Not sure if I am spelling that right. IIRC, In the late 70's (early 80's?) - it was a very popular spectator/gambling sport. CT had a least 2 arenas(?) - Bridgeport and Hartford. Then it seems like it just disappeared.
I remember it was also popular in Miami.
Not sure what made me think of it but, I was wondering if everybody went bankrupt or there was some scandal - and then everyone went bankrupt?
Whatever happened to Jai-Alai?
Also they never checked ID so we'd get the $2 beers.
good times.
Link - ( New Window )
It's mostly in Florida.
I was betting Magic City, and thought I hit a trifecta, turns out I was watching a different fronton on the little TV.
one of the f-ing problems with drinking and gambling.
Drinking with anything always ends up bad ... Always made me stronger than I was, Braver than I thought, Richer than my account statements would indicate .... and smarter than Einstein. ; )
Thanks pjcas18
Thanks Greg -
“Shame on you Mr. Bulger,” he said. “For all your notoriety, you are a punk.”
How is that for click bait? .... : )
It's mostly in Florida.
I was betting Magic City, and thought I hit a trifecta, turns out I was watching a different fronton on the little TV.
one of the f-ing problems with drinking and gambling.
My brother also bets it at Mohegan Sun … but he doesn't drink :)
Actually that makes sense Mike. All of the biggest gamblers I knew growing up (including some family members) were the ones who always discussed and raved about it.
I am not sure the timeline is that precise but, why go to Jai-Alai (which was kinda like going to "the track" imo) when the casino would offer you multiple ways to "double" your money?
Where does your brother play? Are there still places to play .... besides Miami?
Wheelers demise at the hands of Bulger and Steve Flemmi has been covered in several shows/films
Wheelers demise at the hands of Bulger and Steve Flemmi has been covered in several shows/films
I believe you meant Patriarca .... not Patricia? Patricia is to feminine to call a mafia crime family ; ). Maybe it is just me ... but, I would have went with another name besidies Patricia.
Quote:
One word … casinos. My brother plays every week with some of the former pros at the Hartford fronton, and he knew Buddy Brerenson, the owner. I don't know about some of the other stuff mentioned, but a simple look at the timeline shows clearly that the decline of the sport coincided with the opening of the casinos. Berenson petitioned the state to allow slot machines in the fronton but was declined. He closed not long after.
Actually that makes sense Mike. All of the biggest gamblers I knew growing up (including some family members) were the ones who always discussed and raved about it.
I am not sure the timeline is that precise but, why go to Jai-Alai (which was kinda like going to "the track" imo) when the casino would offer you multiple ways to "double" your money?
Where does your brother play? Are there still places to play .... besides Miami?
Sorry - saw that you said Hartford Fronton ... during my 2nd reading ... didn't realize that building was still there and available.
I'll bet autocorrect got ya
back then if you were in high school or just out of it (technically had to be 18, but I was there regularly from about 15 on) and didn't have a ton of money you could bet $2 quinella's drink the $2 beers, have a couple hot dogs for $30 of entertainment.
and if you won, that was huge, sometimes we'd get three or four of us and pool our money and get a trifecta box or an exact box and every once in a while we'd hit for a few hundred.
It was a fun place to go though and much more value for your money (which you usually lost) than the casino.
the game, when played well, was also very fun to watch. they called it the fastest sport or something like that.
Many of my friends and I tried it out a few times - next door to Milford jai-alai was amateur jai-alai and it was pretty hard to master, but also fun to play.
I'd love to see a jai-alai comeback.
No need to apologise Bill. I knew who you meant ... I was just messin'.
: )
Few of us in the NYC/Philly area realize just how strong the NE crime gangs got in the 70's and 80's.
Especially in Rhode Island. Amazing level of corruption in the state legislature and judiciary. There was a time when 4 straight acting Supreme Court Justice of RI got taken out by the Feds for corruption. Several Mayors and legislators as well.
Hartford, Springfield, Somerville, Lynn, parts of Boston, Bristol, Bridgeport...in the 70's the organized crime as a percent of penetration into businesses and LE and legislature seemed to exceed our beloved NYC
Few of us in the NYC/Philly area realize just how strong the NE crime gangs got in the 70's and 80's.
Especially in Rhode Island. Amazing level of corruption in the state legislature and judiciary. There was a time when 4 straight acting Supreme Court Justice of RI got taken out by the Feds for corruption. Several Mayors and legislators as well.
Hartford, Springfield, Somerville, Lynn, parts of Boston, Bristol, Bridgeport...in the 70's the organized crime as a percent of penetration into businesses and LE and legislature seemed to exceed our beloved NYC
Oh yeah, it was fixed. We knew all the players then too and who were the better players (in Milford). Cruz, Badiola, Fo, and when they "dumped it" as the favorite the crowd responded.
Some crazy good athletes among them.
but we mostly bet numbers anyway.
back then if you were in high school or just out of it (technically had to be 18, but I was there regularly from about 15 on) and didn't have a ton of money you could bet $2 quinella's drink the $2 beers, have a couple hot dogs for $30 of entertainment.
and if you won, that was huge, sometimes we'd get three or four of us and pool our money and get a trifecta box or an exact box and every once in a while we'd hit for a few hundred.
It was a fun place to go though and much more value for your money (which you usually lost) than the casino.
the game, when played well, was also very fun to watch. they called it the fastest sport or something like that.
Many of my friends and I tried it out a few times - next door to Milford jai-alai was amateur jai-alai and it was pretty hard to master, but also fun to play.
I'd love to see a jai-alai comeback.
+1 ... You are right PJ. It was a fun night out and cheap. Why am I thinking 1.00 hot dogs? Does that ring a bell?
Somebody once told me that - the ball was as hard a a pool cue, will do a lot of damage if you got hit by it, and ... if you were down there in the cage and saw it coming at you (for the first time) - your first instinct would be to duck and not try to catch it. It moves so fast.
Quote:
In comment 14445748 Milton said:
Quote:
That delicate satin draped frame.
lol ... you made me laugh Milton. Jai-Alai was in color ... The ole FW in Black and White.
Don't dream it, be it - ( New Window )
I got it immediately. Was surprised others answered literally, but they're probably normals and didn't spend every freaking Saturday midnight in line to buy tickets and throw toast.
You confused me. I immediately thought of Flash Gordon in silver underwear and started throwing toast.
Quote:
In comment 14445768 short lease said:
Quote:
In comment 14445748 Milton said:
Quote:
That delicate satin draped frame.
lol ... you made me laugh Milton. Jai-Alai was in color ... The ole FW in Black and White.
Don't dream it, be it - ( New Window )
I got it immediately. Was surprised others answered literally, but they're probably normals and didn't spend every freaking Saturday midnight in line to buy tickets and throw toast.
I'll be honest - it went right over my head. It made me laugh because I thought he was busting my balls for bringing something up that was around so long ago (Jai-Alai) ... and Milton was exaggerating that point with a film star from the 40's or the 30's? I am not even sure when Fay Wray had her powers?
Quote:
One word … casinos. My brother plays every week with some of the former pros at the Hartford fronton, and he knew Buddy Brerenson, the owner. I don't know about some of the other stuff mentioned, but a simple look at the timeline shows clearly that the decline of the sport coincided with the opening of the casinos. Berenson petitioned the state to allow slot machines in the fronton but was declined. He closed not long after.
Actually that makes sense Mike. All of the biggest gamblers I knew growing up (including some family members) were the ones who always discussed and raved about it.
I am not sure the timeline is that precise but, why go to Jai-Alai (which was kinda like going to "the track" imo) when the casino would offer you multiple ways to "double" your money?
Where does your brother play? Are there still places to play .... besides Miami?
Yes, he plays at an amateur fronton. Don't know exactly where, but it is here in central CT
Casinos have pretty much killed Parimutuel betting. The two CT casinos led to the closing of Jai-Alai and both dog tracks in CT.
ok ... I read it again and thought they were playing at the old Hartford Fronton. I was surprised to hear it was still around.
Few of us in the NYC/Philly area realize just how strong the NE crime gangs got in the 70's and 80's.
Especially in Rhode Island. Amazing level of corruption in the state legislature and judiciary. There was a time when 4 straight acting Supreme Court Justice of RI got taken out by the Feds for corruption. Several Mayors and legislators as well.
Hartford, Springfield, Somerville, Lynn, parts of Boston, Bristol, Bridgeport...in the 70's the organized crime as a percent of penetration into businesses and LE and legislature seemed to exceed our beloved NYC
It's still old school on Atwells Street (Federal Hill) in Providence.
I wouldn't plan a trip around that.
mexbound - ( New Window )
"Vincent "Buddy" Cianci, Providence's longest-serving mayor, is the most prominent example for outsiders. He returned to the state in May 2007, after serving more than four years in a federal prison for a racketeering-conspiracy conviction (in other words, running a criminal enterprise out of City Hall).
Former governor Edward DiPrete also spent one year in jail after pleading guilty to 18 corruption charges that he took bribes from state contractors while in office. The Ocean State tradition of political scandal isn't limited to executive officers—just look at the legislature and court system. Former speaker of the House and chief justice of the state Supreme Court Joseph A. Bevilacqua resigned in 1986 during impeachment proceedings, in which investigators alleged that the then-judge had strong ties to the mob."
If you looked it up it goes on and on. Makes Albany look clean.
Beat me to it
On the other hand, there is white clam pizza, a major contribution to the world ...
Anyway, this jai-alai thread has me remembering Connecticut days from long ago. As I said, I always wondered what jai-alai was all about, and now I know.
Its a 1800's way of cooking them via steam that got out all the fat. Of course it got out the taste and left the burgers an ashen grey. To me, the meat was texture and the taste was cheese and ketchup.
New Haven has a place that claims the tradition was invented there but I forget the name of it.
Anyway, if you ever head to Boston or the Cape via 95, stop for lunch or dinner on Atwell Avenue as it goes through Federal Hill. Better than Archer Avenue when Archer Avenue was Archer Avenue
Yes, back at you. Long story but I'm in a Boston firm now (in their NY office but I'm up there a lot) so keep the NE restaurant recommendations coming ...
New Haven has a place that claims the tradition was invented there but I forget the name of it.
Louis' Lunch in New Haven, but it wasn't invented there. At least according to legend, it was invented in Middletown at Jack's Lunch.
This has me flashing back to Super John Williamson from Wilbur Cross.
Drugs impeded or took down so many great hoops players in those days.
Yes, he plays at an amateur fronton. Don't know exactly where, but it is here in central CT
CT Amature Jai Alai
It's in Berlin in an old industrial building
CT Amature Jai Alai - ( New Window )
Thanks
Kenny Mayne Plays Jai-Alai - ( New Window )
Burgers are delicious and unique, but take forever. and if you like ketchup forget it
served only on white bread toasted.
every cop in new haven comes in there on weekend nights and cuts the line.
and it's right across the street from Bar, which now somehow has really good pizza, sells by the slice, and no wait usually.
He used to say that if you won a huge amount, the tellers would call people to let them know. I don't know if it was true, but he could've won a lot more and never did to avoid the attention. He also picked different windows to place bets at. Before cameras tracked everything!!