Minneapolis Spokesman

CORE Report Reveals Problems Negro Bowlers Face in Local Alleys

By NELL RUSSELL

The Minneapolis CORE this week released a report showing the results of a series of eight tests in some of the more popular neighborhood bowling centers. The tests show a "diversified acceptance" of Negro bowlers.

• Alteration or removal of reservation slips;
• Alleged acceptance of only "regular clientele" or "standing reservations" during periods of open bowling;
• Passing-the-buck by management for responsibility of policy;
• Fixing the whereabouts and identity of the manager;
• Management alleging "non-cooperation" of pin setters.

The CORE report stated that in only one instance and from only one person was there direct evidence of non-acceptance. At the same time it was observed that management in some cases showed a "definitely biased attitude."

A report of one of the test cases revealed the following type of experience Negro bowlers can expect from some bowling alleys;

Two groups of CORE bowlers tested one of the leading bowling lanes in February. Both the Negro and the white group had reservations, the Negro group for 8:00 P.M., the white group for 7:30 P.M. When the Negro group arrived, the white group had not been as yet assigned an alley.

The manager of the alley told the Negro bowlers that they probably wouldn't be able to bowl that evening because there were eight people scheduled ahead of them. When they protested that their reservation had been accepted by telephone, the manager said he hadn't taken the reservation and that the person who had taken the reservation "had no business" doing so. He added that there was no reason for the group to sit down and wait as it would be impossible for them to bowl. He suggested trying the alley across the street.

When the spokesman for the Negro group suggested that her party wait in the event that some of the other parties scheduled didn't show up, the manager insisted it would be useless to wait.

The Negro group nevertheless waited for two hours and fifteen minutes. During that time the members of the group reported that two white parties without reservations came in and were promised an opportunity to bowl. One of these parties offered to give their alley to the Negro group, but the latter did not accept.

Four alleys became vacant while the Negro group waited, the report alleges. Two of the alleys were assigned to the two parties who had come into the alley after the Negro group and who had no reservations.

The Negro group approached the manager, told him they knew some of the people then bowling and knew that they had not had reservations. The manager reportedly "became very flustered," tried to alibi the situation, and stated that the alleys were "too small" they could not accommodate their trade and that something would have to be done about reservations.

The man told the group "from now on we won't take reservations." He stated that if the group wanted to bowl, the members could come in "anytime" and wait their turn with everybody else. He also said that he "had no objection" to Negroes bowling on the alleys; in fact, he stated the alleys had "colored people come here during the day in the afternoons to bowl every once in awhile."

The Negro group left the alley with the understanding that from that date on the alleys would not accept reservations and the policy would be first come, first served.