Fitz was perhaps the most colorful individual that I have been associated with in my lifetime. In 1956, I applied for a job at The Nevada Club in Reno, and Fitz, the owner, hired me. I had heard many stores about him prior to applying, and was very nervous when I approached him in the "cashiers cage."
I told him I was applying for work, he asked me a few questions, gave me a card to take to the police station. I went there, given a card to take back, did so. Fitz checked the card, told me, "Come back at three in the morning, wear a white shirt and tie." That was it, I was hired.
In my opinion, the Smith family who owned Harold's Club, and Fitz, of The Nevada Club, are the two pioneers who made Nevada what it is today. Harold's for advertising all over the world, and Fitz for training many of the dealers who got their start with him, and went on to other clubs, and Las Vegas. Without those two, Nevada may never have been.
I think Fitz liked me, I left Nevada for a year or so, decided to go back, made one call to him and was told to come back, I have a job for you. I did, and he sent me to his place at Lake Tahoe, The Nevada Lodge, which was a great place to work. After leaving him, and going to work at another casino, I learned that he had intended for me to manage a club he was purchasing, a lost golden opportunity for me.
