- Titanic Thompson
Infobox Person
name = Alvin Clarence Thomas
caption =
birth_date = 1892
birth_place =Rogers, Arkansas
death_date = 1974 (aged 82)
death_place =
other_names =Titanic Thompson
known_for = One of the most flamboyant gamblers and hustlers of the century
occupation = hustler, gambler, cheater
nationality = USA
spouse = Jeanette
children = Thomas E. Thomas, and Ty Wayne ThomasAlvin Clarence Thomas (1892 - 1974) created the character of, and lived the secret life as, America's seminal
gambler andgolf hustler, Titanic Thompson.Life of a hustler
Thomas, born in
Rogers, Arkansas , began conducting his nomadic, lucrative and secret career of hustling across the United States in the early 1900s. Blessed with extraordinary eye-hand coordination, he was a skilled athlete, crack shot and a golfer good enough to turn professional.In an era when even top pro golfers would be fortunate to make $30,000 a year, Thomas could make that much in a week hustling rich
country club players who thought they knew how to play golf, but found out, under extreme pressure from Thomas's creative and massive bets, that they were in way over their depth.Thomas's genius was in figuring out the odds on almost any proposition and betting that way. But, he also had to perform under pressure, and did.
One hustle would be to beat a golfer playing
right-handed , and then offer double or nothing to play the course againleft-handed as an apparent concession. Thomas was in fact left-handed. [cite web
url=http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Archives/CA_Show_Article/0,2322,146,00.html
title=All Bets Are On
first=Michael
last=Kaplan
publisher=Cigar Aficionado
month=July/August
year=2002]Allegations of involvement in Black Sox scandal
Unsupported information by enemies supposedly linked Thomas to the murder of
Arnold Rothstein , the man who allegedly "put the fix in" during the famous "Black Sox " World Series scandal of 1919. But, Alvin Thomas never had any involvement in the Rothstein murder nor was he charged with it in any way.Autobiography
Thomas told his own story which was published in 1972 by "
Sports Illustrated ".Notes
External links
* [http://www.TitanicThompson.com TitanicThompson.com]
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