Throw A Ball Win A Prize

In the 30s and 40s, families enjoyed a summer evening by attending the local fair or carnival. Along with their support for a worthwhile organization,such as a church or veterans group, they were entertained and amused.

Small canvas booths featured exciting fare such as darts thrown at balloons and wooden rings that never seemed to fit around a milk bottle when tossed but would when placed. The booth that got the most play and made the most money, was very well-planned. The day before the setup a few men would drive 20 miles to Boston and look for just the right black man to bring back to town. He had to be bald and he had to be bought with a bottle of cheap wine. He would be positioned behind a curtain in the booth with his head protruding. On the counter would be piles of 3 to 6 balls that looked like baseballs but were much softer . Out front a large sign read: HIT THE N----- ON THE HEAD-WIN A PRIZE. ( The N Word was spelled out )The booth caretaker, barking the same words, had no trouble enticing the locals to give it a go, much to the delight of the spectators. Everybody had a good time. Not a fond memory