OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME Bill Spiller Pioneer forced PGA to change its ways BY AL BARKOW 68 to tie for second with no less than here is a theory of history that Ben Hogan. says one individual’s actions can Spiller couldn’t Talter its course. keep that level A good example is Oklahoma-born Bill of golf going, but Spiller, who single-handedly began the he (and Rhodes) effort to eliminate discrimination against finished in the African-Americans in U.S. professional top 60, and that tournament golf. was the kindling Another view of history has it that only that Spiller used the winners write it. Bill Spiller figures in to ignite his fiery this equation, too, in a sense. He was not battle against the in any way a loser, in that his crusade to golf establishment. abolish golf’s racial barriers was ulti- A rule on the Tour mately successful, but his contribution has at the time said never received the level of recognition it that the top 60 deserves. finishers in a tour- Spiller was born in Tishomingo in 1913, nament were auto- and spent his grammar and high school matically qualified years in Tulsa. After taking a degree in for the next official education from Wiley College, an all-black event. Based on school in Texas, the only position he could their LA Open get was as a teacher at $60 a month. He showings, moved to Los Angeles and took a job as Spiller (T29) a redcap in Los Angeles’ Union Station, and Rhodes 2015 Inductee where the money was much better and a (T22), quali- co-worker introduced him to golf. fied to be in Bill Spiller did not wait his turn. A good athlete -- he ran track and the starting played on the basketball team at Wiley field at the major-league baseball, Spiller was inspired -- Spiller found he had knack for golf. Richmond Open. However, they didn’t to do something about it. He found a Bay Despite a late start in a game favoring start. After playing a practice round at the Area lawyer, Jonathan Rowell, who had early starters -- he was 29 -- in only three Richmond CC, on the northern tip of the handled discrimination cases. Rowell filed or so years he was able to contend against San Francisco Bay area, Spiller and Rhodes a suit in the name of Spiller, Ted Rhodes the likes of Ted were informed that and Madison Gunter, a local amateur who Rhodes, How- because they were not had made it through a qualifying round, ard Wheeler, “We all know it’s members of the PGA against the PGA of America for $315,000; Zeke Harts- coming,” said Spiller. of America, they could $5,000 per man against the Richmond field, and all not play. They were CC, and $100,000 each against the PGA the other top “We’re going to play in not members, because of America, Spiller’s main target. The black golfers of the tournaments. the association had a Richmond club’s manager, Pat Markov- the time -- the clause in its constitu- ich, had no problem with black players 1940s. At 35, tion that limited mem- participating, but his hands were tied after working a night shift schlepping bag- bership to Caucasian men; which is to say, by a standard contract with the PGA of gage, Spiller qualified for the 1948 Los An- whites. Or, non-blacks. America in which it was stipulated that geles Open, one of the two Tour events at Aware of and deeply rankled by that the association had an absolute mandate the time that gave blacks entry to compete clause, in this time when Jackie Robin- on the makeup of the competitive field in against whites. He shot an opening-round son had just broken the color barrier in tournaments it sanctioned. 48 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME It was the first time anyone challenged play), teaching occasion- the PGA on this issue, and the associa- ally at driving ranges, tion got cute in its response. The PGA’s caddying, and, to keep attorney, perhaps accidentally, met Rowell his hand in the dispute on the train to Los Angeles, where the suit with the PGA was a was to be heard. He told Rowell that if the lone picket protester at action was dropped, the PGA would no a tournament in Long longer discriminate against blacks in Open Beach, California. events. Rowell took him at his word, and Then came another dropped the suit. The PGA then suggested opportunity that would to tournament sponsors that they desig- bring intense focus on nate their events as Open Invitationals. In- the question, and the vitationals was the operative word. Except first move forward. for the LA Open, and the Tam O’Shanter Spiller and Eural Clark, Open and World tournaments in Chicago, a black amateur, were no other sponsors invited blacks. The Tam invited to qualify for O’Shanter events were the first to invite the inaugural San Diego blacks to qualify and play (beginning in Open in 1952. Spiller 1943), and because the purse money was qualified, Clark did not. so attractive, the white tour pros played There was a vital add- whether it was sanctioned or not; same on, however. The San Spiller observes the putting of Joe Louis, his frequent companion. with the LA Open. Diego sponsors, anxious Spiller was stopped, for a time. Lacking for publicity, also invited Joe Louis, the stepped in, dictating that Spiller and Louis funds -- Rowell had asked only for expens- great former heavyweight boxing cham- could not play. es but was no longer available -- Spiller pion, to play as an amateur without Spiller had warned Louis this might spent the next four years starting a family, qualifying. Louis, an avid golfer with a happen, and Louis took action. He con- playing on the slap-dash black tour for high-single-digit handicap, accepted the tacted Walter Winchell, a popular nation- small purses (and in which whites could offer. But again, as in Richmond, the PGA ally syndicated newspaper columnist Bill Spiller did not wait his turn. www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 49 OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME and radio journalist, who broadcast on the Sunday before tournament week that the iconic boxing great, who served his country in the Army during World War II, was barred from playing in a golf tournament because of his race. This prompted Horton Smith, presi- dent of the PGA, to hold a meeting in San Diego in an effort to ameliorate the negative publicity. It was attended by PGA players on the tournament commit- tee, Jack Burke, Jr. and Leland Gibson, and Louis and Clark. Spiller was not invited, because Smith wanted to avoid his sharp tongue. He didn’t. With the meeting just getting under way, Jimmy Demaret spotted Spiller in the hallway outside the meeting room and said he should be in there. Spiller entered the room and was recognized by Smith, who asked him if he had anything to say. Leonard Reed, Bill Spiller, Teddy Rhodes and Joe Louis. “We all know it’s coming,” said Spiller. out so we can get jobs as pros at clubs.” approached Spiller and asked him to give “We’re going to play in the tournaments. Then Spiller asked why he wasn’t in the them a chance to work things out. Spiller So if you like golf the way you say you do, first-round pairings. He got the answer he said he would hold off for a time, but and I do, we should make an agreement knew was coming, and responded: “That’s added, “You ran over me the last time, and so we can play without all this publicity. not good enough. I’ll see you in court.” aren’t going to this time.” And take that Caucasians-only clause As he left the room Burke and Dodson Spiller never brought the suit, because Fall Tournament Dates Still Available South Lakes 9253 S. Elwood Jenks, America 5501 S. Yale Ave., Tulsa, Okla. 918-746-3760 918-496-6200 www.SouthLakesGolf.com www.LaFortuneParkGolf.com 50 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME things did more or less work out. Joe Louis was allowed to play, Spiller was not and to express his anger over this he stood in protest in the middle of the first tee the morning of the first round. Only after Louis talked him into moving did the tourna- ment begin. However, that same week the PGA announced that black golfers could play as “Approved Entries” wherever they were invited. This time some sponsors did offer, and a week later Ted Rhodes, Joe Louis, a young Charlie Sifford, and two black ama- teurs were invited to play in the Phoenix Open. It was a breakthrough, to be sure, but a certain generosity was missing. All the blacks were paired together and sent off first for round one. Human feces were found in the cup on the first hole and they were asked not to use the clubhouse facilities. A defiant Spiller went in to take a shower, raising serious physical danger signs, and at the behest of Louis he relented and showered elsewhere. In the end, Spiller played in 10 tournaments on the 1952 Tour, all on the coasts. Demaret and others who were on their side told the blacks to avoid the southern tournaments. They did, until Sifford began playing through the region three years later. By this time Spiller, now in his early 40s, was past his prime as a player and entered only a few events in the ‘50s.