Why are there so few black pro players..?

I think working class pool players of all ethnicities have way more in common than we realize. When first bitten by the game, most of us didn't have the resources or the know-how to actually pursue it properly. I didn't have a clue and I quickly wore out my high school buddies interest. I was on my own. 5th child of 6. Mother struggling with her mental health, and father barely hanging on. Did I have any help available? Nope.

We can really divide ourselves up into camps but I've always loved that -- at least to me -- when I'm playing pool, I only care about putting the balls in the pockets. So when I come across someone who can do it well -- they get my respect.
 
Don't think I know of any pool player who came from money. Were they there and undercover? Or just not there?
 
if you are top at anything you get to compete with all. and negotiate salaries. those that fall short complain its the system that holds them back.
 
virtually all the top players have had a table at home or one where they could play for free. and usually a mentor as well that was a high speed player.

a few came from just gambling, as they stayed in action all day everyday and won.
 
Biloxi Boy said:
Don't think I know of any pool player who came from money. Were they there and undercover? Or just not there?
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I've known a few really good players from my area that came from big money. Just about all had family's in the oil'gaz biz. Dick Lane came from a family with huge bankrolls on both sides.
 
garczar said:
I've known a few really good players from my area that came from big money. Just about all had family's in the oil'gaz biz. Dick Lane came from a family with huge bankrolls on both sides.
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I don't know these folk's particular circumstances, but OK OGM money came from and produced a special breed of cat -- stereotypical balls to the wall, everything on the line all of the time, wildcatter -- real fine DNA for a pool player if you ask me. But it is still money and must count for something. I was thinking rich boys slumming,
 
Biloxi Boy said:
Don't think I know of any pool player who came from money. Were they there and undercover? Or just not there?
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only cueist i can think of is ronnie o'sullivan, whose dad owned several porn shops in london. he later got jailed for murder after a bar brawl, so we're not talking class here but money.

other than that i don't know. i guess "define money". it's not an expensive sport anyway, until you get in pro territory
 
Ike: Cecil came to Detroit and got staked into BIG action. He made a huge six figure score in his first big match at the Rack.I knew him well from LA having grown up together in the pool world having played him, staked him and watched him for years. He was the best black home grown LA player hands down. May he rest in peace but he had a very sad dark side that in the end contributed to his demise. He blew up his chance to play for the biggest money ever. I won't get into it here but you also know the story. Bamburger if I'm correct in his name also played for huge money himself. He like most pool players black or white messed up his life and passed on very young. Lastly, Gabby could have played for the biggest stakes as you know the money that would become available to him if he chose to play. He took another path. I could name more black players who played great but like their white counterparts chose poorly. Very few pool players if any of my generation had anything to show for their life in pool.
 
For all we know, there could be thousands of black pro pool players. As no one on this forum is racist, we don't see skin colour, just people.
 
JustPlay said:
You are asking a bunch of white people why there is no black pool players? Ask black people. ;)
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How do you know this forum is full of a bunch of White people???

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BasementDweller said:
That's the same story many serious pool players tell. White or black. Pool is still largely a blue-collar pursuit.

Strong stayment. Maybe true in the past.

This simply isn't true anymore. Especially with NIL money now flowing in the college ranks. I'd dare say we now have more black athletes getting paid in this country than any other race. And if they're the best athletes -- then this is a good thing.

Can't argue with you there.
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The only sports that younger Black athletes and Competitors have as a Inspiration goal, major sports-wise, is Baseball (fading attempts to attract African Americans across the country), Football, and Basketball, sports that they can see someone who looks like them. Racing, Golf, Hockey, and other sports, the opportunity to play and train at an early age is extremely limited, and is not encouraged. Look at the development and training of the youth in other countries around the world, and notice how poorly American players are doing against other countries and nations! America is getting destroyed, and by relatively inexperienced players, it much younger players.
 
JAM said:
There's an excellent article written by Mike Geffner about Cisero Murphy in the Village Voice, entitled "Murphy's Law," December 13, 1994. It delves into the segregation of Black pool players at one time. Mr. Geffer said one tournament allowed Cisero to compete because of his last name being Murphy. They thought he was Irish. He competed and won. Years later, he was admitted into the BCA Hall of Fame in 1995, a year before he passed.

Pool as a professional sport was not available to many Black pool players at one time. It was not welcoming to women, either. Today, of course, times have changed.

I created a Wikipedia page for Cisero Murphy many years ago. I'm proud to say it was honored in the Did You Know section of Wikipedia, which is only granted to some Wiki articles: "Did you know that Cisero Murphy was the first African American professional pocket billiards player to ever win a World or U.S. National billiard title?"

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisero_Murphy

Growing on in the DC pool scene, we have many Black pool players who could at one time outrun the nuts of any champion that came to town. DC's Melvin "Strawberry" Brooks, the best in DC at one time, founded the Capital City Classic in an effort to create a venue for players of all caliber and race. Many of these Black players today are what I call "unsung heroes" because they were well known in the American pool world but much preferred to fly under the radar. They realized and were correct that you could make much more money gambling and staying in action than attending pool tournaments. Tin cups and titles were not as attractive to some. Names that come to mind at the time of this writing are Bus Driver Ronnie, Patcheye, "John Henry," Jake and his Uncle Nate, Bugs, Left-handed Kevin, Cecil Tugwell, Marvin Henderson, Youngblood, Ike Runnels, Sterling, Eddie Brown, et cetera. Cliff Joyner did dip his toe in pool tournaments, but he was definitely no stranger to action.

Interestingly, there is an excellent article about James Evans, relatively unknown Black pool great, in Billiards Digest written by Mike Geffner, but I can't find it. It explains a lot about the Black pool community many moons ago.

Strawberry and Keith McCready. Photo taken a year before Strawberry passed away. Strawberry and Left-Handed Kevin had cameo appearances in "The Wire" TV series when it was filmed in Baltimore.

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Left-Handed Kevin and Melvin Williams, who plays The Deacon in "The Wire."

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I started playing pool in mostly Black or racially mixed DC area pool rooms, and I remember many of those players you mention. Back when Bus Driver Ronnie first started playing at Guys and Dolls in Silver Hill, MD, he'd walk in and loudly announce "OKAY, WHO WANTS TO GAMBLE? I'M HERE TO DO SOME DEEP SEA FISHING!" One of my favorite locals ever, and a terrific one pocket player.

Two other DC notables you might add to your list: Lefty Joe and Bill Morton, AKA "Jackie Robinson" or "The Mailman". Jackie in particular was one of the smarter money managers among the local DC players, unlike many of them who'd win a big score and then blow in in a poker game or blow it up their nose. Jackie passed a year ago in his late 80's or early 90's, a total class act.

BTW have you seen Left Handed Kevin lately? He used to play in the Saturday night tournaments at Triple Nines in Elkridge, MD a few years ago, but it's been awhile since I've seen him. He has one the smoother strokes I know of for any player below the pro level.
 
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