Club cards, page 2

Tulsa Pop Culture

Liquor-by-the-wink club cards, page 2

(from Guestbook 168) Frank Morrow said:

Frank in the KRMG Newsmobile The subject of bootleggers brings back a lot of memories for us old guys. (See my previous yarn about making a raid on a bootlegger when I was driving the KRMG Newsmobile.) Although I wasn't a beer drinker, I noticed that the 3.2 didn't prevent people from guzzling the stuff.

It was always amusing to see a guy come to TU from out of state. He would always look down on 3.2 beer, and loudly proclaim that this "watered down stuff" couldn't get anybody drunk. He didn't need to say that again after waking up with a hangover the next day.

The old saying was that the Drys had their law and the Wets had their liquor. All that was needed to buy booze was to have some money and the ability to make a phone call. Shortly, you'd have a knock on your door. Any three-year old could theoretically buy alcohol. I frequently heard that some students helped put themselves through college by bootlegging

There were some places in Oklahoma where you actually could buy whiskey by the drink. In Spavinaw there were bars where you could get almost any kind of mixed drink. But, usually there always was the charade of carrying your booze into a night club, making sure that the brown paper bag or special, booze bottle holder stayed under the table. You would then be served set-ups. Everyone knew what was going on, but everyone played the game. I never heard of anyplace being raided.

I was in the Navy when Oklahoma finally became a wet state. I understand that this occurred when the anti-dry governor decided to change the law by enforcing it. When he dried up the state, the boozers screamed. That did it. After that, Jesus could change water into wine and not be put in jail.

The webmaster now continues with memories of his liquor-by-the-wink cards:

The Spudder - It's still there on Sheridan! The decor is early oil field. Bishop's Alley Club was associated with Dale Bishop of Record Alley, I believe.

The Brook - Now a restaurant, formerly a movie theatre, then a venue for the American Theatre Company. You could watch the show with coffee or a Foster's oil can-sized beer. Home of Joyce Martel and Stand-up comic night.

20th Century Electric Company - Out in the industrial district. It had a huge lighted disco floor that pre-dated disco. A DJ played rock and roll records over a good sound system and often a live drummer added his bit from a high platform up front. I remember hearing Eric Clapton's version of "Motherless Children" from the 461 Ocean Boulevard album ...perhaps on June 29, 1974.

Tiki Nook Club - Maybe the readers out there will remember more about this one than I do. A remnant of the Exotica/Tiki culture of the early 60s? (see the Tulsa Tiki page for more).

Duke's Country - Out at Admiral and 129th at the site of the old Horn Bros. furniture store. Home of urban cowboys.

KMOD Long Live Rock card (The next four cards are not private club cards) - Issued to help foster solidarity in the anti-disco faction.

Talking Heads at the Cain's - They had just released their 3rd album, "Fear of Music". Great show. The opening act was Randy Ess and the Invisible Band (with my brother Alan on bass).

NBT Weather Teller card - see the Weather page for comments about this.

Garfield's Beer Club - This card is from the mid-80s. It was to be initialed by the manager or waiter each time you downed a different brew. Once you racked up 24, you would be immortalized in a Beer Hall of Fame plaque on the back of a chair at the bar.

At the time, I worked as a line pipe buyer for Whitney Supply, and was frequently taken out to lunch for a "mullet" (free lunch) by the vendors. It surely would have been a feather in my cap for the boss to note that I was an honoree.

Whitney was sold off by Texaco for the value of its assets in August of '87. My bid for greatness (and another free meal) was cut tragically short.

Today, Cowboy Sharkie's is at the old 60th & Memorial Garfield's location.

(from GroupBlog 221) Jeff H said:
Vince Orza is chairman of Eateries Inc., a restaurant corporation with three different concepts, including Garfield's, which was the first started in the early 80s. Eateries is based in Edmond, OK.

Garfield's card

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