JF Ptak Science Books Quick Post
I found a wonderful bit from 1930, a less-than-pocket-sized book on winning and losing in poker1--it has a fair amount of what might be either good or bad information, but mostly what it has of interest are 21 portraits of mostly Texas poker players from the late 1920's. I have no idea if these are real people, or not--but they come from real towns (Like Spur, Lufkin, and Birdville), and the one-line descriptions of them are wonderful and semi-priceless. The portraits both have and lack a certain something--and at the very least everyone is pictured in a hat.
And yes our Texas poker aces are featured in a design highlighted with swastikas--but this is before the world outside of Germany in 1930 knew what the NSDAP was doing with this ancient symbol.
A full list of the portrait entries may be found below.
Also, if you wanted to own the original it is available from our blog bookstore.
Notes:
1. POKER. Printed by "General Service Company" of Fort Worth, Texas, without attributing an author. (The Library of Congress Copyright entries for 1930 lists "J.F. Dresing, Jr." in what may be the author's chair.) The book is 5x3 inches and 93pp, with 21 full-page portraits, and nearly every page printed on one side only. PROVENANCE: this is the COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT copy (received 30 December 1930), via the Library of Congress Pamphlet Collection.
I can find nothing concerning Mr,. Dresing except for this entry in Manufacturer's Record, 1922.
Introductory; Rules for Winners (How to win more) with advice such as “…Get in first blow on arriving home by advising wife of the pre-carious condition of the SICK FRIEND…”
Also offers Rules for Losers (How to lose more) such as “…attempt to “bluff” the winners frequently, and note result….” And “…draw for middle straights whenever the opportunity offers…” and “…never despair…”
General Rules, such as “… when the cards are passed around, and the ‘pot not opened,’ do not neglect to mention, ‘honest dealer’”
Rules for On-Lookers or Sweaters, such as “…request the cinch players to loosen up…” and “…talk all the time, criticize every man’s play…”
Wild Cards section/
Addresses to Make Up a Game table (there is a fold in that page)/
“Experience” log to track who owes what/
2. The 21 images of the great Texas poker players and their one-line identification include:
Damon G. Gaiter, Dallas, Texas, “Who plays them wide open and makes the ‘going’ rough for the Leathered Vested FRATERNITY.”
B.A. Parrett, Owl-Den, Texas, “Who talks loose, but plays tight.”
Slid Dichardson, Athens, Texas, “The Bluff Ketcher, who calls every hand.”
Hack Jott, Milsap, Texas, “The player who abhors profanity, and strongly dislikes bad tempered critters.”
Colonel Lead Pipe Cinch, Claremore, Okla., “The man who never BLUFFS.”
Dr. Heb Talker, Lufkin, Texas, “About sunup after all night session at Slady Slokes, ‘and in the red’.”
(Lucky) Red Tobinson, Denison, Texas, “KNOWN AS the mysterious player who seldom loses.”
Con. B. Jollier, Saginaw, Texas, “The Hired Hand who always says: ‘Kill ‘em in the spring so they won’t bite you in the fall.’”
Easy Mark Smith, Pendleton, Oregon, “the man who was never known to win.”
Hack Hewberry, Chugwater, Wyo., “The player who kicks when a chip is taken out of the pot for the ‘kitty’”
Shorty Badluck, Wilcox, Arizona, “Certain cow hands of the outfit have never been known to win with him in the game.”
Dal Thuman, Tarrant County, Texas, “the man who stands pat on a pair of Deuces, maybe?”
Safety Speedy Hownsend, Birdville, Texas, “the player who invariably asks who dealt the cards.”
Hank Tillingin, Spur, Texas, “The player who was never known to lose”
Larry McCollough, Seymour, Texas, “The World’s Greatest Shotgun Player”
Socony Joe, “The toughest player in the outfit.”
Don Dones, Dalhart, Texas, “The cowpuncher who invariably passes blind, nicknamed the Sand-Bagger.”
Ted Handreth, Breckenridge, Texas, “The player who never wants to quit, but never squawks when losing.”
Rick Doyle, Midland, Texas, “The player who always deals WILD CARDS.”
Embarrassing Moments, such as “…caught in the act of pocketing the chips when you were the big winner…” and “when you bet the works on an ace full, only to have it topped by fours.”
Bill Pratten, Aledo, Texas, “A dangerous player without fear or judgment.”
Baldy Ross, Muleshoe, Texas, “Who originated the expression ‘when they show weakness give them Pe-ru-ney’”
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