Roller Massage Table
Roller Massage Table
The Balinese Room was a well-known nightclub in Galveston, Texas, United States built on a pier stretching 600 feet (183 m) from the Galveston Seawall over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. For decades a dance hall and illegal casino, the Balinese Room was remodeled and reopened in 2001 without the gambling.
Operated by Sicilian immigrant barbers-turned-bootleggers Sam and Rosario Maceo, the Balinese Room was an elite spot during the 1940s and 1950s, featuring entertainment by Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, George Burns, The Marx Brothers and other top acts of the day. Patrons of the private club included Howard Hughes, Sophie Tucker and wealthy oil barons from nearby Houston.
In 1997, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
During the early morning hours of September 13, 2008, the structure was completely destroyed by Hurricane Ike.
History
20th century
The Maceos took over "Chop Suey," a small restaurant at the intersection of 21st Street and Seawall Boulevard, and in 1929 they opened "Maceo's Grotto" at that location. It was one of many entertainment venues that popped up along the Galveston Seawall around that time (along with bathhouses and dance clubs, some of which were illegal casinos). In 1932, the "Grotto" was remodeled into a Chinese restaurant called "Sui Jen" (pronounced Swee Rin), and a 200 foot pier stretching out over the Gulf was added to the building. The pier location, across 21st Street from the Galvez, made the restaurant/club an easy walk for those Galveston visitors who preferred to stay in one of the city's most exclusive hotels.
The Oriental-sounding name was changed to the more exotic sounding Balinese Room in 1942, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the decor was modified accordingly. The pier was also expanded to 600 feet. The Balinese Room's private back room was equipped with the most modern gaming equipment, and the Maceos' advertisements invited high rollers to "Come Down and Play on Galveston Island."
The club's illegal gambling made it a hub of mob activity. It was well-known that the casino, at the far end of the pier, was operating in violation of the law. But the Maceos had many allies in the local government and on the police force, so charges were never filed. The sheriff of Galveston County at the time, when called before the Texas Legislature to testify about why the club remained open, replied that he wasn’t a member of the private club so he couldn’t get in.
In 1956, Will Wilson was elected as Texas Attorney General after campaigning to "close down Galveston" and its illegal casinos using the Texas Rangers. The Rangers set up shop in a hotel near the club, and raided the casino often. But their efforts were thwarted by the length of the pier — by the time they ran down to the tail end of the long, narrow club, tables, cards and chips had disappeared into secret wall and floor pockets. The band often would strike up the song "The Eyes of Texas" upon their arrival.
The Rangers did eventually shut the club down, but not through heavy-handed tactics — they simply sat in the casino all day, every day. Customers, intimidated by the Rangers' presence, began to stop coming. As a result, business was so bad that the club eventually closed its doors on May 30, 1957.
In 1961, Hurricane Carla damaged the structure. Many of the piers that supported the structure had been washed away, and over following years, the building continued to decay.
The 1989 film Night Game featured the Balinese Room as a filming location.
21st century
After sitting vacant for 20 years, the Balinese Room and its pier eventually became the property of the State of Texas. A local attorney, Scott Arnold, took out a 60-year lease on the pier, and in 2001, reopened the Balinese Room for business. In addition to the Balinese Room itself, which was used for live music, parties, and weekend public dining, the pier had a salon, retail shops and a massage therapy room with a glass floor.
Much of the original Balinese structure and decor had been either modified or destroyed over the years, but the south seas interior decor of the large ballroom survived and was restored to match its 1940s appearance. The hallway of the long pier was lined with autographed photos of past performers and other memorabilia.
Destruction
As Hurricane Ike approched Galveston on Friday, September 12, 2008, the storm surge raised the water level to a point where waves were occasionally topping the Galveston Seawall, sending water and debris onto Seawall Boulevard.
Later that night and early Saturday morning, Hurricane Ike barreled ashore, with the eye of the storm tracking into Galveston Bay. Although the pier was higher than the seawall, Ike's storm surge, waves and wind were more than the seventy-nine year old structure could handle. After having survived hurricanes Carla, Alicia, and numerous smaller storms, the famous old club was completely destroyed. Only plywood, rubble, metal and the famed red door were left after the hurricane passed through.
Popular culture
- The Balinese Room was seen several times in the film Night Game in 1989.
- ZZ Top wrote a song about the Balinese Room. The song, "Balinese," appeared on the 1975 album Fandango! :
References
- ^ a b c KPRC 2 News (2008-09-13). "Balinese Room, Galveston Landmark, Destroyed". KPRC TV - Click2Houston.com . http://www.click2houston.com/news/17466539/detail.html . Retrieved 2008-09-16 .
- ^ "Stars of Yesteryear". Balinese Room
- ^ Nurick, Albert "The Return of the Balinese Room" Balinese Room. .
- ^ Nieman, Robert, "The Casino Wars and Ranger Johnny Klevenhagen". Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum . Retrieved July 26, 2005.
- ^ http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iZRiMeQi3d9G_iaSd0TsRtG_iZeQD935VQE80
External links
- Balinese Room official site
- "Summer Fun". Austin Chronicle . Retrieved Jul. 20, 2005.
- Balinese Room article at GalvestonHistory.info
- Galveston's Balinese Room washed away by Ike
- Balinese Room, Galveston Landmark, Destroyed - Click2Houston.com
- Gonzalez, J.R. "The Roving Mike": The Balinese Room. Houston Chronicle . January 2, 2010.
Chirobuys.com provides Used Chiropractic Equipment, Chiropractic Roller Table ... Used Massage Time Pro Hydrotherapy table
Therasage RX-8000S Massage Bed Jade Roller Massage Bed Features Therapeutic Far-Infrared Heat Therasage offers the best value in Heated Jade Roller Massage Tables -- Soothing Far ...
Spinealign spinalator intersegmental traction tables helps with back pain and muscle tension. Medical Equipment with adjustable roller height and pressure.
Zen Cart! Chattanooga # 9080 ErgoWave Roller Massage Table - ErgoWave Intersegmental Table. Product ID# 9080.The ErgoWave combines 60 years of experience with all the features ...
Used IST Table,Used Roller Table,Used Spinalator Table,intersegmental tables,ist table,ist tables,roller massage table,roller table,roller tables,spinalator table,table rollers ...
Also In Global Health News: Leishmaniasis Treatment; China's National Health Plan; Zimbabwe Food Security; HIV/AIDS Spending In India; Elevated Levels Of Cobalt And Chromium Found In ...
The Back Roller massage tool gives the same gentle stretch to the spine and a deep massage to the muscles of the back. This lightweight solid birch massage roller from EarthLite is ...
Quantum 400 Roller Massage Table... Quantum 400 Roller Massage Tables - AM-Q400, AM-Q400H, and AM-Q400P. The Quantum 400 Roler Massage Table is simple and easy to use.
Examples of Chiropractic Tables and Massage. There are several types of massage tables ... those in severe pain may not be able to handle the Spinalator tables when the massage roller ...
There are several types of massage tables that are used within the chiropractic industry such as chiropractic massage roller spinalator table, chiropractic massage table ...
Chiropractic Equipment & Accessories : Chiropractic ...
Jade Roller Massage Bed - Far Infrared Heat Massage Bed ...
Spinealign Massage Tables
Chattanooga # 9080 ErgoWave Roller Massage Table : Zen ...
intersegmental tables,ist table,ist tables,roller ...
roller massage tables by Tankar Medical
Back Roller - Bolsters & Massage Tools - Massage ...
Massage Therapy Tables, Equipment & Supplies
Chiropractic Water Massage Beds & Tables | Chiropractic ...
HydroMassage- Chiropractic Water Massage Beds & Tables ...
