Bill Spiller

Background

He was born in Tishomingo, Oklahoma and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma as a nine-year-old to live with his father where he quickly learned the drawbacks of being black in America.

Career

He was an excellent athlete, a two-sport star in high school. Spiller went on to enroll at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, and earned an education degree. He didn"t take up the sport of golf until he was about 30.

Spiller moved to Southern California to try to make a living teaching, but it wasn"t enough to get by, so he worked as a railroad porter.

Spiller took up the challenge of a fellow porter in Los Angeles to try golf. He started competing and winning blacks-only amateur golf tournaments during the 1940s.

After being denied entry in the 1948 Richmond Open held in Richmond, California by the Professional Golf Association of America, Spiller spent many years challenging the segregation policy of the Professional Golf Association of America. The professional golf at the time was controlled by the Professional Golf Association of America which required tournaments to give it final say over who could participate.

One of its rules was that participants must be Caucasian.

A golfer who was otherwise qualified (such as Spiller) could be denied tournament entry for not being Caucasian. Spiller sued with the assistance of Bay Area attorney Jonathan Rowell. The basis of the lawsuit filed by Spiller and fellow golfer Ted Rhodes was that the golfers were denied a right to earn a living in the sport because the Professional Golf Association was a closed shop.

Under the Taft-Hartley Acting such rules were against the law.

Shortly before the court date, they withdrew the lawsuit in return for a promise from the Professional Golf Association lawyer that the Professional Golf Association would end discrimination. The Professional Golf Association reneged on its end of the bargain and began sponsoring "invitational tournaments" to which blacks were not invited.

In 1952, the sponsors of the new San Diego Open invited Spiller, unaware of the "Caucasians only" clause. When both men were excluded by president of the Professional Golf Association of America Horton Smith, Louis took his story to popular newspaper columnist Walter Winchell.

The story quickly gained national attention as other newspapers spread the word.

Once again, Spiller threatened to sue. Once again, Smith promised to change the rules. This time the Professional Golf Association of America announced blacks could play, if invited.

Some sponsors began inviting blacks, however the segregation clause remained.

In 1960, Spiller"s cause came to the attention of California attorney general (and future California Supreme Court justice) Stanley Mosk. Mosk told the Professional Golf Association of America it would not be allowed to use public courses.

At the time, most tournaments were held on public courses. When the Professional Golf Association of America replied that it would restrict itself to private courses, Mosk promised to stop that as well.

Furthermore, he began contacting state attorneys general around the country.

The Professional Golf Association of America relented in November 1961, removing the clause it had inserted in 1943. lieutenant was too late for Spiller to have a successful professional golf career. Spiller had not started until he was almost 30 and the clause wasn"t removed until he was 48.

However it opened the door for the next generation of players.

In 2009, the Professional Golf Association of America granted posthumous membership to Spiller, Rhodes, and John Shippen. The Professional Golf Association also has granted posthumous honorary membership to Joe Louis.

Achievements

• This time he was assisted by fellow invitee and former heavyweight champion Joe Louis.