Who remembers the bar fights at the Sportmans in the late 70s early 80s. I remember Pom wacking a German contractor, followed by Graham Meek and late entry Billy Summers. Then the women proceeded get in on the action with them shouting like f.........g moer him, kick his in head doll.Twenty minutes later in walks Rodger and the Gang. No more problem. The German ends up being the Poms best friend and buying each other drinks.
Bar fights .. yes working in the bars saw a few .. but to start off ... an extract of a writing I did on Iscatterlings ... it had to do with grudges and bar fights and would occur in the wild old daysof the 50's and early 60's continued into the 70's and 80's as well .. I recall my dad telling us about this happening .. so read on ...
funny remembering grudges ... I remember him talking about one of the social climbing brown nosing snobs who had pissed off a lot of
good honest working people ( himself included ) .. anyhow said person
was put in place when there was a function on ( dance or
something of the like ) game plan was that when said person was
in vicinity of bar at top end of rec club hall ( mostly men
collecting drinks at bar ) a scuffle would be put into play .
this scuffle would then suck in said person during which time he
would get a good amount of blows just to teach a lesson ...
Witnesses ?? .. None that would testify as to who started the fight
in fact the snob more than likely got the blame ..the old saying
eendrag maak mag .. or the conspiracy of silence .. ??
Here's a scan of the bar hours, just for interest sake I guess....
SandyB.
One of the "Old Snobs" read your posting and pointed out to me that the reason he does not participate in this site is due to the events that you describe.
Just makes me wonder how many other people are afraid to post due to predudice and jealousy.
@ Kenny .. That was an incident from 60's / early 70's that I was recounting .. and yes unfortunately there were people who where ruthless in their trying to climb the ladder and would step on anybody to become a big fish in the small pond ,, cliques ,, the artisan class and the " staff ' the snobs .. all part of small town happening .. of course its a no names mentioned thing .. so really they got nothing to lose as its all bygones .. .. My Dad did the transition from " artisan class " to staff / management / boss .. even standing in for engineers when they were off .. but he never forgot his roots or where he came from , thats the mistake some make , they forget .. I would not put it to jealousy or predujice , instead more a case of what you sow you reap .. good leaders never forget where they came from , instead use their past experience wisely ..
If not part of the bad part of the " old snobs " then they got nothing to lose ..
But yes my years of working in the bars in the late 70's gave me one hell of an insight into the small yet cosmopolitan and crazy society we lived in .. and the fights .. Boy were they something to observe .. as a barman we should have got danger pay some nights ..
@ Sandy bravo
Nicely put.
Our postings didn't stop Gordon Brown from joining us......and giving us his point of view.
So??????
Ja - that place - if you were an engineer or something similar you were called in if it was found out that you had a drink with the Plebs - even if it was in the process of "team building" that did not change the crime. I remember an engineer that went out with his foreman and artisans for drinks on Friday evenings - he was 'as a result' called in and told that if this behaviour persisted that it could and would affect his chances of any promotions etc - he told them where to get off (i will not mention his name - i think he still works for De Beers)
regards Gus.
Why and where did this "hang-up" originate from, that kind have mentality has disappeared these days.... it's actually sad if you think about it...how many friendships have been lost..... idontknow
Mike I imagine it was just the way things were in those days ,, more formal , more invisible lines . and those trying to ensure their exisitence .. especially in a small community ..Business seems to run on a more informal basis nowadays .. years ago you would not use your boss's first name in addressing him .. nowadays its ok either way . its a case of we all together in this game so lets make it work and show mutual respect and decency to each other ..
sadly so there were the cliques who really thought they were something .. meanwhile just the big fish in the small pond ..
Perhaps a hang up from WW2, where there was rank and order.... discipline and then this would have filtered down into civilian life after the war ended... if one looks at the the old Appie training photo's.... you can see the stern look on the faces.....
Possibility Mike ..
Hi Guys.
Sometimes the casualness these days goes to far, and the staff get upset when the boss has to be the boss.
I only went into Caseys the day before I left the mine.
Perhaps the Affenrucken mob were far too good for the town rabble. :emot19:
Now lets break away from that subject .. .. A really good barfight with no class distinctions ..
I was on duty one friday night in sportsmans .. possibly a symptom of people being cooped in small town .. buildup of frustrations or whatever ??
early on in the evening one could pick up the crackle in the air .. still said to Oom Jan " theres trouble brewing here tonight.. early in evening already had to put one patron in place for harrassing Aaron the barman .. during course of evening there was this one short scots contractor sitting at the corner of the bar looking down in the dumps .. started pouring out his story of woe with his girlfriend in Joburg .. so I used the secret number to get through to the exchange ( phone was barred but one could get through with the secret number ) spoke to one of my friends on the board and organised a call for this very distressed man .. he had a long chat to his girlfriend and seemed to patch things up .. he was very gratefull to me for this favour , and indeed i needed it later on in the evening ...
Come closing time .. last rounds .. people had bought far too much booze and were taking their time finishing off and moving out .. groups that when you siad " ladies gents bar closing in 5 mins " just looked at you blankly through the haze .. time was not on their minds .. anyhow , suddenly I observe this one crazed character lifting up the cover on one of the snooker tables climbing on and tucking himself in ( going to sleep the silly bugger ) so I go there shake him and ask him if he knows where he is , that this is sportsmans bar snooker table and not his bed .. he was quite civil .. oops so he apologises and crawls out from under the cover , as i turned away he set upon me gave me a sideswipe to the jaw .. there was an ensuing scuffle where i ended up on top of him .. said then that he better go quietly .. Nope he did not want to .. so i said fine got up grabbed him by the feet and proceeded to drag him out .. there was i with this character dragging him behind me like a wheelbarrow .. so engrossed in this mission that when i got to the doorway which was now crowded with people slugging down the last drinks did not see untill i virtually bumped into this very tall character .. i hear the words " hey what are you doing to my friend " I look up , yes a very tall character ..I'm now in the shit .. suddenly out of nowhere comes the short scotsman that I helped with the phonecall earlier in the evening .. he launched himself like a missile flying through the air and connected the tall fellow in the stomach , he fell backwards out of the doorway onto the paving outside , in this melee a lot more people falling over and on top of each other .. well this was like the needle bursting the boil .. the ensuing letting off of steam that followed on the lawn outside and into the street .. men women , all of the social strata made no diffs ..no names mentioned . all were having a go at each other ..hilarious was one very tall and well built woman doing an improvised version of kickboxing .. sort of swung leg out at waist height .. Bang ! another one down .. and if she gave someone a klap you could hear it !! the scotsman still doing his flying like a missile stunt on the lawn .. women hitting men cos they hit their husbands .. women laying into each other .. men hitting and scuffling .. everybody pushing shoving .. language to make a sailor blush .. the bar emptied very quickly now with people coming out to see what was going on .. they too got sucked up into the fight .. ouch ! those with sense ducked out sideways and kept as close to the wall some clambering over the low wall on the side .. this mess continued untill a security van suddenly appeared on the scene .. well it all just melted away people disapeared in all directions ...
The next morning I was called in for a post mortem of what happened .. asked who where and what .. said it all happened so quickly and could not say who actually started it or who was actually involved .. I found that most people kept their traps shut , either to protect or out of embarressment .. such was the way things worked that I knew that some of the contractors would have lost their jobs .. and possibly some of the permanent staff as well .. that was the interference that I did not like .. what you did in your after work hours was your own business .. and anyhow it was a bar fight albeit of mammoth proportions .. a letting off of steam how could one fire people for that .. all was forgotten and the following week there were the usual crowd who were hitting the s.. out of each other the previous week all drinking happily together ... only diffs I noticed a few security fellas lurking around just in case of a repeat ..
Great story Sandy- You tell them well.
:emot112_2: Well told Sandy.... I remember Aaron....
Ja Aaron me and Ronnie worked alternate shifts together .. i liked him quiet and dignified .. in the incident with the patron that i put in place .. when he was initially laid into by this drunk cretin .. he just said that he could not conduct a converstaion of anysorts with this person .. excused himself and went into the small alcove on the side of the bar where there was a sink and quitely busied himself washing some glasses .. obviously biting his tongue and holding back .. this cretin proceeded to go around the side and harrassed him again .. thats when I sprang into action .. Mr ..... you are drunk disorderly and totally out of order .. if you do not wish to thrown out of this bar then stop now !! of course everybody could hear this and started to cheer as they had obviously had their fill of said person already pestering them . he realised he was now in the eye and departed but not with a few choice words in my direction .. told him it made no diffs .. he can say what he wants .. he wont remember it in the morning .. but I will be able to and each time look at him as the silly fool he is .. More cheers !! ha ha !!
Sandy, great story,
Hereis one of mine
Behind the bar one night and someone who already had a couple too many was highly peaved off at me beacuse I mentioned it, and suggested he leave early. He leaned over and grabbed me by the shirt & tried to pull me over the counter, the buttons popped and I pulled back, as I listened to the abuse I told him I would get my friends to sort him out, while still talking to him I rolled up a piece of newspaperhe was still leaning over the bar when I lit the paper and waved it under the bar counter. Once my friends ( the cockroaches ) came out on his side of the bar he was quick to move and so disgusted he left. Everyone else p.ssed themselves laughing
Don't know if you ever took a look under the bar and saw what these critters lived on.
THE NIGHT OF THE FIERCE LITTLE SCOTSWOMAN ..
I was on bar duty the one night at bowling club fundraising dance .. anyhow evening moving on .. my Dad came to the bar and told me that he could see some trouble brewing .. again no names mentioned .. there was a guy who by whatever means had made himself unpopular with some of the guys .. anyhow he asked if i could drop a friendly word in his ear as he did not want any trouble at the dance .. I spoke to said person quitely when he came to the bar .. he obviously took no notice and stayed on .. ( better choice would have been to leave ) anyhow my Da and i too saw the ganging up later on .. so dad took it upon himself to quietly esort the guy out of the rec club hall .. of course when he got back inside .. the one ringleader .. a very tall blonde guy decided to take his frustration out on my dad . and collared him .. Now if anyone knows the history of my Dad he was an ex paratrooper .. he may have been short but was tough as nails and could take care of himself and needed no protection but also knew the value of restraint .. anyhow heres this character now doing the push shove thing .. my dad i could see doing his best to control himself, and resolve the matter amicably .. suddenly out of the blue theres my Mum .. she shoves my Dad out fo the way and tackles this guy .. it was comic strip funny .. heres this short scotswoman .. got this guy .. holding onto his tie and pulling his head down to her reach and bopping him each time and saying " you great big ( frenchword) bully .. try picking on someone your own size , you want a fight try me for size " well this sidelined this guy so badly .. he first tried calling my dad a coward needing the protetcion of his woman .. this amde my Mum even madder for that he got another bop or two .. realising he was now on the receiving end of a formidable team and if he in anyway retaliated to my Mom would have to deal with my Dad .. and most probably my Mom as well stormed out of the dance .. was a quiet chappy thereafter at gatherings ..
I remember one of my Moms sayings if you were in trouble with her " Im gonna knock ten colours of shit out of you " thats when you got out of the way .. as a girl from the gorbals she too had learnt to take care of herself , and recounted to me tales from her youth of guys that used to take the long way home if they knew she was watiing for them .. this fierce woman mellowed over the years .. ( thankfully . but always kept a careful eye over her brood .. even when grown up .. I had phonecalls even when setteld down and in my forties .. whats the problem ?/ you better sort it out or i will come around and do it for you ?? You knew then what you had to do ... sort it out and quick !! Bless you Mom ..
gotta love the balls of the Glaswegian lasses....... :emot112_2:
aye ,the gorbels,Jock and Flora's, time hey barbs ,bless Dad jock.
Nice tale Sandy, I will show it to my dad this week, he will no doubt have a wee laugh at it.... :emot112_2:
Very nice story Sandy.