a biker, don't look like one either.
In the 70's, I use to ride across Illinois and Missouri on country roads when rain was expected.
I'd stop at the 1st bar I came to after getting soaked.
Most of the small town bars had at least one table.
I'd buy a couple beers and tip at least a dollar each beer. More if it looked like money might be made.
When I left, I'd leave a tip based on the size of my winnings and if I thought I'd be back.
Rarely did I ever have any problems collecting and if I did, I just left without.
Don't ride any more, I had a near death accident about 10 years ago.
I'm '6'3 but not a biker, don't look like one either.
In the 70's, I use to ride across Illinois and Missouri on country roads when rain was expected.
I'd stop at the 1st bar I came to after getting soaked.
Most of the small town bars had at least one table.
I'd buy a couple beers and tip at least a dollar each beer. More if it looked like money might be made.
When I left, I'd leave a tip based on the size of my winnings and if I thought I'd be back.
Rarely did I ever have any problems collecting and if I did, I just left without.
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