Early one morning, graveyard shift, a man stepped up to the end of the table, eventually got the dice to shoot, threw them, and ....... wham .... that looked like Don's shot. I said nothing and let if go. He rolled again, down came the shot, I reached out and snatched one of the dice. He got upset, I called Don over to the table ..... they talked .... Del Ray thought that HE was the only one who knew the shot .... and here, at the Primmadonna, this young kid spotted it ..... Del Ray was impressed that we knew of HIS shot. We went on a break and had a nice conversation with him. He was appearing at The Riverside, and rounded his night out by trying his shot. It was one of his first appearances in Reno, later on, few to none would take his "action."
Harolds Club often had him do some afternoon "sessions" with his dealers, showing them some outside "tricks" they might run in to. He got some of his experience in Northern Kentucky at the casinos there in security, so he had learned all the moves and scams. I think he was in house the night that one of them burned to the ground. From talking with him, I think he liked the gambling-casino life better than being a magician. I have heard of John Scarne and his prowess, but I thin Del Ray was more proficient in more areas, Scarne was just a card man, Del Ray was more well rounded, I think. I treasure the moment that I "caught" Del Ray making "a move."
