Alvin Clarence Thomas (1892–1974) was a gambler, golfer and hustler who created the character of Titanic Thompson and lived that fictional character's secret life.
Alvin Clarence Thomas, born in Rogers, Arkansas, began conducting his nomadic, lucrative and secret career of hustling across the rural United States in the early 1900s. Later, when he had honed his skills, he moved on New York City where he became an underground legend by winning at a...
more
Alvin Clarence Thomas (1892–1974) was a gambler, golfer and hustler who created the character of Titanic Thompson and lived that fictional character's secret life.
Alvin Clarence Thomas, born in Rogers, Arkansas, began conducting his nomadic, lucrative and secret career of hustling across the rural United States in the early 1900s. Later, when he had honed his skills, he moved on New York City where he became an underground legend by winning at all manner of propositions.
Blessed with extraordinary eye-hand coordination and incredible eyesight, he was a skilled athlete, crack shot and a self-taught golfer good enough to turn professional.
However, in an era when the top pro golfers would be fortunate to make $30,000 a year, Thomas (who after a misprint in a New York newspaper conveniently let people think his name was Thompson) could make that much in a week hustling rich country club players who thought they knew how to play golf, but found out—under extreme pressure from Thomas's...
less
