I have no idea what downtown Reno looks like, have not been there in MANY years. I think I was fortunate to be out there in the "good old days."
Harold's Club, the Nevada Club, the Cal Neva, the Golden Hotel, the Primm, Horseshoe, Kelleys, the Mapes and the Riverside, all great places, and I think that most are gone.
No more "colorful" owners, all corporations with no identity.
I was in Harold's the morning that Harold put a cover on wheel, sent a group of college kids on their way with their winnings, big winnings. Harold said, "You boys have your college paid for," and he closed the wheel. They had a system, played for a number of days, everyone went to Harold's to see the kids from the University of Nevada that had figured out a "wheel system." They were a great draw.
As I recall, they got their winnings to well over $100,000, and they started dropping money. So, he told them to take their $100,000 and leave, and they did. He put the word out, "NO playing in town." I heard that they went to Vegas and lost it. I think that was in the Fall of '56. Harold's got millions of free advertising out of it.
Lincoln Fitzgerald, owner of the Nevada Club trained many of the dealers in Nevada. He didn't care for, and usually didn't hire bartenders or cab drivers. Other than that, you might have a shot at being a dealer. Hey, he hired me. Fitz is one of the more memorable people I have met in my lifetime.
There should be a monument, somewhere in Reno, giving credit to Fitz and Harold for their part in the growth of the state of Nevada. All else of theirs is apparently torn down.
One more. We had a bartender at the Primm who was an ex-wheel dealer, and had worked for Harold's Club. According to Dave, when Harold first opened, he was dealing he wheel, somewhere near the front door. He spun the ball, it jumped the track, outside the door, into the gutter, and down a drain. They were new and small, had a heck of a time finding another one ..............
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Nevada Lodge
Lake Tahoe, late 50's, before the Olympics, and one of the first times the North Side was open during the Winter months. It was great, not very crowded, had the Crystal Bay Club, the Lodge, the Cal Neva when Sinatra had it, a drug store and a few other places, and that was it. We had it pretty much all to ourselves.
That clear, pine scented mountain air, the deep blue color of Lake Tahoe, I loved it.
At first, I had a room in a basement unit in a place, nice room, about 100 yards away from The Lodge where I worked. I think Fitz started me out on days. Doc Ledford, I think was the Shift Boss, many rumors about him. I have related this before, but thinking of Doc brings the story back.
Early one morning, few customers, one gal, 21 dealer was due for a break, no one to relieve her. Doc put me on the 21 table. Well, I always got nervous dealing, and my hands would sweat. Some customers came in and came to my table. I looked over at Doc, and he said, "Deal to them."
I did had a good game going, not sure how the table did, but dealt to them for a half hour or so. When they left, I took the deck, set it down, and did the normal "fan" across the table. One problem,, the cards were stuck together and the whole deck moved across the table, which everyone in the house seemed to see. Never lived that down.
Fitz always wanted me to be a 21 dealer, we tried everything. He even had me soak my hands in formaldehyde once, got it from an undertaker. It didn't work, but I will never forget the odor.
I used to put in my eight hours at the Lodge, then cross the street to the Crystal Bay Club and spend the evening. Jack, don't recall his last name, was the bartender, got to know him well. I remember Slim, one of the owners, and some others whose names escape me. Slim was a genuine "Nevada Character," a part of Nevada history. Rumor had it that he had participated in the '39 Olympics in archery, but don't know that for sure.
Before the North side started staying open in the Winter, they say that many of the dealers lived up there, and when they would close in the Winter, they would go on unemployment. Since there was no office up there, someone would drive up from Carson City with their checks, and pass them out in the Crystal Bay Club. All these folks made a LOT of money in the Summer, had nice homes and nice cars. On "check" day, the parking lot at the Crystal would be full of nice cars, they would all meet inside, get their checks, many would endorse them, throw them on the back bar, and have a BIG party till the checks ran out. They say it was a blast.
On a number of occasions we would be in the bar at the Crystal in the morning, either from the night before, or getting an early start, and a group of us would head to someones place for breakfast. There were sometimes a few, and sometimes a crowd, We had great times. Bacon, eggs, home fries in a Cedar Log Cabin on Lake Tahoe, gets no better than that.
I still vividly remember that pristine lake, like it was in those days, a few clubs, a drug store, with soda fountain, Spanish Leather, oh such fond memories.
That clear, pine scented mountain air, the deep blue color of Lake Tahoe, I loved it.
At first, I had a room in a basement unit in a place, nice room, about 100 yards away from The Lodge where I worked. I think Fitz started me out on days. Doc Ledford, I think was the Shift Boss, many rumors about him. I have related this before, but thinking of Doc brings the story back.
Early one morning, few customers, one gal, 21 dealer was due for a break, no one to relieve her. Doc put me on the 21 table. Well, I always got nervous dealing, and my hands would sweat. Some customers came in and came to my table. I looked over at Doc, and he said, "Deal to them."
I did had a good game going, not sure how the table did, but dealt to them for a half hour or so. When they left, I took the deck, set it down, and did the normal "fan" across the table. One problem,, the cards were stuck together and the whole deck moved across the table, which everyone in the house seemed to see. Never lived that down.
Fitz always wanted me to be a 21 dealer, we tried everything. He even had me soak my hands in formaldehyde once, got it from an undertaker. It didn't work, but I will never forget the odor.
I used to put in my eight hours at the Lodge, then cross the street to the Crystal Bay Club and spend the evening. Jack, don't recall his last name, was the bartender, got to know him well. I remember Slim, one of the owners, and some others whose names escape me. Slim was a genuine "Nevada Character," a part of Nevada history. Rumor had it that he had participated in the '39 Olympics in archery, but don't know that for sure.
Before the North side started staying open in the Winter, they say that many of the dealers lived up there, and when they would close in the Winter, they would go on unemployment. Since there was no office up there, someone would drive up from Carson City with their checks, and pass them out in the Crystal Bay Club. All these folks made a LOT of money in the Summer, had nice homes and nice cars. On "check" day, the parking lot at the Crystal would be full of nice cars, they would all meet inside, get their checks, many would endorse them, throw them on the back bar, and have a BIG party till the checks ran out. They say it was a blast.
On a number of occasions we would be in the bar at the Crystal in the morning, either from the night before, or getting an early start, and a group of us would head to someones place for breakfast. There were sometimes a few, and sometimes a crowd, We had great times. Bacon, eggs, home fries in a Cedar Log Cabin on Lake Tahoe, gets no better than that.
I still vividly remember that pristine lake, like it was in those days, a few clubs, a drug store, with soda fountain, Spanish Leather, oh such fond memories.
Friday, November 26, 2010
November Memories
Holidays like this always make me think back to my days in Nevada. Had some great Thanksgivings out there, invited friends in, generally had a crowd at the house.
But also, spending Thanksgiving in a casino, always seemed a little depressing for our customers. They were taking in a long weekend and a great few days in Reno. And of course some time up on the mountain doing some Winter sports.
I thought of old Hoot Havens, actually Jerry, and his Ford, the one where the top moved down into the trunk. I thought of Don Eammelli and some of the deals we got him into. I remember the "Crap Suckers" he bought, a truckload, cleaned your drains. They ended up in his basement, water and heat turned them into one big blob. Or, the watches he bought, all pinwheel movements, the one we sold to the dealer as a gift for her son, set it on the TV, got heated, when he opened it, the crystal popped off, hit the ceiling.
Jeanette Fenner, worked at Harold's Club, rented an apartment from the "Slot" guy, Bob I think, Had his picture posted in all casinos in the state. He hit a lot of jackpots, way too many. Alice Tuttle rented from him, had the basement apartment. I think Alice worked at Harold's also. Both 21 dealers. I remember stories of when she was married to Jimmy, they saved their tokes all year (which was a LOT of money in those days) and splurged them on each other at Christmas.
Fitz and Meta always come to mind. I wish I had stayed with Fitz, big mistake leaving him. Rumors were that I would have gotten the Bal Tabaran to manage, or at least have a nice job there, when he bought it up at the lake. I don't know how far I might have gotten if I had stayed with him.
Danny Fagan always comes to mind, Mark, Bettye Johnson, Thelma Ganz, all were part of my early training at the Nevada Club. It's hard to believe that I outlived the old Club. It is gone, I am still here. The largest part of Nevada history was lost when they tore down Harold's and the Nevada Club. Times change, I guess. I would not recognize Reno today. I will just keep the fond memories.
But also, spending Thanksgiving in a casino, always seemed a little depressing for our customers. They were taking in a long weekend and a great few days in Reno. And of course some time up on the mountain doing some Winter sports.
I thought of old Hoot Havens, actually Jerry, and his Ford, the one where the top moved down into the trunk. I thought of Don Eammelli and some of the deals we got him into. I remember the "Crap Suckers" he bought, a truckload, cleaned your drains. They ended up in his basement, water and heat turned them into one big blob. Or, the watches he bought, all pinwheel movements, the one we sold to the dealer as a gift for her son, set it on the TV, got heated, when he opened it, the crystal popped off, hit the ceiling.
Jeanette Fenner, worked at Harold's Club, rented an apartment from the "Slot" guy, Bob I think, Had his picture posted in all casinos in the state. He hit a lot of jackpots, way too many. Alice Tuttle rented from him, had the basement apartment. I think Alice worked at Harold's also. Both 21 dealers. I remember stories of when she was married to Jimmy, they saved their tokes all year (which was a LOT of money in those days) and splurged them on each other at Christmas.
Fitz and Meta always come to mind. I wish I had stayed with Fitz, big mistake leaving him. Rumors were that I would have gotten the Bal Tabaran to manage, or at least have a nice job there, when he bought it up at the lake. I don't know how far I might have gotten if I had stayed with him.
Danny Fagan always comes to mind, Mark, Bettye Johnson, Thelma Ganz, all were part of my early training at the Nevada Club. It's hard to believe that I outlived the old Club. It is gone, I am still here. The largest part of Nevada history was lost when they tore down Harold's and the Nevada Club. Times change, I guess. I would not recognize Reno today. I will just keep the fond memories.
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