Peoria's Growing Bands of Thugs

It seems pretty common to see in print that Peoria Police are spending more time, money and risk breaking up bands of thugs who disperse as soon as the policee with their sirens blaring approach the site of the mob fighting and vandalism. These bands of thugs remind me of the course of events at the last basketball game I refereed in 1958 or 9. Roy Romani, former coach, and I, also a former coach, where selected by LaSalle-Peru Junior College to referee the finals of a Regional Tournament. The finals were between the locals and an all black college out of Chicago. L-P won 71-70. As we hustled of the floor we were verbally assaulted and spit on by the busloads of blacks that accompanied to team to the finals. We leisurely took our showers and lingered in the locker room to allow the losing fans to disperse. To our shock when we emerged from the locker room to find all the Chicago fans lined up on both sides of the school exit corridor. They began verbally assaulting us, threatening physical violence, etc. I told Roy and Bill Booker, a friend of ours and a former football lineman at Western, to look at no one and head for the nearest exit. We made it and one of the "fans" followed us outside. We turned and started after him. He tried to get back into the gym but the door had no handle. We started chasing him and harassing him yet no one opened the door for him to get back inside. Bill fell and tore a hole in his pants and I ripped both handles off my gym bag. Finally someone opened the door and let him back inside. We were worn out and headed for the nearest watering hole. It took us 10 minutes to stop laughing before we could enjoy our drinks. The next day, I got a call from Dr. Mini, the President of the college, who profusely apologized that we had been left alone with the Chicago fans. I booked a full schedule of games for the next season including L-P College, Ottawa, Rock Falls, Bradley Freshman under Joe Stowell, Sr. and East Aurora plus two other Jr. Colleges. Unfortunately, I was promoted by my company to be District Manager of the Capital of Kansas, Topeka, where my lovely daughter Nancy Ann was born. My refereeing days were over. Thugs of all races are brave when they are in mobs. They are not so brave when alone, typical of the mobs forming in Peoria, forming because money for more security was spent on new amenities rather than on additional security in a more violent community, badly needing improved streets, sidewalks and curbs and more probation officers and zoning violation personnel. Peoria is the prime example of where the wealthy arrogant elites and wannabees, control the destination of the city. We've got the facilities but the residents are moving out where the schools and safety are better and they can come back and use the nice facilities Peorian's are paying and paying, for.