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Trying to find the VMB'er with the most "seniority"

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by Wolfman619, Apr 17, 2014.

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  1. Wolfman619

    Wolfman619 Low-Roller

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    Meaning, who took the earliest trip out of everyone on the board. If you didn't go to vegas prior to 1974 don't bother posting. Anyone on here visit during the rat pack era? Earlier?

    If this has been done before, I apologize. Just searching for some neat stories/experiences.
     
  2. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    1973 for me. A young dumbsh*t of 21. Drove with a buddy from WI to LAS non-stop. iirc ~32 hours.

    Stayed at the Tam O'Shater motel, across the street from what now is TI.

    Pissed away most of my bankroll the first night.:cry: I've been hooked ever since.
     
  3. mcevene

    mcevene Tourist

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    long time ago

    1964 was my first trip - on leave from FT. Ord CA. , drove their in a old nash with two buddies, could not afford a room and slept in the car and drove back next day - our pay check was $64 a month and we spent all of it on that trip.
     
  4. Funkhouser

    Funkhouser In Charge of the Big Door

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    Kinda off topic slightly and while I wasn't around at the time. My father and mother RIP, would regale me in my youth of stories of their trips to Las Vegas back in the late fifties and early sixties. I have some old slides of their trips.

    They would stop out in Vegas every year on the way to AZ to visit old friends and family. I have heard notable stories of Dad playing $3 blackjack on the strip, him and mom seeing Frank Sinatra in the Copa room back in 1959.

    Dad bumping into Jack Benny in the lobby of Stardust in 1961

    Lastly Dad hated Howard Hughes when he moved into Vegas, and I quote: "That prick ruined everything that was great about Vegas", He stuck to his guns too, cause I don't think him and mom went back until 1982 to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.

    Guess that's one of the reasons I have such a fond view of las vegas.

    Best line my dad every told me: "Funk the only way to double your money in las vegas, is take it out of your pocket, fold it in half, and stick it back in your wallet."
     
  5. topcard

    topcard Here's to $10 3:2 two-deck, $5 Craps, and $5 UTH!

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    My first trip was in 1979...thanks for making me feel so young, y'all!
    :beer:
     
    Annual Spring Trip!
  6. Breeze147

    Breeze147 Button Man

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    Well, 1975, so I'm close. Stayed at the original Tropicana which was a humongous one story motel, for the most part. Rodney Dangerfield was the lounge act. The Hacienda was just across the road and there was literally nothing but desert south of that until you got to Henderson, which was just a tiny little town.

    My very first game of blackjack, I pushed the stool away from the table and fell over backwards to the floor, an act I would reprise at Mirage 37 years later.

    I still have a deck of cards from The Mint that I got out of a vending machine at The Mint for a quarter. They would drill a hole through the deck so you couldn't sneak them into play.

    The Dunes would not let us into their main restaurant because we did not have a coat and tie, in July!

    I won $700 on the craps table at The Silver Slipper and my buddy and I drove our rental car out into the desert to party at Sheri's. Sheri's was a series of house trailers (we call them relocatables now) and a long, long drive out into the desert on a 2-lane road. The girls were spectacular!

    I honestly believe it was more pure fun than it is today.
     
  7. Blacklegs22

    Blacklegs22 Low-Roller

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    Wow, thinking about the Tam O Shanter takes me back...I remember the tacky hat on the sign seemed to always be missing a fews panes of plexiglass, or whatever the material they used on his tartan hat. :evillaugh

    1988 was the first trip for us on our honeymoon.
     
  8. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    I'm a newbie at 1995. :) But I have to look through all dad's old slides next time I'm down visiting. He used to go to Vegas as a University of Utah student back in the early 60's. I know he has good pics in there somewhere.
     
  9. queuetee

    queuetee VIP Whale

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    1970--- Celebrating college graduation and we stayed at the Flamingo. The things that I remember were there was a half circle driveway in front of the hotel and there were many little motor courts in between the big hotels. We walked from the Flamingo to the Frontier and actually saw tumble weeds coming out of the desert and blowing into the Strip,
     
  10. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

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    1968 for me. My dad helped put together some of the financing for Circus Circus and he took me there when I was five years old. I remember staying at The Desert Inn. I was lucky to make many other trips with him there well into the 70's.

    My first gambling jaunt was in 1982 when I was in the Navy, stationed in San Diego. Great memories of The Sands, Dunes, DI and The Stardust.

    :peace: :beer:
     
    Annual CCA (Casino Collectibles Association) Show at South Point
    Long Overdue Stay At The Golden Nugget
  11. bigdogmom

    bigdogmom VIP Whale

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    1971; I was on an organized cross-country tour and it was the summer I turned 17. We camped at Lake Mead and ate at the buffet at the top of the Mint. Downtown was pretty shabby back then.
     
  12. Wolfman619

    Wolfman619 Low-Roller

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    Mike, what command(s) were you at, and what was your rate?

    Ht2 uss comstock, and swrmc here.
     
  13. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

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    Hey Wolfman, always good to see a Navy man on VMB. I was an STG2 on USS Hewitt and USS Valley Forge, both in San Diego. I was also stationed at the ASW base in San Diego as both a student and instructor.

    I made many, many trips to Las Vegas on PSA airlines, round trip was $39 with a military discount. Ah, the good old days.........

    :peace: :beer:
     
    Annual CCA (Casino Collectibles Association) Show at South Point
    Long Overdue Stay At The Golden Nugget
  14. Busyman

    Busyman VIP Whale

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    Wow even I went there before then. Weird. [​IMG]

    Hey, but you've been there more than I have most certainly. I'm a newbie and have zero "tenure" with very little visits.
     
  15. Jimbucc

    Jimbucc VIP Whale

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  16. Hogman

    Hogman VIP Whale

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    Sorry first time in 1976.
     
  17. Breeze147

    Breeze147 Button Man

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    Close enough for government work. Tell us your story. It's still 38 years ago.:thumbsup::thumbsup:
     
  18. wizard950

    wizard950 High-Roller

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    1966 - A bunch of us young sailors drove from San Diego for a long weekend in a car that shouldn't have been allowed on the road. We stayed in a cheap motel on the Strip. Travelodge I think?

    Just in case anyone is curious. We were stationed on the USS Nereus AS-17 tied up at the sub base on Point Loma.
     
  19. sandybeachbar

    sandybeachbar Low-Roller

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    My first time was in the summer of 1971.I was 18 years old and my Mother had always had the summers off; we had done plenty of road trips previously. After many promises to a nearly new wedded husband that I would be back,we were off in a volkswagon bug to wonderful Las Vegas.(this was from mid Saskatchewan, so quite a long drive.

    We got in very late and could not find a place to stay. Ended up I believe in Circus Circus parking lot, where we put our feet up and slept for a couple of hours. That morning checked in to the Tropicana. Had a room at the pool. It was so beautiful.

    You had to be 21 to gamble ( I was just 18)so my Mom would make me up and off we would go. The first show I saw was Phyllis Diller and she had a virtual unknown opening for her. His name was John Denver. I fell in love with Wayne Newton that same trip.He would begin his show on time and just never quit -I think he was on that first time over 3 hours. We were scheduled to see Elvis but we could not get in on the day we wanted. We would have had to stay an extra day and this newly wed really wanted to get home by this time..(if I only know then what I know now) That would be the only opportunity to see the King again-and of course I didn`t keep the husband!

    We did see Patti Page, Red Skelton and Debbie Reynolds and Connie Stevens. I remember seeing some very, very naughty acts at Circus Circus after the kiddies went home.

    Wonderful memories of time with my mother in a place we both loved.

    We spent many holidays together in Vegas. Anytime one of us was down about something a `Vegas` trip would be sounded and in no time we would be back there again to our happy place
     
  20. Sam in Ut

    Sam in Ut High-Roller

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    1971... combined celebration of Honeymoon and college graduation. Seen Ann Margaret at the Landmark. Stayed at Caesars and ate footlong hotdogs at slots o fun. Next month we're staying at Caesars (again), maybe I'll treat the wife to a dog at Pinks! lol
     
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