Page 85 - William H. "Bull" Marah - Still Fighting

ISSUE : Issue 72

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1997/6/1

the puppet on the throne. So, when I went in, they left me-- and Harold Gordon was kicking the stuff out of (us), eh? He was a professional; I was only an ama? teur. This was our first wage nego? tiation. Bear in mind, now, I had a full board in with me. And he had all his people there. He was making a real ass out of me, in front of my own board. So, I didn't get any help from my people. They should have been helping me. I never said a word. Six days. Seventh day I came in. And I just looked at Gordon, you know. Our fellows were all there. I said, "Do you know something, Gordon?" I didn't say "Mr. Gordon." He said, "What's that, Mr. Marsh?" I said, "The goddamn party is over. All over, starting today." And it was. I made him sorry for that, I'm telling you. I ground him plenty after that--for that, you know. I had 9000 people at that time. And I was negotiating my first contract, with Gor? don- -first contract I ever negotiated.... (And Harold Gordon himself....) Oh, a real brawler. I loved him. But see, somebody like that, you see him there, you know where he's at, you know where he's coming from. He's trying to give it to you, you're trying to him. I Left: Demonstrating his hocicey style for a family photo. Right: Bill with one of the champion dogs that he bred. "Now, when I come back here, I want a desk to pound on!" So they said, "He'll never meet with us again." I said, "So what?" Monday he called up and said, "That you, Mr. Marsh?" "Yes." I said, "Are you ready to meet, Mr. Gordon?" He wouldn't call me Bill, because I would call him Harold. He didn't want union leaders calling him Har? old. So he called me Mr. Marsh. I said, "Okay, Mr. Gordon," you know--like that. So we went in. And I walked in the door with a big grin on. "Well," I said, "where's my desk?" Chuckles. No more pound? ing on the desk. You just can't put up with give it to had to laugh, you know. I went in there. And we were in there, a load of us, the one day. And Harold was there, banging on the desk, you know. I wasn't al? lowing that. I went over and I banged the God damn desk, you know, about four times, and I said, "Screw you, Gor? don! Screw you! Come on," I said to our fellows. I never used that language (before). I'm a pretty fair gentleman. We all walked out. They said, "What the hell happened to you?" I said, "Got to be respected." I said to them. CAPE BRETON'S #1 SHOW PLACE FOR GREAT LIVE ENTERTAINMENT THMTRE Union St. Glace Bay INTRODUCES... "DINNER THEATRE'' i''' '''' IT IS ... G'' L'' .''' '' FULL NIGHT OF PLEASURE! Q'r IN OUR NEWLY RENOVATED HISTORIC BUILDING BEGINNING THIS FALL ... JOIN US FOR DINNER /k DON'T FORGET OUR PRODUCTIONS ON OUR /i M BEAUTIFUL MAIN STAGE M FOR CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS: (902) 842-1577 85

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