The Nevada Club in Reno

Reno Sweeney

2014-08-10T12:15:00.000-07:00

Reno Sweeney was one of the dealers in Reno who "turned me out," trained me, and showed me the ins and outs of being a clerk. We were called "clerks" in those days, the IRS had no classification for us, so we were listed as Clerks on our Income Tax, thus, the term Clerks. If you ever hear that someone working in a casino was a good clerk, you know they are talking about an "old timer."

My first night, I was nervous and apprehensive, told to report to the "post" .... finally someone pointed me in the right direction, said something stupid to the gentleman in the white on white shirt, a gorgeous pair of cuff links, a spotless white necktie, and a watch showing under those starched french cuffs that exposed a circular face ringed with diamonds, very classy. Mark, as it turned out, told me to go shill on number 3. My dumb stare was greeted with a gesture that pointed me in the right direction.

I sheepishly approached the ten foot table, a man on one end, a woman on the other, the woman knew of my innocence reached down into a tube of silver dollars and handed them to me. She knew without looking that she had handed me 20 of them. The table was void of customers at that time, so she told me, "put one there and throw the dice." I did, and that was my introduction in to a world I knew nothing about, but was intrigued by the prospect of learning about.

After an hour or so at the table, "shilling," I was told to take a 30 minute break and report back to Mark. I will never forget my entrance in to the coffee shop that morning, I was "one of them" an employee of a casino, soon, to be a ..... dealer ..... the pride I must have shown walking in, I owned the place, I belonged here. I remember well what I had, a Nevada Club Special .... an 8-inch French Roll, sliced lengthwise in half, piled high with prime rib, the top half placed back on, on to a plate, and covered with a rich broth. How much better could it get.

Mark directed me back to a table, I was escorted "behind" the table, where the dealers stand, I had stepped into ... a mystic realm .... a "stick" was handed to me, "Hi, I'm Reno Sweeney," call the dice .... the rest of the night went by fast, but a blurry fast. I remember entering in to the sunlight next morning, at 11, a beautiful day, someone had given me a "green apron," during my shift, a dealers apron. I carried it proudly so all could see as I made my way up Virginia Street to my car.

Harold's Club

2013-08-27T16:46:00.002-07:00

There is a documentary being prepared on Harolds Club in Reno. I have spent many hours there, and some of these faces are quite familiar. Nevada and the entire casino industry can thank the Smith family for pioneering state and the entire industry.

It is difficult to explain a visit to Harolds Club. it was a world unto itself. There were fun collections, silver dollar bars, so many different "themes" in each area on the various floors. The Seventh Floor was unique, very intimate. I have seen Carl Ravazza entertain there often. He was a "matinee" idol and a singer and a band leader from years past and lived in Reno. The houselights would dim and he would enter from the back of the room and slowly make his way to the front singing some intimate lilting French song, and then for an hour captivate you with songs, stories and golf jokes. I have seen many well known entertainers while out there, but none as memorable as Carl Ravazza.

Anyway, this clip gives you a taste of Harolds Club. Notice she states that they all were taught to deal the same way. On my Nevada Club blog I have given my explanation and reason for them doing that. Harold was smarter than other owners, and I have never seen it stated before, but, in my opinion, we detected one of the reasons why they were so successful.

Be patient, it may take a while to download.

THE HAROLDS PROMOTIONAL DOCUMENTARY

Harolds success ........... on the 21 table

2013-08-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

Well, not sure of the validity of this post, but a few of us were convinced. Some of us always wondered why Harolds club maintained such a good table average, they seemed to win more frequently than other places. They were good about giving away used playing cards, and some of us took it upon ourselves to find out why they were consistently winners.

A few of us, got used cards, over quite a period of time, and scrutinized the used decks. A few of our "group" had turned out there, and knew the training procedure they used.

They did "shuffling" but not too much "whacking" around with the cards, just shuffling, our findings, the kept the "progression" of the cards intact.

A new deck has a large group of "faces" in the middle of the deck, and each deck we checked, after usage, limited usage, still had that grouping in tact. Dealers were given a box of cards at the start of the shift and were encouraged to go to new decks often.

Our conclusion, that the grouping of high cards gave Harolds a bit of an edge. Other clubs wanted a shuffle, and then a slap, slap, slap, or a cutting of the decks, not Harolds.

In afternoon "test deals" at various apartments around town, it was our conclusion that "their" way of dealing gave them a few percentage points edge, as opposed to other methods. It worked for them, made not only Harolds, but the entire state of Nevada, successful.

I am not sure how many were aware of this, and thanks to one of the most brilliant "minds" I have ever known, I am convinced this added to the success of Harolds Club, and it was entirely legal, just cost them more in cards...

Thanks Bettye and Thelma .....

2013-08-16T06:02:00.000-07:00

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?

I got a call yesterday .................

2013-08-15T08:03:00.003-07:00

Got a call from Dwayne Kling yesterday, I probably talked his ear off, hardly let him get a word in. There are just not many left that I can converse with from "the old days" who know and understand how unique we are to have lived in Reno during the years we did.

So much Reno and Nevada history has been torn down and forgotten, it's a shame. When our generation is gone, with the exception of what has been written, will fade away. Dwayne made a prophetic statement also, that a lot of "that" history is already buried and much of it was not wanted known, if that makes sense.

It was a different era then, owners, owned their clubs, and we, as dealers and administrators were dealing in a different commodity, real money. If an owner had a bad night, walked in and didn't like the way you were dealing, you were gone. You brushed your hands, thanked everyone, and walked next door and started working there. Most of the owners, if not all of them, never saw the inside of a college, they saw the inside of "speakeasies," bars, illegal games, they all came up the hard way. The smartest survived. It was an entirely different day.

There are so few I can talk with, about those days, that is why, a call from Dwayne Kling is special.

Some Primm memories ......

2013-08-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

These are not Nevada Club photographs, but I took the picture at the table at the Primm in the late 50's/ That is Joe Francis on the box, with Jerry Havens and Jerry Christiansen. Joe became a Casino Manager with Harrahs, not sure about the other two. Cameras were not allowed in the clubs in those days, had to sneak in my polaroid and take these when Don wasn't looking.

Havens turned out with Fitz well before I did, and was a very good friend. We called him Hoot, for some reason. Very quiet and unassuming and a very good clerk. If anyone knows of him, would love to hear from you.

The other foto is Ernie Primm, owner of the Primm. I had to do some searching to find it on the internet. Ernie was very good to me, helped me learn enough to sit box for him, and even had some time on the floor. Ernie also had poker houses in Gardena, California and I think had some money in a racetrack in California. Alan Roberts was Casino Manager at the Primm, but found no fotos of him.

Danny Fagan

2013-08-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

To Any Friends or Relatives of Danny Fagan ..........

I just learned of his passing, and even though it has been so many years since I last saw him, the news brought a tear to my eyes. I turned out as a dealer at the Nevada Club in May of 1956, and Danny was one who helped train me and became an instant friend. I was young, and in an environment that was foreign and in some ways quite frightening to me. I knew nothing about gambling, only what I had seen in movies, and frankly, it was scary to me. Danny eased that frear, and was one to let me know that there was a normalcy to being in the casino industry. Danny was my icon.

The casino business is a transient industry, and especially in those days. Over the years, any time I saw Danny it was always like greeting a long lost, very sincere, friend.

I think that Danny was one of Fitz's confidants, and was close to Fitz, and I think Fitz talked things over with him, and he was on the "in" with him. I don't know that for a fact, but of all the floor people, I think Danny was the closests to Fitz and Meta, as well as Carlton Meta's brother. I called him Mr. Fagan once, from then on Danny. He was one fine teacher and a great "clerk" in his own right.

I would like to know more about his latter life if anyone reads this and has more information. If any of his relatives read this, he was one fine man, as you already know.

RIP Danny

2013-08-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Daniel Victor Fagan

03/04/1925

05/21/2013

Daniel V. Fagan (Uncle Danny), was born March 4, 1925 in Dumont, New Jersey to John and Mary Fagan. After a short illness, Danny peacefully passed away in Reno, Nevada on May 21, 2013 with family by his side. He is now reunited with his beloved wife of 56 years, Christene. During his 88 years of life he was a charter member of Sons of Erin, Reno Elks, Knights of Columbus and a faithful member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church.

This is the Danny that worked for Fitz, there is no mention of it in his obit, and he just passed last May, I am so sorry I did not try to get in touch with him. He had a lot to do with my training as a dealer. My first night in training, he was one who "hinted" to me that I should not wear white socks. They did so by pulling up my pants leg and wiping their feet on my white socks, he and Bettye and Thelma were the three.

When I left the Lodge at Tahoe, Danny is the one who literally "kicked my butt," for blowing an opportunity that I knew nothing about, but he did. Fitz was going to let me have a nice job at the Bal at Tahoe when he bought it. I didn't know, might have been on the floor, or better. Another lost "opportunity" in my life, of which I have had many.

Oh, the stories he could have told, Danny was a one of a kind, so much history passed with him.

From Joe Conforte

2013-04-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

This is a Facebook entry from Joe Conforte. Apparently someone had asked him about his "time: in Carson City where he reportedly ran the casino. One magazine back then had a foto of him standing at the crap table. This was his reply to that question:

"I more or less ran the casino in the prison when I was in there, we called it "The Bull Pen". I had my own waiter, nice old man named Williams, he used to bring me my steaks so he could have some spending money, $2 a week. He killed a couple of lawyers in the Washoe County Court House. There was a black kid, he used to get $3 a week for fanning me while I played bridge on hot days, and a guy called Penguin got $3 to bring my bathrobe and slippers after dinner and set up my chair to watch tv."

GREAT LINK .

2013-04-29T06:27:00.001-07:00

A great link, in case you have not seen it ............ HERE

Some Nevada footage

2013-03-28T15:16:00.003-07:00

This link has some interesting footage. About halfway through some of the interior of the Nevada Club, the way I remember it ...........

VIEW HERE

More memories .........

2013-03-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to receive a copy of "The Rise of the Biggest Little City," written by Dwayne Kling. Full of Nevada history, brought back so many memories. I knew or had heard of many of the names he mentioned.

I was so fortunate to be and work there during the time that I did. Many of the "old timers" were still around, the people who actually molded the state. But more so than that, some of the dealers, cocktail waitresses, keno writers and maintenance people, people in the background, I got to know.

I got to hear tales of the early days, from the old timers. Burt used to relate stories about the "wheel houses" in Florida, and "stores" or "rooms" back East, where he had worked. He worked the boats off of Long Beach, had lived a colorful life, but loved his little farm not to far away. One of his that I have always remembered .......... dealing craps on a boat off of Long Beach ..... a big game, stacks of chips all over the table ........... the dice rolled ......... one die was a "leaner" ........... SEVEN OUT .... a groundswell hit the boat, turned the die the other way to a WINNER.... most of the money was already taken in .... he said a heck of a brawl broke out. Burt had only one eye, always wondered how he lost the one eye, never asked.

Jack Bailey, expensive suits, tailor made shirts, silk ties, always wore old shoes with a hole in the sole. Someone would lose money, complain, Jack would be sitting box, or standing at the end of the table, he would show them the sole with the hole in it, "things are tough all over." It generally worked. The shoes were Alligator though, very expensive, he never went in to that.

Doc Ledford, I think it was, on the floor at the Nevada Lodge, a natty, diplomatic gentleman. Many knew of him, talked little of his history. Word was that he had been in "hiding" for a few years, and for some reason, could finally come out. He was on the floor the morning we needed a 21 dealer at the lake, dealer was on a break, and I stood there to fill in. My hands always sweat when I get nervous, thus, I rarely dealt 21. I tried many remedy's but none worked. Some customers walked up to my table, I looked at Doc, he said, "You're a dealer, deal to them." I did, for about an hour, all went well. When the customer leave, it is customary to "fan" out the cards in the middle of the table. With a grand flourish, I made the move to fan the cars, which I did, but the cards did not fan, the whole deck was stuck together and move accordingly.

Don Eammelli, a mentor of mine, a floor boss at the Primm, I was in awe of him. He was from Steubenville, Ohio, had done a lot in a lot of places. He has lost a leg in a car accident. He was actually brilliant, he devised a system of numbers, he designed a machine to test and color code resisters. He could sit at the bar, drinking a coke, and by looking in the mirror on the backbar, knew everything going on in the pit. He knew just how to handle any "cheat" on any game, he knew every move, and if he didn't know the move, he knew what it took to do the move.

We had a "card marker," an Oriental man, Don was watching him in the mirror. About the time he was ready to make his "move," Don would casually go to that table, look at his watch, "four thirty time for a new deck here." We took him for over 5000 and he never knew what Don was doing to him.

Don was a card counter, the best, had his own system. He won a lot of money around town, owned a lot of real estate around town. I used to help him with his rentals, his "stump" always hurt, but he never complained.

I can honestly say that everyone I came in to contact with, in a casino, in a management capacity, at any level, were personable, gracious and polite. They had to have the ability to pacify people, when they lost money. Takes a special kind of person. Dealers could be "aloof." They would just take and pay, politely, but not necessarily with emotion.

Those were the good old days.

Dwayne Kling .... where are you"

2013-03-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

For Mr. Dwayne Kling .........

I received a copy of your book today, "The Rise of the Biggest Little City," from an internet acquaintance who sent it to me, Jerry Garrity, who I have been communicating with, via the internet.

Have not been able to put the book down, brought back many memories. I do remember seeing you around town, and at Harolds. I remember Jeanette Fenner and Alice Tuttle, I knew Dan Orlich a little, his Mom and Dad, and went out to see him one in Vandalia, where he was shooting.

Some names I remember. Danny Fagan, Bettye French, Thelma Ganz, Don Eammelli and a good friend, Joe Francis from Harrahs. He was my boxman at the Primm for a while. Most all I know from then are gone, as you have found out.

Fitz liked me, He let me work the Lodge in its early days, downtown some, and, according to Danny Fagan, had I stayed with him (I left and went to the Primm), he might have given me a shot to manage the Bal when he got it in '57. I was not aware of that, Danny actually kicked me in the butt on one occasion, for blowing such an opportunity. Also had a chance to get in to the entertainment side with Fitz when I was up at the lake, but, I was having too much fun as a dealer, up at Tahoe, what great days those were.

I remember a dealer or box or floor at Harolds, somewhat crippled, forget his name. Thanks to Harolds, I had a lot of nice western wear I got at his "store."

If you happen to see this, my email is joedooley@yahoo.com. Would like to hear from you. I see you are also involved in the movie ... nothing much left but memories. Have seen it on Facebook .....

Crossroaders ..... I wonder where they are now?Wesley

2013-03-07T13:44:00.002-08:00

Crossroaders were a rare breed, they were unique, intelligent and fearless. There were some "legitimate" players who had the heart of the crossroader. They lived by their wits and the "moves" they had honed. I have seen things that were impossible, accomplished. I learned early on in my days in Nevada, that if I heard, or someone who said they could do something, regardless of how impossible the task was, believe him, or her, because they had probably put in many, many hours of practice, doing it.

They were all good actors and could play whatever part was necessary, and play it well. They were all, "diplomats." They were all, "patient," they would spend hours, days and weeks, perfecting one "move." One I knew rather well always had his hands in motion, generally with a book of matches, carrying it in the palm of his hand. One book of matches would be sitting on a table. He could pick it up and drop the one he was "mucking" in his hand, and it would land exactly where the other one was. Wesley practiced that, incessantly.

Buster was more of a front man, an arranger. He also worked as a boxman and a floorman in the casinos, and I think ended up working in Las Vegas.

I left Nevada and headed for Ohio, years ago, and attended the Millersport Corn Festival. Money flowed freely, for charity, and who was there, Buster and his band of merry men, "knocking over" those little games of chance, dice games, card games, etc., not taking a lot so they were not obvious, but enough to insure a nice "vacation."

I'm sure nothing will ever be written about them, they loved their anonymity. How they did what they did, few know. Some may have left no mark on the world in their leaving, because they were unknown, except to a few, while they lived.

I forget their names, but there were twins who lived in California, had their own airplane. They would fly in to Reno or Vegas, wherever the action was going to be, do their thing, and fly home. One of their last that I was aware, early 60's, they left Vegas with a "bundle of cash." Did their "thing," got on the plane and flew home, all in a days work.

One I knew, "Blondy," lived in Reno, beautiful rented home by a golf course, leased car, lived a very quiet life. When the occasion arose, he was an expert golfer, bowler, pool player, was a marvel with cards, and could do wonders with a pair of dice. A golf tournament in Reno each year, with some local and a few well known pros, would find him in the pro-am, unable to hit the ball. But on Monday, some would stick around with some "heavy" money being wagered. All of a sudden he would "find" his game. He picked up a new golf cart on one occasions, took it home, and battered it, so it looked well used.

I had not been dealing long at the Nevada Club. Early one morning, an old farmer looking type walked up to my table. Asked about the different bets, and made a few "foolish" wagers, which he won. How lucky. He made some more bets, and won. Fitz let out a yell from the "cage." The player took his winnings, cashed in and left. I learned a great lesson. I always felt that Fitz put him up to it, to teach me a lesson. I thought I knew it all.

Buster, Wesley J., the Preacher, Blondy, Don, The Magician and the others I knew are probably all gone by now. They were a rare breed, never to be forgotten, by me, anyway.

"Fitz"

2012-11-12T09:40:00.001-08:00

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."

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."

Don Eammelli at the Prima Donna

2012-05-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

Don Eammelli was my Shift Boss at the Primmadonna in Reno in the late 50's. He was also a friend and a mentor of mine. I have often searched the internet for information on him, and the other day I found a telephone number for Janice, his daughter. Called and learned that he had passed years ago, we chatted a while, the highlight, she remembered my name. Brought back a flood of memories.

Not the Nevada Club, but just across the street. I went from working at the Nevada Club to the Primm. Actually, Don's wife once worked at the Nevada Club.

Don was from Steubenville, Ohio, so we had an immediate association that way. I'm thinking of men who have had a strong influence in my life, Don is probably in the top five. My Dad, Brother, Lincoln Fitzgerald and Don, would take me up through most of my life, maybe pit Danny Fagan from the Nevada Club in there too.

When I started at the Primm I immediately liked Don and admired him as well. He was perhaps one of the brightest and smartest men I have ever known. He was a gambler, had his own "count" system on cards, which had won him a great deal of money, he had invented a few items, had devised a more efficient monetary system than we presently use, and had come up with a "shot" on a crap table that he showed me, and one that I have used successfully on a few occasions. Janice told me that the state of Nevada had hired him to teach their people how to recognize "cheaters" and what they do.

I remember one morning we had a card "marker" come in the club. Don was sitting at the end of the bar drinking coffee. Don kept giving us the signal to not worry about it. He finally nonchalantly walked into the pit, got a new deck of cards out of the cabinet, and took them to the table the marker was playing on. Cards were changed on a regular basis, so no one thought anything. The marker went to another table and started working on another deck. Don, after a while, repeated that scenario. Before he got wise, we had relieved him of over $5000, all very quietly done, Don know what and how he was doing it, and at appropriate times, before he could win "big," changed decks. That was Don, very low key, and probably knew more than anyone who tried anything.

Don taught me a lot, showed me a lot, introduced me to some "right" people, gave me the opportunity to become a "box man," (supposedly, at that time, I was the youngest box man in Nevada), even let me take over the "pit" on a few occasions.

Talking with Janice about her Dad was a great link to my past, not many of them exist anymore, Looking back, Don Eammelli was a very important influence on my life. I could do a book on him, maybe I will do more, check back.

LaVere Redfield

2012-03-09T11:15:00.000-08:00

Another legend in Reno, LaVere Redfield. My first encounter with him almost cost me a job. I had been a dealer at the Nevada Club for a few weeks, had just turned out, and after a few weeks of training, when I had that little green apron on, well, I was very proud of myself.

One early morning, I was standing by an empty table, and a scroungy appearing man walked into the club. Well, with chest puffed out I motioned for security. Unfortunately, he was also new and started to move toward the man.

A loud noise erupted in the cashiers cage and one of the cashiers came dashing out to put a stop to the ejection. She then explained to me that the guy in the tattered jeans and threadbare wool shirt was none other than LaVere Redfield, multi millionaire eccentric and often a customer of the Nevada Club, who either won or lost a ton of money. And, I was going to throw him out. I learned a valuable lesson, never judge anyone by their appearance.

He often played the wheel, and as I understand it, Fitz let him "deal" his own game, with Mark and Thelma Ganz in attendance, keeping an eye on the bets. The few times I saw him, he was just a player.

When he won, he wanted to be payed in silver dollars, and I have seen security officers wheeling bags of silver out to a truck to take to his home, and send the bags down a coal chute to his basement.

He has been known to ask a female dealer to have dinner with him, perhaps do a little wagering with him, and those I knew of personally were payed quite well, just to have dinner and spend the evening with him. I know of on one occasion he "dated" a stranger, who had an accomplice, left a door unlocked, and they got away with a small fortune which they took from his basement, coins and stocks and bonds.

After his death, his estate was valued at over 100 million dollars. I have on occasions seen him driving a fork lift at a lumber yard he owned, old jeans and a plaid shirt. Wonder if he was buried that way.

Next time I will go into how I heard he made his first "bankroll" which got him started, interesting story and I think it is true. Got it from someone who knew him.

A good "group"

2012-03-06T06:25:00.001-08:00

Came across an interesting "group," and have heard from a few of the members. We all seem to share an interest in Reno history. I imagine some of the old buildings in Carson City are there, probably Virginia City also, preserved for posterity. Yet, in Reno, most of the buildings that actually made Nevada what it is today, are all gone. Why did Harold's Club and the Nevada Club have to go?

Harold put Reno on the map. I wonder if all the new places have "air curtain" doors. You could walk that one block of Virginia street, go in every club, and not have to open one door. I remember on many occasions, I would see a face I recognized, wave a "Hi Grant," as the Governor walked by, or a wave to Bill Harrah when you saw him.

At Harold's and The Nevada Club, and others, a 21 dealer going on a break would open the little drawer on the table, take out their "tokes," and head out on a break. If the IRS got you for an audit, you would quickly make up a list of tokes, from memory, to to the IRS office, the subject of tokes would come up, he would throw out a date, a quick check of your list, "Ah,, on that day I made $7.50." Then he would mention that they had an agent in the club who gave you a $15 toke. He then would tear up your list. You were in trouble, they would come up with THEIR amount.

One time a 21 dealer from Harold's was in California for a few days, somehow did an interview with a reporter, got carried away and told the reporter how much she made in tokes, exaggerated the amount a bit to impress her. The IRS read it and used her figure as an estimate for all Harold's dealers. She was almost run out of town. Tokes were pretty good though, and in those days, silver dollars. Not uncommon for a dealer to have a dresser drawer full of silver. I had a glove box full on my car, good old days.

Joe Conforte

2011-10-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

His book is ready and can be purchased at this site. It is also in some book stores. I have gotten a few inquiries. He lives in Argentina, he is on my Facebook, and seems to be doing well .................

http://joeconforte.com/

Looking Back

2011-10-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

It has been many years since I left Reno, but some of those memories are the fondest that I have. I keep reminders with me all the time. On my memory table, a small table that my Dad made many years ago, and I have next to my chair, there are many memories. A pair of dice from the Nevada Club, along with a $5 chip. I have a $20 from the Chesterfield Club, next to my bed.

We used those $20's when I started out as a dealer. They had been brought out, by Fitz, from the Chesterfield Club in Detroit, and the stories those chips could tell. Every time I hold it, a flood of thoughts go through my mind, people who could have held the chip. Capone, Siegel, Wertheimer, all of the old timers, that were in the Chesterfield and later on, the early days of the Nevada Club in Reno. Fitz and Meta have held it, Danny Fagan, Eddy Beatty, Bettye Johnson, Thelma Ganz, if only that chip could talk.

Other clubs used $25. Of course, we used silver dollars in those days, and when called for, we converted the silver into $5. We got in the habit of pulling 20 silver dollars out of the speed racks, drop five, and then drop three stacks of five, to make $20. When I went to work at the Primm, I had to adjust my thinking to $25, doesn't sound like much, but old habits die hard.

The Nevada Club and Fitz were unique, early pioneers in Nevada history, and unfortunately, mostly forgotten. Fitz trained MANY dealers, it was THE place to learn to be a "clerk." In those days, the IRS did not have a classification for dealers, so we were called clerks, and that term stuck for many years, at least with the old timers. "He's a good clerk," was a compliment.

In those days we kept our own "tokes" or "tips" ..... as they came in, they immediately went into a drawer on the table and when you left on a break, your tokes went with you. I had a few REALLY good nights. You could almost live on tokes. I had a drawer full of silver dollars. I knew some that had buckets full of silver dollars. Good old days ....

Joe Conforte - His new book

2011-06-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

Joe Conforte was a big part of Reno and Nevada history. His Triangle Ranch and his Mustang Ranch were famous world-wide. I dealt craps to him on a number of occasions, and talked with him a few times at tne Nugget in Sparks, when he would be converting small bills to larger ones, generally on a Monday.

I remember him pulling up in his Cordovan Colored Lincoln Continental Convertable, Camel Haired Topcoat, big cigar .... he had a lot of fans. At the Primm, we kept a special bottle for him, and a box of cigars, just for Joe.

I remember when the Washoe County DA, Bill Raggio, burnt him down, literally. I remember picking up a few bucks from cab drivers, if we steered a well heeled customer to the Triangle, and a cab to take them there. We got a nice "finders" fee.

Check out his new book HERE. I think you can check it out at this site.

Jack Bailey

2011-03-10T09:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know what prompted it, but Jack Bailey came to mind this morning. He didn't have anything to do with the Nevada Club, but he was "old Nevada."

Reno, late fifties, the Primmadonna, Jack was a box man and a floor boss. I don't know his background, but I do know it would be of interest. My guess would be that he worked in many of the old "joints" around the country, he was another one of those that did not talk too much about their past, and, you knew enough to not ask.

Jack liked nice, expensive clothes and suits. He would come to work wearing a nice suit and an expensive pair of shoes, generally, alligator or some exotic leather. We had lockers, and Jack would head to his locker, take off those expensive shoes, and put on a pair of old shoes, with worn soles, some even had holes in them. If the occasion arose, and some customer complained about losing money or being broke, he was sometimes given a glimpse of a worn shoe, with a hole in it, just to emphasise just how poor we all were.

I remember on one occasions, someone from the Accounting Department approached Jack at the table, called him aside, and asked if he could PLEASE cash some of his old paychecks. He apparently would go home on payday and throw his paycheck in a drawer at his home, and forget about them.

Just another of my Nevada acquaintances that came in and out of my life, but left a lasting impression. The only guy I ever knew who had to be asked to cash his paychecks.

A great site with a lot of information

2010-12-29T07:13:00.000-08:00

A great link with much interesting information about the history of the club.

http://www.oldreno.net/nevadaclub.htm

What was his name?

2010-12-14T11:41:00.000-08:00

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."

Gone but not forgotten ....................

2010-11-29T11:20:00.000-08:00

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 ..............