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."

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.

The Lodge .... some additional info

FOUND THIS WHILE ON THE INTERNET ..... HEARD RUMORS OF IT, NOTHING MORE

Lincoln Fitzgerald moved from Michigan to Northern Nevada in 1945 and bought into Reno's Nevada Club the following year. Reputedly an accountant for Detroit's Purple Gang, "Fitz," along with partner Danny Sullivan, was extradited to Michigan in 1948 where they were tried on charges of illegal gambling, fined and released.

They returned to Reno shortly thereafter to tend to the club. Whether or not it was because Fitzgerald fell out with his old bosses in Detroit, as one source claims, there is no doubt that on the night of November 18, 1949, he was gunned down in his driveway as he opened his garage door. The gunman fled; some have speculated
that that hit man was none other than the famous gangster "Baby Face" Nelson, who was living in Reno at the time.

Remarkably, Fitz survived the attack. Hospitalized for six months and left with a limp and permanent fear for his life, Fitzgerald hired bodyguards and moved with his wife into the Nevada Club. He reportedly requested that the investigation into his shooting be closed.

Fitzgerald bought the Tahoe Biltmore in Crystal Bay in 1957, renaming it the Nevada Lodge, and opened Fitzgerald's in Reno in 1976. When he did travel to The Lake, his wife Meta took the wheel and two bodyguards sat in back, according to Jim Brockelsby, who worked for Fitz for 30 years.

Though Brockelsby and others are unfamiliar with this story, there's a rumor that on one of those trips Fitzgerald's car was ambushed at Tahoe Meadows—perhaps in an effort to finish the job—but he managed to escape. Though the story can't be substantiated, one knowledgeable source (who chooses to remain anonymous) defends it as true.

I don't question Jim, however, I heard Fitz purchased the Biltmore only after paying some "interest" money to someone. I was in the club the day she left, with a heavy briefcase and a couple of bodyguards. I was under the imrpession that he felt comfortable leaving the club after those negotiations. I remember them visiting the Lodge when I worked there. Fitz seemed to like me, and we often chatted.