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Remembering the old days . . .

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by DonD, Jan 9, 2015.

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  1. DonD

    DonD VIP Whale

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    One thing that stays in my mind was when the casinos went from single deck to double deck BJ. Of course we were all worried about how the casino was going to take advantage of us but we soon got used to it and ended up preferring it to single deck due to less shuffling and more playing. The one thing that still stands out in my mind was this little Asian dealer who was worried and in tears because her hands were so small that she had trouble holding the cards in one hand and thought she might lose her job. She had only been out of dealer school a short time. She was really scared.

    I'm sure that other memories will come to mind from me and some of the other old timers for some interesting facts.
     
  2. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    I remember the first video poker I ever saw. This was on the 1977 trip, at Circus-Circus.

    I can also remember the first video slot I ever saw. This was the NYE trip back in the 1970s, at the old Nevada Hotel when it was new and yes, nice. It was basically a video picture of three reels of fruit symbols. Every once in a while it would flash a message like "I feel a big one coming on" and such.

    The first multi-line video slot I remember was Monopoly at the Stardust, early 1990s. I also remember the first players club cards there. They did not have a magnetic strip but had holes punched in them like a computer punch card.
     
  3. northerngirl

    northerngirl High-Roller

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    Too many fantastic memories of single deck pitch at Binion's. Back in the "old days" when the dealer needed to check his down card to see if it were an Ace, they didn't have the little electronic eyes. Therefore, they needed to peak under the card to see if it was an Ace. It didn't take us long to figure out if the dealer had to peak several times at his down card and it wasn't an ace.....it was always a four.

    Ah......too many good memories of the single deck pitch played the way it was meant to be played. However, thankful for the ones I do have.
     
  4. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

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    Wow, totally forgot about those. Talk about a blast from the past.

    I miss waking over to the Westward Ho, from the Stardust, and getting a small rack of baby back ribs, a bag of chips and a massive kosher pickle along with a beer for less than $7.
     
    Annual CCA (Casino Collectibles Association) Show at South Point
    Long Overdue Stay At The Golden Nugget
  5. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    Oh yes, the Westward Hole. :)

    I remember walking over there from the Stardust and playing nickel VP up toward the front. These were coin-in, coin-out which did not keep credits. Every high pair was CLANK CLANK CLANK CLANK CLANK! Your hands ended up BLACK after a while but the drink service was very frequent. You ended up being very good at grabbing 5 from the tray and kind of massaging them into a stack and dropping them in one at a time. :)
     
  6. BlacklabberMike

    BlacklabberMike MIA

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    yes to the old not an ace but a 4....
    Binions...lots of memories playing single deck near the restrooms..... stale smoke,beer,and the restroom... quite a potpourri

    we had a dealer get so nervous because the house was dumping ,that he broke out in a sweat and got the shakes.....becky binion took over dealing.

    just remembered.....

    the crickets......when you were ready for another drink and no cw around, they would use the cricket to draw their attention...


    a few years ago, i brought a cricket with me...i clicked it and the dealer and pit critter was like WTF????:haha:
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2015
  7. mescalita

    mescalita old and in the way...

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    How about the Western breakout dealers? They were really nice, but sometimes nervous and forgetful. Once one of them dealt me down to the last card of a single deck....
     
  8. Tahoejoe2

    Tahoejoe2 VIP Whale

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    I remember slot machines without players cards. You went to a cashier that had a rolling cart with lots of coins. I would buy $300 in dollar coin rolls and he would put my name and dollar amount on a piece of paper. That is how they tracked your play and comps.
     
  9. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    I moved to Carson City in the very early 80's, fresh outta college, and thought the Ormsby House was a HUGE hotel casino... got several rolls of nickels and the stackable plastic bucket and started playing. After a few hours of playing and pulling the nickels outta the wrappers and outta the tray and putting them back in the machine, I went to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror and I looked like I had Indian war-paint on!!! Every time I scratched my nose or rubbed my eyes I transferred the black grease off the coins onto my face. I can't believe I was out there talking to the cocktail waitresses, etc. looking like that. I'm sure glad for the advent of TITO!!!

    I was there with my girlfriend (now my wife of 31 years) and we went to the room about 1 a.m... In the morning, like 8 a.m. or something she asked me to go out to the car to get her blow dryer or something. I went down the elevator (the whole hotel is only 9 floors) and when the doors opened, a band was still playing at the bar!!! It blew me away... I knew then it was my kinda state!!!
     
  10. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    I was just reminiscing. I was thinking of two ads that you never see anymore, but everyone who went to LV back when will remember them.

    Those were the "Lobster This Big" and "Steak This Thick" restaurant ads. LOL, I can't remember the name of either place but I assumed they were tourist-trappy! Nowadays it seems like the ads are more along the line of "Dr. Reefer" (jeesh, how obvious can you get!) and "Girls direct to your room" (again, tres evident).
     
  11. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    This is way funny!!

    Age-wise I should be right up there with all you Vegas vets. But I can't. I'm a relatively newbie, especially compared to all of you.

    I'm really enjoying this thread. All of these things being shared is priceless, a looking glass into how Vegas was and a perspective meter as to how Vegas is now.

    Please continue to contribute, all you Vegas veterans, and thank you for sharing!!!
     
  12. BlacklabberMike

    BlacklabberMike MIA

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    The lobster thing was the Redwood Grille.... was on the strip...

    my buddy hit a royal on Let It Ride for 15k..he said lets go..

    we walk over wearing shorts and golf shirts....
    open the door an greeted by a guy in a tux...
    we said...can we go in like this.....he said sure..

    sit down...one guy brings water
    another bread and rolls...
    waiter gives us this board menu with choices...no prices...

    i order a steak...waiter asks if i want any sides... i was like wtf,,,of course..give me a salad and baked potato...
    my buddy asks how much is the lobster... waiter says $24.99... per pound!!!
    he orders a 3 pounder....

    in the end our bill counting drinks was about $350 so my bud dropped 5 hondos on the table,,,

    the story got better when we got upgraded at harrahs....suite, hookers,...etc... yee haw
     
  13. Julie888

    Julie888 VIP Whale

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    Remember the man in the ad holding the lobster. He was always smiling and never aged. Wonder if he's still alive.

    There were no drug stores in the Center Strip area. I said I could make a fortune if I opened one. At the rate they're opening, it must be more lucrative than a casino now.

    Wearing the white glove so your coin hand didn't get filthy.
     
  14. waverunner

    waverunner ------VEGA$------

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    Tumbleweeds would be blowing down the Strip on a windy day.

    There used to be a Natural History Museum next to the Dunes.

    The Glass Pool Inn was my first stop at a red light after driving in from LA.

    Imperial Palace was a place to park your car............in FRONT of the property.

    Golf Courses everywhere up and down the Strip.

    Las Vegas Blvd used to be baron, no greenery, no palm trees, etc. at the mediums.

    Before there was a Strat, there was the Landmark.

    The Surf Buffet at the Boardwalk, it was el cheapo, open 25 hours a day, and i ate every bit of it...........and survived.

    Coin buckets and silver dollar trays were fixtures next to each machine. If you were lucky, sometimes the change girl would help you carry up your buckets and/or trays to the change booth.

    I used to watch Jai Alai at MGM mid live and in color.

    I saw Redd Foxx at the Hacienda, saw Seigfried & Roy at the Frontier, Shecky Greene at Caesars, Lido de Paris at Stardust, Casino de Paris at the Dunes, i saw Melinda at the Marina, and gambled at the non smoking casino Silver Slipper.

    Yep, those were the days. But i can't wait till the Spring of 2015 because it's still Vegas.
     
  15. Jimbucc

    Jimbucc VIP Whale

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    Good thread Don. Waverunner reminds me of my first trip to Vegas in 1978. The strip was wide open. I remember tipping the maitre d to get good seats at a concert. We saw Tony Orlando, Ricky Nelson, and the Bare Facts of Vegas show. Keno runners were abundant. I was up $150 the first day gambling on nothing but craps. It went south after that.
     
  16. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    Like I mentioned earlier, I'm an old fuddy duddy but still relatively new to Vegas. Never first handedly experienced all the stuff mentioned here.

    But my Bil, who is a year younger than me, would occasionally tell me this story of how one time his brother and himself were walking from one casino to another on Fremont. They were carrying with them a bucket each full of quarters from playing slots. Out of nowhere this black dude jumps out in front of them and circles around and around them, chanting "GIVE ME MONEY! GIVE ME MONEY!!"

    My Bil distinctly recalls being amused and terrified at the same time, lol!!!
     
  17. Breeze147

    Breeze147 Button Man

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    First time we flew out on a charter. That was the way most people got to Vegas from the East Coast, those 3 day, 4 night junket packages.

    The CW's at MGM were DDD. A lot of the cw's everywhere were. Now all the hotties are in the VIP areas or the clubs.

    $1.99 Prime Rib Dinners.

    I remember when a few of the casinos started dealing blackjack with cards face up. Now, everyone could see your dumb moves.

    Rodney Dangerfield was a lounge act at the Tropicana. He even did a matinee.

    South of the Hacienda was literally nothing but desert.

    Several buffets were just hot tables set up in ballrooms.

    People actually had manners.
     
  18. bigoinkc

    bigoinkc Tourist

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    1982 1st time, wife and me won 706 dollars on quarter slot at Showboat, now Harrahs.
    Decided to have fancy meal at the Top of the Mint , downtown, steak lobster all the extras with alcohol Total cost 38.00
    Those were the days!!!!
     
  19. BlacklabberMike

    BlacklabberMike MIA

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    Yup to the junkets. "The Boys" from Springfield MA ran the junkets to the Dunes back then.
    sign your name for just about anything.... settle up any outstanding markers within 7 days back home.
    Big Nose Sam(da boss) would buy up the markers for 75 cents on the dollar and then you paid the boys the full amount..

    down and across the street was Churchill Downs racebook and the famed Little Caesers casino...drinks served in a plastic cup.
    out front Mustang Sally would cruise... $20 to go round back to the parking lot for a quick BJ.
     
  20. makikiboy

    makikiboy VIP Whale

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    I still see that Redwood Grille ad on some bus stops and other places.
     
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