Leaderless Motorcycle Group

In 1978, a group of friends were down in the Outer Banks on a motorcycle trip. It was hot, they were thirsty, about out of gasoline, and looking for a place to cool off and gas up. They were in the middle of nowhere in the small town of Engelhard, NC, and stopped at the only gas station.  The bored attendant told them that they had drinks at Selby’s“pool hall” around the corner. Selby’s pool hall existed after WWII, and to relocate and keep his NC ABC license, Sherwood Shelby had to retain the name.  Eventually, Sherwood added a “pool table” that was about 2” X 6” in size to conform with the name.  Over the years the group returned and its size began to grow. Some years there were as many as 30 plus riders.  The trip turned into the Engelhard Motorcycle Rally and the locals would even cook food for the riders. Because the event drew the townsfolk, the riders provided motorcycle rides to the children and the watermen gave them tours of their boats. 

Many of the riders are Masons and law enforcement, and they became friends with the owners of this establishment, which barely made money. However, the event was vital to the local community, which only had a hand full of businesses. When the owners passed away and the family could not afford headstones, the members of the recently re-named “Leaderless Motorcycle Group” put their heads and wallets together and made the necessary arrangements to fix the problem.  A Brother Mason—who was also an operative mason--used “surplus” headstones to engrave their headstones, and they gave a Masonic funeral service for the family at the family plot located outside of Englehard. 

The business has closed but the building still stands and is owned by the daughter of the original owners. We met her in June 2024 and she opened the building for us to see. It was both fun and sad seeing old artifacts and photos. Very thankful to have become friends with these men and to have been included in this group. Over time riders have come and gone and the desires of the group has shifted. It appears that this annual event will continue but not exclusively in the Outer Banks. The group changes locations each year and hopes to discover new “pool halls” to make memories and friends.