He’s a legend and one of the toughest and most popular gamblers of the 20^th century. Alvin Thomas, better known as “Titanic Thompson”, is the man who could sink just about all his opponents. Titanic Thompson could bet on anything, from casino games to golf to billiard to target shooting, you name it, and he would most definitely win. The life of Titanic Thompson has been captured in a biography written by Sports Illustrated Editor Kevin Cook. In his book Cook describes Thompson (1892-1974) as a “rogue wind that lifted girls’ skirts and turned gamblers’ pockets inside out.”

The book also has some of best stories in Thompson’s life, which includes his legendary encounters with famous celebrities like Harry Houdini, Al Capone and of course his competitions against famous golfers of his time including Ben Hogan and Sam Snead. In one of the stories Cook describes how Thompson managed to scam Capone out of $500 on a bet over whether he could throw a lemon on top of a building across the street!