Gaming Today print edition RIP
- Thread starter Rockfish
- Start date
I loved getting it at the book and immediately flipping to the Page 3 girl
you must be a young wipper snapper because i used to get it when it was called the Sports Form and the girl was on the back page.
Chuck DiRocco was the founder and longtime publisher of Gaming Today.
He passed away in the spring of 2004.
DiRocco was not only a successful entrepreneur but also a big-time gambler, rumored to wager $5,000 a hand at Caesars Palace blackjack tables.
He pioneered simulcast horse racing in Las Vegas.
I had one exchange with Mr. DiRocco sometime in the 1980's when I was searching for employment as a young journalist in Las Vegas.
I was invited by a friend to attend a birthday party for convicted race-fixer Con Errico, a lavish celebration filled with gambling characters and hosted by DiRocco at Caesars Palace.
DiRocco offered me a job as a reporter at Gaming Today.
I had recently earned a journalism degree at Northwestern University where the annual tuition exceeded $20,000.
I asked Mr. DiRocco about compensation.
He said without expression, "You'll start at $25 a story and you'll have to cut your hair."
Don't tell anyone but I was wearing a mullet in the mid-1980's.
About the job offer, I told Mr. DiRocco, "Thanks but no thanks."
One bit of positive news came from my exchange with DiRocco: I visited the barber the following day.
He passed away in the spring of 2004.
DiRocco was not only a successful entrepreneur but also a big-time gambler, rumored to wager $5,000 a hand at Caesars Palace blackjack tables.
He pioneered simulcast horse racing in Las Vegas.
I had one exchange with Mr. DiRocco sometime in the 1980's when I was searching for employment as a young journalist in Las Vegas.
I was invited by a friend to attend a birthday party for convicted race-fixer Con Errico, a lavish celebration filled with gambling characters and hosted by DiRocco at Caesars Palace.
DiRocco offered me a job as a reporter at Gaming Today.
I had recently earned a journalism degree at Northwestern University where the annual tuition exceeded $20,000.
I asked Mr. DiRocco about compensation.
He said without expression, "You'll start at $25 a story and you'll have to cut your hair."
Don't tell anyone but I was wearing a mullet in the mid-1980's.
About the job offer, I told Mr. DiRocco, "Thanks but no thanks."
One bit of positive news came from my exchange with DiRocco: I visited the barber the following day.
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Jim Feist was a longtime contributor.
I once met the ghostwriter for Feist's Gaming Today articles.
Heim
EOG Master
His articles didn't seem like him. I'm not surprised. A lot of short samples and a ton of ATS stuff.
I remember when I saw him in a MGM lounge with wife and a bodyguard. Tout biz can be dangerous.
FairWarning
Bells Beer Connoisseur
Didn't Mike North write for them at one time?
Arnold Zwiffel
EOG Enthusiast
Some of the worst writing in Vegas history emanated from Gaming Today. You get what you pay for. DiRocco was a notorious cheapskate and a first-class A-hole.
WildBill
2
I used to write down a to do list when I went on CSW and sometimes hated myself for getting drawn down the stats rabbit hole. Just thinking of some of the stats I downloaded back then, but now I would say who looks at such square things like team pointspread records over a season or batting averages against lefties and righties.
FairWarning
Bells Beer Connoisseur
I liked Papa Joe when he was on the One on One Network.
I got CSW for openers and closers In a simple spread sheet i made up. They had the 4 leagues. There were some stats there not found till this day .. Like in baseball when teams won with money line... they did the same thing with other sports i think... it just saved time more than anything.
winkyduck
TYVM Morgan William!!!
Let's phrase this the right way knowing the age of the woman Jim was seen with: Jim Feist and his "daughter"
A conservative sports talk show host, you don't see to many of them today.
I last saw "Papa Joe" in the spring of 2011 at Marie Callender's on Sahara Avenue across the street from Eureka Casino.
He was in bad health at the time, yet had a big meal in front of him with a large slice of pie on the side.
I spoke with him briefly and he said he was recovering from a stroke.
It was a sad exchange because he could see the concern on my face and I could see that he could see the concern on my face.
Friendly guy.
Little-known fact: He once worked in the surveillance department at Four Queens Casino in downtown Las Vegas.
He was in bad health at the time, yet had a big meal in front of him with a large slice of pie on the side.
I spoke with him briefly and he said he was recovering from a stroke.
It was a sad exchange because he could see the concern on my face and I could see that he could see the concern on my face.
Friendly guy.
Little-known fact: He once worked in the surveillance department at Four Queens Casino in downtown Las Vegas.
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winkyduck
TYVM Morgan William!!!
JK - speaking of "sad exchanges" any word on Donny Bader? I know he had Dementia or Alzheimer's and was basically a "vegetable" so has he officially died yet? So sad he is what he is and no one could get all of the great stories he had in his brain before his brain turned to jelly.
Good question, Wink.
I've lost track of Little Donny.
Researching now.
Last I knew, he was at a rehab home in Boulder City.
I've lost track of Little Donny.
Researching now.
Last I knew, he was at a rehab home in Boulder City.
Just called the rehab center in Boulder City.
They requested that I call back Monday thru Friday.
Stay tuned.
They requested that I call back Monday thru Friday.
Stay tuned.
Papa Joe travelled to Reno one weekend back in the 90's. I thoroughly enjoyed his radio show, introduced myself and was invited to sit with his group one day at the Reno Hilton (now GSR). Very enjoyable, he was super friendly.
Viejo Dinosaur
EOG Master
Donny Bader was a kind soul....loved when Donny and Bobby the Owl were in the same book talking sports and Final Fours....
boston massacre
EOG Master
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boston massacre
EOG Master
Anybody Remember The Guy From Chicago.
Freddy. About 6'4"/270.
Sat at Stardust Everyday. During The 90's.
Bet Baseball and Everything Else.
Mentioned Baseball Umpires.
Would Say This Ump is and UNDER PLAY on Total Runs.
Bookies/ Players Use To Leave Money With Him.
He Put in Their Plays.
Kept Them Abreast of The Action.
Freddy. About 6'4"/270.
Sat at Stardust Everyday. During The 90's.
Bet Baseball and Everything Else.
Mentioned Baseball Umpires.
Would Say This Ump is and UNDER PLAY on Total Runs.
Bookies/ Players Use To Leave Money With Him.
He Put in Their Plays.
Kept Them Abreast of The Action.
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winkyduck
TYVM Morgan William!!!
Donny was Kato Kaelin before KK. The thing about Donny.............he knew EVERYONE! He hung around Lee Pete's show so much Lee put him on. NO ONE was "better" at having a 9,000 team parlay and going 8,999-1 than Donny. Whatever size parlay he made he would always lose just 1 game. In 1992 when Cokin took over for Lee I called in the show one night from Albertville and Donny was on. He asked me to get him an official program and I did. I gave it to him about a month later. People like him will never happen again in Vegas and that is the city's loss
I think you're referencing "Hockey Freddie."
Not a Chicagoan but a New Yorker.
He was a big guy with white hair and a heavy New York accent.
He would sweat the ticker and call out scores when things were going his way.
Classic frontrunner.
I'll never forget he bet a CFL game one night and the first score came across the ticker.
The ticker read: CFL...First Quarter...Saskatchewan 1 Montreal 0.
Freddie cried out in a long drawn-out voice, "All right, Saskatchewan."
Makes me chuckle every time.
Maybe you had to be there.
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boston massacre
EOG Master
That's The Guy JK !
You Mentioned Things I Forgot About Him.
Always Watched The Ticker !
Hollered Out Scores That Went His Way.
He used to count down the days to when football would begin the day after the super bowl. Loved Papa Joe. RIP
My favorite Papa Joe one-liner was delivered when he was asked about the amount of his average bet.
He quickly responded, "I bet $100 a game and I dive off the couch for fumbles."
Crazy Pete
EOG Addicted
It was in that parking lot, shared by Marie Callender’s & Tony Roma’s (TR now gone), where Tony “The Ant” Spilotro, the viscous gangster played by Joe Pesci in Casino, had his car blown up when he turned on the engine.
He did survive that.
But not the cornfield incident.
Well, testimony later said they were killed elsewhere then buried in the cornfield.
It was Lefty Rosenthal who had his car blown up in Marie Calendars parking lot.
Tony the Ant Spilotro is the one suspected of doing it.
Crazy Pete
EOG Addicted
Skinny is correct.
I used to go to that area quite a bit, treating myself to Tony Roma’s St. Louis ribs, & Marie Callender Boston Cream pies.
Alas, Tony Romo’s closed, & Marie Callender inexplicably discontinued the Boston Cream pies.
But for years, I’d go there & always think about Joe Pesci’s character.
And now it turns out it was Robert DeNiro instead
SKINNY is correct more times than not.
I'd estimate he's right about 54-55% of the time with his sports betting selections.
I'd estimate he's right about 54-55% of the time with his sports betting selections.
Definitely a character from years gone by.
Seemed like every score that came across the ticker favored him and he would announce to everyone in the book. He irritated alot of people
boston massacre
EOG Master
Skinny is correct.
I used to go to that area quite a bit, treating myself to Tony Roma’s St. Louis ribs, & Marie Callender Boston Cream pies.
Alas, Tony Romo’s closed, & Marie Callender inexplicably discontinued the Boston Cream pies.
But for years, I’d go there & always think about Joe Pesci’s character.
And now it turns out it was Robert DeNiro instead
Was Tony Roma's Open on Sahara, at The Same Time That Tony Roma's Was Open inside The Stardust ?
winkyduck
TYVM Morgan William!!!
Can you call Wednesday and get an update on Donny? I know it won't be good but...................