Mike Bates, a former star baseball player at Apollo High School and Phoenix College, didnât want his love for sports to wane. He joined an adult softball team and, naturally, after each game they headed to sports bars to reminisce.Â
Unexpectedly, he bought a sports bar, Six Shooters, in 2008 and rebranded it Bull Shooters Billiards & Sports Bar. However, the battle to obtain a liquor license turned into a fight to save the neighborhood.Â
In its last three months, Six Shooters had 23 calls for police service before Bates took it over, he said. Last year, Bull Shooters didnât require police to visit once.Â