Dusty Relics of Arkansas History
November 12-18, 2018
By Bob Denman
bgdenman@ualr.edu
Titanic Thompson
His name was Alvin Clarence Thomas and he hailed from Rogers, Arkansas. He was born 125 years ago this month and he is a Dusty Relic of Arkansas history whose story should be a Hollywood feature film.
His nickname was ‘Titanic Thompson’ and he won and lost millions of dollars playing cards, dice, pool, golf, horseshoes and just about anything else he could think of to bet on. In the years between the World Wars he motored across the south in a luxurious two ton Pierce-Arrow, living by his wits and reflexes. The tools of his trade were always in the trunk … left and right handed golf clubs, pool que, bowling ball, horseshoes, a shotgun, and always a bag full of cash.
He hustled Al Capone and double crossed Arnold Rothstein … Rothstein the crime boss who fixed the 1919 World Series. He was married five times and had affairs with Hollywood movie stars Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow. Oh, and he killed five men … mostly in self-defense.
He was America’s original hustler – always on the move and one step ahead of the law. He hustled country club golfers for $20,000 a hole when elite pros like Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson were earning $20,000 a year. Hogan said he was the best shot maker he ever saw, left or right handed. When asked if he would turn pro, Titanic’s answer was simple – “No, just can’t afford it”.
Minnesota Fats called Thompson “the greatest action man of all time”. His favorite hustles were always in his favor. He would bet he could throw a peanut over a two story building but the shell was filled with lead shot of course. He would move highway mileage signs and then bet that the mileage listed was wrong, he could even throw a hotel room key into the key hole. His favorite hustles, however, involved golf.
He would brag he could hit a golf ball 500 yards at a time when the best players might manage half that distance. The hustle was simple – in early winter he would simply brag about how far he could hit it, and gather bets for a couple of weeks. Then he would wait for a local lake to freeze over, and the ball would bounce and slide forever.
He figured out how to magnetize the metal cups that lined the holes on the golf course and played with steel-centered golf balls. He never missed a putt.
He traveled with Little Rock professional golfer Dutch Harrison. Harrison would ditch his shoes, put on bib overalls and hire on as a caddy at a local country club a couple of days in advance of Titanic hitting town. Titanic would show up, drink a lot in the club bar and brag about how good a golfer he was. Ti would say, “Go get your club pro and club champion and I’ll go out to the caddy yard to find me a partner and we’ll whip the both of you.” Everyone in town wanted in on that bet of course, but the problem was Ti and Dutch won the money – then traveled down the highway to the next town – to do it all over again.
But sadly the one game he couldn’t fix cost him millions. Horseracing – his one Achilles heel. Titanic Thompson died in Dallas all but a pauper.
And how did he get the nickname? Why anyone foolish enough to bet against him would go down like the Titanic.
Alvin Clarence Thomas – aka Titanic Thompson – is yet another Dusty Relic of Arkansas History.
