| William Sousa Bridgeforth | |
| Position: | Owner |
| Birth Date: | March 23, 1907 |
| Birth Place: | Athens, Alabama |
| Death Place: | Nashville, Tennessee |
William Sousa "Soo" or "Sou" Bridgeforth Jr. (March 23, 1907 – July 26, 2004), was the owner of several Negro leagues baseball teams as well as the New Era Club in Nashville.[1]
William Bridgeforth Jr. was born in Tanner, Alabama in 1907, the grandson of former slaves. He went to high school at Trinity High School in Athens where he played baseball.[2] After his parents deaths when he was 18, he moved to Nashville working as a bricklayer with his uncle Nick Stuart.[1]
In 1932, Bridgeforth used the proceeds of the sale of his parents' farm to purchase a pool hall in downtown Nashville.[3] He went on to open two more pool halls before opening the New Era Club in downtown Nashville in 1939.[1] In the 1940s, Bridgeforth raised enough money to purchase the Baltimore Elite Giants, a Negro league baseball team. As time went on, he would also own for some time the Negro league teams the Nashville Stars and the Birmingham Black Barons.[1]
Bridgeforth purchased the Birmingham Black Barons the year Willie Mays left the Club to join the majors. Satchel Paige played for the Club. Bridgeforth told of how Paige would sit in the back of the team's bus and play his music, often annoying those trying to sleep. Bridgeforth would help the players, using money earned at the New Era Club to keep them clothed, fed, and out of trouble.
In Paula Blackman's book, Night Train to Nashville, William "Sou" Bridgeforth is prominently featured as a critical part of Nashville being named "Music City."
The New Era Club was more than just a place for singers and hanging out. A nearby restaurant provided good food to supplant the liquor. The Club also featured numbers runners and gambling, which was illegal and would eventually land Bridgeforth in hot water. In 1956, the US Court of Appeals heard a case against William Sousa Bridgeforth and other black Nashville club owners who had allowed "wagers" in their clubs. Many club owners had failed to pay taxes on wagers and get a local stamp allowing gambling because they feared being arrested for illegal gambling; however, they paid for the stamp and paid their taxes on the wagers. The appellate court found them guilty but set aside the verdict because there had been no attempt to defraud the IRS nor to avoid paying for the stamp.