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HISTORICALLY SPEAKING MIKE STEVENS
THE ODDS
THE ODDS
WERE ALWAYS
WERE ALWAYS
IN HIS FAVOR
IN HIS FAVOR
By Mike Stevens
USGTF Member
Tampa, Florida
arly golf in the United States was a gambler’s to dice to pool, and even horseshoes. He spent
Eparadise, from legitimate wagers to more hours on end honing his skills and could deal off
seedy pots controlled by mobsters. On the the bottom of a deck of cards with both hands.
professional side, it was common for players to His card throwing skills were legendary, but
barnstorm the country, challenging locals to a many of his bets were set up skillfully to dupe
money game backed by wealthy businessmen the poor rube he suckered into a wager. He
or scoundrels with several side bets among took special pleasure in swindling the rich
the gallery. It was pretty much a necessity, and famous. One time he bet Al Capone he
as professional tournament winnings barely could throw a lemon over a five-story building.
covered expenses. Despite the so-called purity Capone picked a lemon from a nearby fruit
of amateur golf, some of the largest transfers vendor, but little did he know that Thompson’s
of cash occurred at private clubs in Calcutta sleight of hand changed out the lemon for one
pools. It was just the way of the times, and one he had filled with buckshot. Capone handed
person was adept at taking advantage of over $500 as the lemon flew over the building.
gullible blue bloods around the country. Golf offered Titanic everything he loved:
Alvin Clarence Thomas, aka Titanic wagers of every kind and incessant hours of
Thompson, born on November 30, 1893, in solitary practice. His relentless repetition with
southwest Missouri, became the most storied right- and left-handed clubs made him equally
gambler in American history. Abandoned by proficient from both sides of the ball. He spent
his father, Alvin grew up on a farm in Rogers, a year just honing his skills before he set about
Arkansas, with his mother and stepfather. An challenging his marks at exclusive clubs of the
unruly child who disdained education, he left at rich and famous. All the while, he continued
age 16 with no money and entered the school raking in cash from his flair with cards and pool
of hard knocks. His street smarts would see him cues. One day in the company of Capone
through a life of hustling and wagering on just and his entourage, Thompson declared that he
about everything involving a gamble from cards Continued on page 16
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SUMMER 2020 Golf Teaching Pro ®
