Artie Bodendorfer story I was told

jrhendy

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there are just too many other great named gamblers with or had a lot more charisma and did more interesting things.
like amarillo slim, ty thompson (who they did a movie about), bet a million gates, nick the greek, jimmy the greek, jack strauss, even danny d.
and yours truly, 40 years ago i had three different small movie companies make me offers, told them to go away. all it does is ruin your life for a small payday if you arent famous from other movies. etc.
Don’t forget Archie The Greek. After he won all that money, he told me he gambled half a million a day for over a year, til he lost it all back.

Artie’s story is a good one, but he is not interested in putting out the parts that would sell. Like Bill said, it’s all about telling how the FBI and Vegas screwed him.
 

mr3cushion

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We put together what we thought was a pretty good Masters team in Northern CA and went to the BCA in Vegas. Our first draw was ‘The Pour House’, John Abruzzo’s team. They won the team event almost every year until a Canadien team beat them.
We put together what we thought was a pretty good Masters team in Northern CA and went to the BCA in Vegas. Our first draw was ‘The Pour House’, John Abruzzo’s team. They won the team event almost every year until a Canadien team beat them.
John, one of the teams of JA had, Tommy Spencer, Artie, Freddy, John and I think, Ronnie the Hat. Actually, I believe it was Freddy that got the winning run out to win it all.

BTW, you'll appreciate this John. JA was always a, 'Race track guy.' Along with being one of the Best bar hustler's in Chi-Town, and maybe only 2nd to Artie when it came to booking a loss. I've known JA since the late 60's, could have been before, but I didn't frequent bars.
 

mr3cushion

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Don’t forget Archie The Greek. After he won all that money, he told me he gambled half a million a day for over a year, til he lost it all back.

Artie’s story is a good one, but he is not interested in putting out the parts that would sell. Like Bill said, it’s all about telling how the FBI and Vegas screwed him.
The Only guy that came close to what Artie did in Vegas was, Billy Walters.


BTW, Walters never spent a day in court!
 

beatle

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billy went to jail twice that i know. also in 1990 there was a big federal trial in vegas with the computer group that 19 guys won the as they claimed they were just bettors. a couple pleaded out and regretted it.
archie had over 45 million in his box at binions and over a short period of time lost it all back. he started his run with one or two barrels playing 9 ball and won a million. then ran it up from some cards and mostly dice till he all of bininons 5000 dollar chips at one point.
 

beatle

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i dont think the movie about ty ever came out. although he was so famous in the south especially around dallas where he hung out.
i didnt know him but met him and was only familiar enough for a nod.
 

Miller

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the james jones novel later made into a movie "Some Came Running" had a character named "Bama Dillert" (played by Dean Martin) who was based upon a legendary straight pool/snooker/card player Artkie Williams - lot of oil money in SE Illinois back then. when i was in my late teens/early twenties, all the old timer scuffs (all long gone now) still talked about his exploits (i'm sure a lot of it became legend and lore over the decades - all but forgotten now).
 

Miller

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have no idea who to attribute/credit this photo to. might have gotten it from freddy or possibly something he posted here.... AB on the right (i think).

freddy and artie looking on.jpg
 

mr3cushion

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The fat guy with the cap falling asleep against the potato chip machine is, Chris of, 'Chris's Billiards.'

98% 0f any photos taken at Bensingers were taken by a 3C player/WWII bomber photographer, Clint Brothe.

I have about 200-300 photos from him at Bensingers, Chicago Billiard Café and Chris's.
 

mr3cushion

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looking for help with a certain shot and pulled out 'banking with the beard' today and ran across this.....

View attachment 438037
:)
Artie and my 20 year road partner, Harold Denson were on the way to the Grand Opening of the largest Casino in the World at that time in Dubrovnik, Croatia when the pilot ordered the plane back to NYC!

There's no doubt AB was a Bad drunk, but, the Worst ever in a PR was, 'Tommy the Sailor' from San Fran. He lived in Chicago for about 4 or 5 years in the late 60's early 70's.
 
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Sam1914

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98% 0f any photos taken at Bensingers were taken by a 3C player/WWII bomber photographer, Clint Brothe.

I have about 200-300 photos from him at Bensingers, Chicago Billiard Café and Chris's.
You must have some amazing shots
 
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