I could never explain it to you, or anyone ......

What makes good history? I doubt that there is any mention of Harolds Club in any of the history books in school. At one time, there was advertising for this club, literally, all over the world, "Harold's Club of Bust."

I remember Dave, our bartender at the Primm, told of working there the day they opened on South Virginia Street in Reno. A small club, Dave was on the Wheel, he said the first spin, he was nervous, the ball jumped the track, rolled out the door, into the gutter, and down a drain. They had to hold up the game to find another ball.

I first entered into Harolds World, and that is what it was, in 1956. New to casinos and casino life, I was in awe, it was a world all its own. Western bedecked dealers, gun collection, a bar of silver dollars, awesome. I never worked there, I wish perhaps that I had, but, I worked for Fitz, and that is another whole story.

I have seen an exuberant father and son, one being wheeled around on a "slot cart" ... celebrating, doubling bets on a 21 table, handing out silver dollars. I saw them close a wheel, shut it down, telling a group of young "winners" to keep their hundred thousand and finish their education. I saw signs when I was in Japan for Harolds Club, saw one on Okinawa. I saw L. Ron Hubbard speaking once on the 7th floor, saw Del Ray, a magician, giving some pointers to Harolds 21 dealers, have heard old matinee idol Carl Ravazza, come from the back of the room, singing lilting French songs. I walked through there many times, took it for granted, not fully appreciating the surroundings I was in, and all of its uniqueness.

I could never "explain" Harolds Club to anyone, it and the Nevada Club were truly unique, and are responsible for Nevada being what it is today, and perhaps the industry, which is assisting in the rescue of many states, today. There are no "memorials" to either club, or to Fitz or the Smiths, just memories, some of which is being preserved in the above movie and, in the works of Dwayne Kling.

New Jersey casino cheat sentenced to 17 years in prison

By Joseph Ax

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rolling snake eyes is now the least of Derek Bethea’s concerns.

Bethea, a 57-year-old New Jersey man, is headed to prison for 17 years for placing bets at craps tables after the dice had already been rolled at three Atlantic City casinos during a two-week period last August.

The sentence, imposed on Thursday by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Donna Taylor, came after a jury convicted him in May on charges of swindling and cheating at casino gambling, according to state authorities. Bethea represented himself at trial.

Prosecutors accused Bethea of betting $1,100 at a craps table at the Borgata Hotel & Casino on Aug. 13, 2013, after the dice had come out. He collected the winnings but was detained at a different casino the following day and issued a summons.

Two weeks later, he tried again, placing a late $505 bet at Resorts Hotel & Casino, and the following day, he laid down $240 at Revel Casino, prosecutors said.

In each instance, the gamble failed to pay off, as the casinos refused to honor the bet.

Bethea was previously convicted in 2001 and in 2005 of similar offenses, including placing late bets at roulette tables, and was sentenced to several years in each case.

As many know, I worked in the casinos in Reno in the 50's. THEN, it was up to the boxman and the dealers to catch "late" bets ..... "NO BET" .... and that was the end of it. In calling the dice, I often said, "Get your late bets down early." Often followed by a "Security" ... and the late bettor, was escorted out the door. In my "training" I was taught to keep my eyes on the table, we caught the "thieves" did not prosecute them. It could be also, that a late bettor, might have problems, handling bets, with broken fingers. I must admit I don't understand why they would prosecute someone for doing it and then all of the negative publicity that. followed. 17 years for "late betting" seems VERY severe. It was the ONLY sure bet on the table. If they never paid he off, I don't see how they could convict him, he did nothing wrong but .... "try" ....

Just asking ...........

My last blog made me think of this ...............
My first lesson as a crap dealer in Reno .....

How many spots on a die?
How many sides on a die?
How many edges are there on a die?
If a ONE is on top, what is on the bottom?
How many spots on a pair of dice?
If a 5  2 is showing, what is on the bottom?
How about a 4   3  showing, what's on the bottom?

Nothing of any importance to say ............

Saturday, the sun is hiding somewhere, kinda blah, trying to come with something inspirational that I can write about. Trying to bring a memory back, from my past, that I can use as a comparison or at least give me some inspiration to write about.

I was in the Navy, discharged "bad boys" for two years, and spent two years conveying troops to Korea, and bringing some back. OK, is there a comparison there, no, the ship never sank, or took on water, and was slowly sinking.

I was a dealer in Nevada, dealt craps, I think I can compare that to politics, Washington, the present administration, yes, I see a comparison there. A number of terms here that fit well, craps, seven out, snake eyes, boxcars, proposition bets, back line, field, winner, winner, chicken for dinner, and of course, seven out. We never said "loser" because there was a winner every roll of the dice, so it was, "Seven out, line away, last come bets and the back line," or something like that.

I dealt some 21 out there, broke, busted, jack deuced, blow, cold decked, cooler, counter,crimp, crossroader, dauber,deuce dealing, drag down, dummy up, edge work, eighty six, first base, flash, front money, flat store, grind, hand mucker, hole card, juice, live one, natural, seconds, shill, stacked deck, wave, a lot of terms that relate to our present political  situation, all about 21.

I guess, in fact, I'm busted, no more for today, no thoughts that will deliver inspiration or hope. I, too, am filled with apathy. Don Eammelli, my old floor boss, when I started at the Primm, would always flip me for coffee. I never won. Don had it down to a science. He would flip the silver dollar, if he caught it here, it was heads, a little lower, it was tails. If he offered a bet for something, he would win, he never bet, it was always a sure thing. Took me a long time to learn that, I guess I was never too smart.

I think politics and Washington is that way, deck stacked, all sure things.

One positive thought. My neck hurts, my lower back hurts. Warmer weather, I have been having a large Beefeaters Gin and Tonic, for a few weeks. My back is better and my neck is better. Not sure if it is a coincidence or not, just happy something is working. And, as some know, right after I shave, the razor gets dried and immediately placed in olive oil. I got a new, razor from Gillette in the mail, still using it, nice and sharp, good close shaves, oh, I got it three months ago.

Fitz

Lincoln Fitzgerald, Fitz, a Nevada pioneer who does not get the credit he deserves for his part in making the state what it is today.

My first glimpse of him was in 1956, April or May. I was just discharged from the Navy and headed to Reno. An ad in the newspaper caught my attention. HIRING DEALERS. I had no idea what that entailed, but I decided to look in to it. Prior to applying, I hears many stories about Fitz, Gangster, Purple Gang in Detroit, he got shot in a mob hit, all scary stuff to me.

I entered the old "back door" of The Nevada Club, admittedly with shaking knees and sweaty palms. I walked through the club to the "cage," the cashiers cage, which was his realm. There was this elderly man, white hair, white shirt and tie, suspenders standing behind the bared window. I have no idea what I said to him, at least I was coherent enough to let him know I wanted a job. He asked me a series of questions, where from, discharged from service, as I recalled he was interested in my Father and Mother, married, children, that sort of thing. Really not a lot of questions.

"Take this down to the police station and when you are done, come back here."

"Yes sir."

Was talking about Fitz last night, and someone suggested I  do this blog.....I truly like this man, I wish I had been able to spend more time with him..... I doubt that many did.

The police did a background check, handed me a slip of paper and told me to go back to the club. I did, handed Fitz the slip of paper. He looked at it. "Come back in the morning at three, wear a white shirt and tie."

That was it. I really had no idea what I would be doing at three, but I knew I had a job.

I think Fitz liked me. After I became a "dealer" with training on craps, the wheel and Twenty One, we knew I had "sweaty hands." He wanted to to deal Twenty One, but the sweaty hands were a problem. At the end of one shift, he handed he a bottle of "formaldehyde" and wanted me to take it and soak my hands in it, might help. I did, and it didn't. So, I was relegated to the crap table.

I left him after a year and returned to Ohio for a while, decided I wanted to return, called him on the phone, asked about getting my job back, he told me to come on out, I did, and he sent me to his new club at Lake Tahoe, The Nevada Lodge. Only a select few were chosen for that job, I was one of them.

Fitz trained many of the dealers in Nevada in the early years, some went on to some great jobs in the industry. Many years later, I am till proud to say  that "I turned out as a clerk for Fitz." No one knows what that means though. In those days the IRS had no classification for dealers, so we were listed as clerks.

Fitz was a pioneer in Nevada, he, and some others are responsible for making Nevada what it is today, and I imagine few are familiar with his name. I, for one, will never forget him. In my pocket now is a $5 Nevada Club chip, and one I cherish, is a $20 blue chip from the Chesterfield Club in Detroit, which Fitz was part owner of  before he moved to Reno. Nearby also, a pair of Nevada Club dice.

Thanks, Fitz, as Bob Hope would say, "Aw thanks, for the memories."

Here they go, coming out ...............

Some asked some questions about a post I recently did, here are some answers.


the 4 -10
the 5 - 9
the 6 -8
are all the same odds. a 10 on top, a 4 on the bottom, same with the other numbers.
11 on top -3 on the bottom
12 on top -  2 on the bottom
7 on top   - 7 on the bottom  5-2  4-3   6-1

21 spots on a die
8 corners on a die
12 edges on a die

ODDS
4-10 2 to 1
5-9   3 to 2
6-8   6 to 5

The prop bets in the middle are ONE role except the hard ways they stay up till a hard winner, come down on a soft winner or a seven.

There is a winner every roll of the dice, somewhere. We were never allowed to say LOSER, some of the shows I see on TV, dealers say LOSER, not sure if that is allowed now, or just done for TV. My first night as a dealer trainee I said the word LOSER, chastised from many, never used the word while dealing, again. Actually, my first night, I wore white sweat socks. they were not white by morning, many cleaned their shoes on them, did various things to them to remind me to never say loser. Lessons learned.. Never wore white socks again and never said loser. Winner, winner, chicken for dinner.

Jerry "Hoot" Havens

Jerry Christianson - Joe Francis - Jerry "Hoot" Havens

Bad photograph, cameras not allowed in the club, taken with a little Brownie

I just has some bacon and eggs, when I was done I took the plate out to the kitchen, washed it, dried it, and put it up in the cabinet, and as I dried it, I thought of Jerry "Hoot" Havens. Not sure when I first hooked up with him, probably at the Nevada Club when we turned out as dealers.

Jerry and I shared a number of apartments, and worked together on the same crew at the Primm. I don't know how he got the nickname of Hoot, it just seemed to fit him.

He was a good "clerk" as we were called in those days, thanks to the IRS. They had no classification for dealers, so we were listed as Clerks.

I embarked on a few "excursions" in those days, went to Elko, Oregon on one occasion, and a few other trips, but always had a place to stay when I got back, at Hoots. He was just a good friend, no, a great friend.

I remember Hoot bought a car on one occasion, one he had always wanted. A Ford hardtop convertible, The top automatically receded into the trunk, and you had a convertible. Nice car. Worth a fortune, if he still has it.

The last time we worked together, at The Primm, Hoot and myself, a kid from Vegas, Jerry Christian, and sitting box was Joe Francis. Don Eammelli was the shift manager, and a good friend. Great crew, great store and had a great time. Joe went on to be a casino manager for Harrah. I know he is gone, and have tried to get in touch with Don or his family, I know they are still in Reno. Jerry is probably still around, he was a few years younger. Jerry came to Reno with his new wife, rented an empty apartment, slept on the floor, and each payday they would purchase more furniture.

If Hoot reads this, or anyone who knows or remembers him, joedooley@yahoo.com. Would love to hear from anyone from the "old" days of Reno.

I digress, Hoot always washed dishes after he ate or even dirtied a glass. I was admonished on a number of occasions for leaving a glass on a table, putting something in a sink or not leaving a cleaned kitchen.

Hoot, you've never been forgotten, thought of often, a big part of some great memories.