386:, when a man named Jim Johnson accused him of cheating at dice and threw him off the boat on which they were traveling (and which Thompson had recently won when gambling with its previous owner, a friend of Johnson's). When Thompson climbed back on board, Johnson drew a knife and threatened Thompson's girlfriend, who was also on board. Thompson seized a hammer and struck Johnson several times on the head before throwing him overboard. The unconscious Johnson drowned. Thompson showed no remorse, stating it was Johnson's fault for not being able to swim. The
419:
eventually acquitted due to lack of evidence, and no one else was ever tried for
Rothstein's death. Thompson had been present at the game, and an active participant in it; and it was he who, in association with one Nate Raymond, allegedly fixed the game, leaving Rothstein with total debts estimated at $ 500,000. Thompson, who was not present at the shooting, gave evidence at McManus's trial, without revealing his own role in the poker game. Rothstein had stood to recoup his losses by successful heavy bets on the 1928 elections of
299:, where he took lessons from club professionals and honed his skills. From then on he played several times per week for the next 20 years. In an era when the top pro golfers would be fortunate to make $ 30,000 a year, Thomas (who, after a misprint in a New York newspaper, let people think his name was Thompson) could make that much in a week hustling rich country club players. Asked whether he would ever turn professional, he replied, "I could not afford the cut in pay". Hall of Fame golfer
276:
weighted the hollowed shell with lead beforehand), throwing a large room key into its lock, and moving a road mileage sign before betting that the listed distance to the town was in error. Thompson once bet that he could drive a golf ball 500 yards, using a hickory-shafted club, at a time when an expert player's drive was just over 200 yards. He won by waiting until winter and driving the ball onto a frozen lake, where it bounced past the required distance on the ice.
267:. Thomas remained stateside, trained younger draftees, and did not see overseas service or combat before the war ended in November 1918, when he was discharged. Thomas also taught gambling skills to many of his trainees, and then proceeded to win substantial money from them. He ended the war with more than $ 50,000 in cash, and used much of this money to buy his mother a house in Monett, Missouri, his birthplace.
517:, in 1970. He lived out his final years in a nursing home near Dallas. Thompson had made gambling trips with eldest son Tommy for many years, but after his father died, Tommy, who also had become a skilled, successful gambler, gave up gambling for a church ministry and later counseled prisoners, preaching to convince others to stay away from gambling.
459:
with more than 1,500 people on board. I was in a pool room there and beat a fellow named Snow Clark out of $ 500. To give him a chance to get even, I bet $ 200 I could jump across his pool table without touching it. If you think that's easy, try it. But I could jump farther than a herd of bullfrogs
294:
Gifted with extraordinary eyesight and hand–eye coordination, he was a skilled athlete, crack shot and a golfer good enough to turn professional. Raised in a poor environment far from exclusive golf courses, Thomas did not take up golf seriously until he was in his early thirties, but he improved
275:
Later, when
Thompson had honed his skills, he became a "road gambler", a traveling hustler who became an underground legend by winning at all manner of propositions, many of them tricky if not outright fraudulent. Among his favorites were: betting he could throw a walnut over a building (he had
418:
was murdered, allegedly because he refused to pay his debts from a poker game, held the previous month, which he believed to have been fixed. This game had been organized by George McManus, who stood trial for the murder the next year, in a proceeding heavily covered by the media. McManus was
246:
As a young boy, Thomas was known by his Uncles for his precise shooting. Allegedly, they had seen him down birds with a shot between the eyes from fifty yards away. These skills would land him work with
Captain Adam Henry Bogardus in his "Miracle Medicine Show". During the show, Thomas would
460:
in those days. I put down an old mattress on the other side of the table. Then I took a run and dived headfirst across the pool table. While I was counting my money, somebody asked Clark what my name was. "It must be
Titanic," said Clark. "He sinks everybody." So I was Titanic from then on.
237:
1908, leaving home at age 16 with less than one dollar in his pocket. Unable to read or write effectively, he had attended school only sporadically, and felt unwelcome in the home of his stepfather. Thomas spent most of his youth developing skills he would use later, such as shooting and
405:
in 1932 when he shot a masked figure who was holding him at gunpoint. This turned out to be sixteen-year-old Jimmy
Frederick, who had caddied for Thompson earlier that day in a winning match. The dying Frederick confirmed to witnesses that he had been trying to rob Thompson.
247:
entertain onlookers by shooting pie tins, cabbages, and by tricking viewers into thinking he shot a silver dollar out of the air. In 1951, many years after his "Miracle
Medicine Show" days, Thomas showed off his still-sharp shooting skills by winning the Arizona State
501:, at Trevino's home course. After three days of play, honors and bets were equal, with both players well under par each round. Trevino gained confidence from the match, and within a few years became a Tour star himself, while Floyd's career also ascended.
303:, who traveled with him in the early 1930s for money games, later called Titanic the best shotmaker he ever saw. "He can play right- or left-handed, you can't beat him", said Hogan. One hustle of his was to beat a golfer playing
484:
and, although approaching 70 years of age, kept up a good standard of golf, and frequently hustled games at
Tenison Park, a municipal golf course, and at posh Glen Lakes Country Club. Mid-decade, Thompson sponsored a young
401:, where Thompson and his hired bodyguard between them shot two men attempting to rob a poker game (again, the victims were known criminals and no charges were pressed). Thompson's last killing came near a country club in
233:. His mother remarried following desertion by Thomas' father, who was himself a gambler. Thomas began conducting his nomadic, lucrative career of hustling in the rural south-central United States
374:. He typically married a young woman, lived with her for a few months, then returned to his road hustling, while leaving comfortable housing and financial support for his newly divorced wife.
547:
366:
Married five times, Thompson fathered three children, all boys, with three different wives. He was also romantically linked with many women. Among his alleged trysts were actresses
427:(new governor of New York), which did take place, shortly after Rothstein's death. Thompson later told close friends that he knew the real killer had been Rothstein's bodyguard.
33:
315:
as an apparent concession. One thing his opponent usually did not know was that Thomas was naturally left-handed. Thomas' genius was in figuring out the odds on almost any
213:, then called the "crime of the century". The following year he testified in the trial of George McManus, who was charged with Rothstein's murder, but later acquitted.
847:
996:
786:
393:
The other four men
Thompson killed were shot in self-defense when they tried to rob him of gambling winnings. Two were killed in one incident in
557:
472:
that "Titanic got his nickname when he went down with the
Titanic in 1912. He put on ladies' clothes to save himself. Got off the boat first."
1031:
286:
Thompson's one weakness, as he admitted, was betting on horse racing, where he lost millions of dollars during his life in failed bets.
705:
1046:
1011:
338:. Other well-known golfers who left behind first-hand documented accounts of their dealings and matches with Thompson included
1026:
688:
759:
The Bank Shot and Other Great
Robberies: The Uncrowned Champion of Pocket Billiards Describes His Game and How It's Played
872:
390:
gave Thompson the choice of standing trial, or handing over the deed to the boat and leaving town; he chose the latter.
830:
766:
738:
618:
588:
322:
As he aged, Thompson liked to pick promising young players as his golf partners. Several of these who went on to later
932:"The World According To Fats: He Has Had a Long and Colorful Life; These Days, He Is Spending Time Looking Back at It"
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in 1919 (the local police chief thanked him for killing two wanted bank robbers). The third came in
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golfer, card player, marksman and pool shark, his skills and reputation were compared to "
8:
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and heavily betting that way. He also had to perform under pressure, and most often did.
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Thomas was drafted in early 1918, several months after the United States entered
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263:. Following basic training, where he excelled, he was promoted to the rank of
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167:
Thompson traveled the country wagering at cards, dice games, golf, shooting,
82:
347:
304:
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188:
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283:, who considered Titanic a genius, "the greatest action man of all time".
160:, who killed five men but was never charged with a crime, better known as
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260:
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is based), on Thompson. In 1928, Thompson was involved in a high-stakes
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understanding odds at card games through marathon dealing of hands.
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allegedly based the character Sky Masterson, the gambler-hero of "
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career but already a winner, in a big-money stakes match against
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Thompson's partners in "the hustling game" included pool player
481:
184:
225:, but was raised mainly on a farm 50 miles to the south, near
402:
202:
706:"Arizona State Trapshooting Championships - the Amateur ..."
153:
873:"Review: Titanic Thompson - The Man Who Bet On Everything"
382:
Thompson killed five men. The first was in 1910, in rural
32:
546:
Thomas, A. C.; Shrake, Edwin (Bud) (October 9, 1972).
251:Championship four years in a row from 1951-1954.
441:
in 1972, Alvin Thomas, listed as a co-author, said:
270:
148:(November 30, 1893 – May 19, 1974) was an American
973:
681:Titanic Thompson: The Man Who Bet on Everything
326:stardom included young and unknown Ben Hogan,
683:. W. W. Norman & Company. pp. 8–16.
811:
545:
997:American military personnel of World War I
578:
475:
31:
430:
295:very quickly during an extended stint in
948:
870:
784:
728:
409:
891:
785:LeCompte, Tom (August–September 2005).
753:
674:
672:
670:
668:
666:
664:
603:
361:
205:game that led to the shooting death of
125:2) Alice Kane (killed in road accident)
974:
871:Dennison, Matthew (January 14, 2011).
845:
662:
660:
658:
656:
654:
652:
650:
648:
646:
644:
241:
780:
778:
703:
354:, all of whom were inducted into the
16:American gambler, golfer, and hustler
929:
923:
846:Kaplan, Michael (July–August 2002).
678:
541:
539:
497:, then an unknown assistant pro, in
1032:People from Benton County, Arkansas
641:
509:Thompson participated in the first
254:
13:
775:
480:In the 1960s, Thompson settled in
14:
1058:
536:
468:, said in an interview with the
445:In the spring of 1912 I went to
289:
271:Gambling style and favorite bets
1047:20th-century American criminals
949:Lucchesi, Ryan (June 4, 2008).
942:
864:
839:
805:
579:Dobereiner, Peter, ed. (1982).
435:In his own story, published in
131:5) Jeannette Bennett (divorced)
1012:American confidence tricksters
747:
722:
697:
627:
597:
583:. William Collins & Sons.
572:
527:
504:
1:
930:Cart, Julie (June 12, 1988).
581:The Golfers: The inside story
520:
216:
193:The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown
1027:People from Monett, Missouri
951:"WSOP: History - 1970 Recap"
129:4) Maxine Melton (divorced)
37:Thompson in a 1915 visit to
7:
822:The Wisdom of Harvey Penick
377:
179:of his own devising. As an
10:
1063:
464:Minnesota Fats, real name
449:, just about the time the
127:3) Jo Ann Raney (divorced)
123:1) Nora Trushel (divorced)
455:liner hit an iceberg and
425:Franklin Delano Roosevelt
311:to play the course again
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119:
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100:
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71:
45:
30:
23:
825:. Simon & Schuster.
548:"Soundings From Titanic"
195:" (on which the musical
476:Trevino vs. Floyd match
356:World Golf Hall of Fame
1002:American poker players
729:Bradshaw, Jon (1987).
462:
431:Origin of the nickname
1022:Golfers from Missouri
1017:Golfers from Arkansas
1007:American pool players
992:American male golfers
899:"Tammany's Rothstein"
533:Social Security Index
511:World Series of Poker
443:
414:On November 4, 1928,
410:Arnold Rothstein case
146:Alvin Clarence Thomas
50:Alvin Clarence Thomas
909:Meredith Corporation
879:on September 8, 2012
860:on February 4, 2010.
787:"The 18-Hole Hustle"
679:Cook, Kevin (2010).
613:. Houghton Mifflin.
610:Damon Runyon: A Life
489:, then early in his
423:(new president) and
362:Marriages and family
911:. December 16, 1929
797:(4). Archived from
757:; Fox, Tom (2006).
242:Trapshooting career
221:Thomas was born in
982:American criminals
553:Sports Illustrated
438:Sports Illustrated
987:American gamblers
936:Los Angeles Times
907:. New York City:
848:"All Bets Are On"
791:American Heritage
690:978-0-393-07115-3
515:Las Vegas, Nevada
470:Los Angeles Times
309:double or nothing
307:, and then offer
187:himself". Writer
143:
142:
115:, gambler, golfer
60:November 30, 1893
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875:. Archived from
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856:. Archived from
853:Cigar Aficionado
843:
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560:on April 4, 2012
556:. Archived from
543:
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531:
466:Rudolf Wanderone
447:Joplin, Missouri
416:Arnold Rothstein
255:Military service
227:Rogers, Arkansas
223:Monett, Missouri
211:Arnold Rothstein
177:proposition bets
162:Titanic Thompson
104:Titanic Thompson
101:Other names
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64:Monett, Missouri
59:
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35:
25:Titanic Thompson
21:
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801:on May 7, 2006.
783:
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761:. Lyons Press.
755:Fats, Minnesota
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955:CardPlayer.com
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832:978-0684845081
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813:Penick, Harvey
804:
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768:978-1592287017
767:
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740:978-0394756189
739:
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620:978-0899199849
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605:Breslin, Jimmy
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590:978-0002163859
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421:Herbert Hoover
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281:Minnesota Fats
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198:Guys and Dolls
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79:(aged 80)
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487:Raymond Floyd
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340:Harvey Penick
337:
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332:Herman Keiser
329:
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297:San Francisco
290:Expert golfer
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207:New York City
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109:Occupation(s)
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83:Euless, Texas
74:
70:
65:
48:
44:
40:
34:
29:
22:
19:
958:. Retrieved
954:
944:
935:
925:
913:. Retrieved
902:
893:
881:. Retrieved
877:the original
866:
858:the original
851:
841:
821:
807:
799:the original
794:
790:
758:
749:
731:Fast Company
730:
724:
712:. Retrieved
708:
699:
680:
633:
629:
609:
599:
580:
574:
562:. Retrieved
558:the original
551:
529:
508:
479:
469:
463:
451:
444:
436:
434:
413:
392:
381:
365:
348:Byron Nelson
321:
305:right-handed
293:
285:
278:
274:
258:
249:Trapshooting
245:
234:
220:
196:
189:Damon Runyon
181:ambidextrous
166:
161:
145:
144:
77:(1974-05-19)
75:May 19, 1974
18:
1042:1974 deaths
1037:1893 births
915:January 12,
817:Shrake, Bud
733:. Vintage.
704:Yumpu.com.
635:Golf Digest
505:Later years
495:Lee Trevino
372:Jean Harlow
344:Paul Runyan
317:proposition
313:left-handed
261:World War I
209:crime boss
91:Nationality
976:Categories
638:, May 1996
521:References
399:St. Joseph
328:Ky Laffoon
217:Early life
173:horseshoes
56:1893-11-30
960:March 29,
883:April 24,
714:April 10,
709:yumpu.com
564:April 24,
395:St. Louis
368:Myrna Loy
352:Sam Snead
336:Lee Elder
301:Ben Hogan
229:, in the
169:billiards
120:Spouse(s)
819:(1997).
607:(1991).
491:PGA Tour
384:Arkansas
378:Killings
324:PGA Tour
265:sergeant
136:Children
95:American
39:Arkansas
499:El Paso
452:Titanic
388:sheriff
158:hustler
150:gambler
113:Hustler
829:
765:
737:
687:
617:
587:
482:Dallas
185:Merlin
156:, and
154:golfer
85:, U.S.
66:, U.S.
403:Texas
235:circa
203:poker
962:2024
917:2019
904:Time
885:2013
827:ISBN
763:ISBN
735:ISBN
716:2024
685:ISBN
615:ISBN
585:ISBN
566:2013
457:sank
370:and
350:and
334:and
175:and
72:Died
46:Born
513:in
978::
953:.
934:.
901:.
850:.
815:;
795:56
793:.
789:.
777:^
643:^
550:.
538:^
358:.
346:,
342:,
330:,
171:,
164:.
152:,
964:.
938:.
919:.
887:.
835:.
771:.
743:.
718:.
693:.
623:.
593:.
568:.
139:3
58:)
54:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
