An excellent new book on Titanic Thompson - legendary gambler of the last century

BillPorter

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OK, I guess this isn't strictly pool related, but the person about whom this book was written was friends with and/or an associate of several prominent people in the world of pool. He knew and occasionally partnered with Minnesota Fats and Hubert Cokes (Daddy Warbucks) among others. He probably won more money on proposition bets that anyone in history. His real name was Alvin Clarence Thomas, but he went by the name Titanic Thompson.

I knew Titanic back in the 1960s when he hung around Cotton Bowling Palace in Dallas, TX. Even though I was around him on an almost daily basis for a few months, reading this book gave me a much better understanding of him and the factors that shaped his personality. Kevin Cook, the author, is an award winning writer and produced a terrific read of a book. I have no stake in the book sales, I was just so impressed with the book that I thought some of you guys would enjoy reading it.

Here's a short video on the book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp5LmUUglK0
 
I read another book about Titanic Thompson, some time ago. It was called the Unsinkable Titanic Thompson and it was fascinating. I'll be sure to pick this one up as well.

Thanks for the heads up Bill.
 
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Bill,

Did you ever read The Unsinkable Titanic Thompson, the book MOJOE mentioned? I read it some years ago. It was a very interesting book, that was well written. I was wondering if Mr Cook's version adds more depth or if it's just basically a retelling of the exploits from the first book.

Thanks.
 
Its a different read, current book interviews his son and ex wife.

Came out on the 22nd.
But Mark Twain AB also came out so it's being overshadowed, except that he was on NPR talking about all the ppl he interviewed for the book and a few of his bets.
 
Read the book when it first came out. Enjoyed it. Was a bit dismayed by the numerous (possibly 3 I guess) Fast Larry Gunninger quotes. Fast Larry as a source for Titanic Thompson? Interesting. Very enjoyable read though!
 
Bill,

Did you ever read The Unsinkable Titanic Thompson, the book MOJOE mentioned? I read it some years ago. It was a very interesting book, that was well written. I was wondering if Mr Cook's version adds more depth or if it's just basically a retelling of the exploits from the first book.

Thanks.

It's not just a re-telling of the same old stores about Titanic. For one thing, the author brings in what was happening in America during the different periods of time as he details Ti's life. Also, the author is just a very skillful writer. I have read Stower's book and thought it was a good read. I just think Cook's book is better.
 
Titanic

I knew Titanic back in the 1960s when he hung around Cotton Bowling Palace in Dallas, TX. Even though I was around him on an almost daily basis for a few months, reading this book gave me a much better understanding of him and the factors that shaped his personality.

Those were good times we had.

Bill Stroud
 
The 2ND. book I have ordered from this site this week. Well it is almost Xmas. ;)
 
I knew Titanic back in the 1960s when he hung around Cotton Bowling Palace in Dallas, TX. Even though I was around him on an almost daily basis for a few months, reading this book gave me a much better understanding of him and the factors that shaped his personality.

Those were good times we had.

Bill Stroud

Did you ever match up with him Bill?
 
Actually I was a much better player than Ty.
He was very respected at the Cotton Place.

I along with many others used to shill for him so he could get bets on his various proposition games. Putting the 8-ball in the center of the rack and having to go three rails or more to get the 8 in one of the corner pockets was one of them.

We would get him 15 shots or so. He was even money with nine.

Bill Porter, Alfie Taylor and I were always trying to beat him at one of his own prop games.

I remember Bill Porter putting one proposition on the Univac computer at school. How about that Bill?

I don't think we won that bet?

Bill Stroud
 
I knew Titanic back in the 1960s when he hung around Cotton Bowling Palace in Dallas, TX. Even though I was around him on an almost daily basis for a few months, reading this book gave me a much better understanding of him and the factors that shaped his personality.

Those were good times we had.

Bill Stroud

He was an old fart, but he still tried to hustle me throwing quarters to the spot. :smile:
I was just practicing and minding my own business and he came over to the next table and started pitching quarters and it looked like he was no good at it. He smiled at me and told me he was practicing too, because he was going to pitch quarters with some guy for a hundred dollars a toss later.

After a bit, he asked me if I wanted to try it. Sure why not. I tossed one fairly close and he told me that I had a talent for this game. Then he suggested we "practice" together for just a dollar a toss. I went along with it until I had lost about $10. He acted surprised every time he beat me. I tried to quit him a couple of times, but he would say, "Okay, just one more." Finally at the end he told me he felt bad for me, and that we could go one time double or nothing for everything I had lost. He would stand about ten feet further away from the table then me. That's when I finally snapped and realized I had been hustled.

He must have been in his 70's then, just an ordinary looking old man. He was a charmer! Later on someone told me that was Titanic. I think he showed up at Johnston City once in the early 60's, like '64 or '65. I had no idea who he was though, just looked like another sweater to me.
 
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Actually I was a much better player than Ty.
He was very respected at the Cotton Place.

I along with many others used to shill for him so he could get bets on his various proposition games. Putting the 8-ball in the center of the rack and having to go three rails or more to get the 8 in one of the corner pockets was one of them.

We would get him 15 shots or so. He was even money with nine.

Bill Porter, Alfie Taylor and I were always trying to beat him at one of his own prop games.

I remember Bill Porter putting one proposition on the Univac computer at school. How about that Bill?

I don't think we won that bet?

Bill Stroud
Bill, I'll second your comment about you being a much better pool player than Titanic. I'm thinking you could have given him the six ball and beaten him easily.

As for beating him on a proposition bet, we actually did beat him on a card proposition. I stuck a chapter in a book that Alfie is trying to put together about how we figured out the bet and how Titanic tried to pull a fast one on us by plaming a card. We didn't win much money but it was a great fun getting the best of him. With Titanic, it always seemed that it wasn't so much about the money won or lost but about out smarting the other guy.
 
He was an old fart, but he still tried to hustle me throwing quarters to the spot. :smile:
I was just practicing and minding my own business and he came over to the next table and started pitching quarters and it looked like he was no good at it. He smiled at me and told me he was practicing too, because he was going to pitch quarters with some guy for a hundred dollars a toss later.

After a bit, he asked me if I wanted to try it. Sure why not. I tossed one fairly close and he told me that I had a talent for this game. Then he suggested we "practice" together for just a dollar a toss. I went along with it until I had lost about $10. He acted surprised every time he beat me. I tried to quit him a couple of times, but he would say, "Okay, just one more." Finally at the end he told me he felt bad for me, and that we could go one time double or nothing for everything I had lost. He would stand about ten feet further away from the table then me. That's when I finally snapped and realized I had been hustled.

He must have been in his 70's then, just an ordinary looking old man. He was a charmer! Later on someone told me that was Titanic. I think he showed up at Johnston City once in the early 60's, like '64 or '65. I had no idea who he was though, just looked like another sweater to me.
Jay, if you're going to get hustled, you may as well get hustled by the best. I think you'd really like Kevin Cook's new book about him.
 
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