What was his name?

In the 50's there was a well known "slot" man who owned real estate in Reno. Some friends of mine rented from him. Alice Tuttle and Jeanette Fenner were two of them. I think his aame was Bob, but not sure of his last name. His photograph hung in every casino in Nevada. He was GREAT with slot machines. He had one of every kind in his basement.

I never figured out how he did it, I don't think he drilled or anything like that, he seemed to work the handle and that did his work for him.

The last I heard of  him, a "group" got together at Harold's Club, Keno. THEY hit a $1.10 Eight Spot for $25,000. He was in on it and was the one to go to the counter to pick up the 25M. Instead, someone in the group got antsy, and when he went to pick up the money he was arrested.  Problem with most "hits," too many people get involved and someone rats out the rest. "Too many cooks spoil the broth," so to speak.

Ralph Roberts, from Southern Indiana, a great guy, was on the floor at the Primm for a while, last I saw him he had a small club in Fallon, I think it was. He had the pit, little to no money. If someone broke a 20, they would have to take it next door to get 20 more silver, operating on a shoestring. I remember one of his suits, nice black material, but a red silk lining. Always wanted one of those. One of the first things I get when I hit the lottery. Double breasted black, twin vents, 1/2 inch cuffs on the sleeves, red silk lining. Would like to be buried in that.

Jim and Alice Tuttle always had fantastic Christmases. The saved their "tokes" and spent them on Christmas. That amounted to a great deal of money in those days. Alice did 21 at Harolds and Jimmy worked at different stores, but always good ones, a "store" being a casino. I worked with him at The Lodge at Tahoe once.

Ray Slattery, "Slats," worked for Fitz, one heck of a nice guy. He was and had been a professional bowler, but somehow got sidetracked. Slats, like most of us, loved to party. In those days it was a full time party with a little work done in between. Slats got wrapped up in it, decided he had to "get out." One morning, he packed his stuff and we drove him to the outskirts of Tahoe, let him out, and he started thumbing his way to California. Never heard from him after that. I used to watch the PBA in hopes of seeing him on there, never did.

A neat "fraternity" of people, all different walks of life, never got to know many of them well, like "ships passing in the night," so to speak, but never forgotten people. Many unique, some with questionable backgrounds, like Doc Ledford at the lake, as nice as they come, but you never asked about his "past" or his future. There was a lot of that in Nevada in those days.

But some never to be forgotten "friends."