C.O.C.A. Times

When the play knob is turned, the wheel starts to spin
and the figure resting against the hub is pulled down-
ward to the bottom of the wheel where it immediately
reverses course and starts upward movement. Once the
figure reaches the hub, it bounces up and down , slow-
ing the wheel to a stop. If the color on the wheel under
the figure is the one bet upon, an automatic pay-out is
made in either a "50" or "75" token which then would
be exchanged for something offered by the proprietor.
As you might suspect, the makers used the central fig-
ure to produce games of compelling interest to the play-
ers. Figures ranged from the supernatural like the devil
to military men, goddesses, and all classes of current
day celebrities. For example, one of the more popular
games called "Johnson" featured the champion Ameri-
can boxer Jack Johnson. This personalization for com-
mercial purposes is more often seen in American pin-
ball than in our gambling although several early floor
model single wheelers were named after well-known
Americans. As we know only too well, celebrity show-
casing has definite attraction for the public at large. We
want to be associated with the latest "star," even if is no
more than playing a machine with the name and like-
ness of the celebrity upon it. (How else can you explain
all those NFL or NBA jerseys out there?)
All this is rather esoteric and was completely beyond
my cognition when I decided to buy "Poker D' As." I
was going on instinct and little else. As Sandy Lechtick
succinctly stated in his recent article "Pilgrimage To
Chicagoland" ("COCA Times", July 2005,) " ... some-
times you ' ve simply got to take a leap of faith, and
sometimes, a big leap. My advice - go with your gut.
You never know where you
are going to see neat stuff,
but when you do, assum-
ing you can afford it, you
have to step up to the plate."
How true that is. Take a
closer look in Photo B. This
is the close-up of the figure
on "Poker D' As." Look fa-
miliar? It certainly did not
to me. I thought it was a generic Betty Boop. After I
had owned the game for months, I was showing it to
a friend who remarked, "That's Josephine Baker." I
stood there for a moment with my mouth open, staring
at the figure that I had looked at 100 times before when
I suddenly had that "AHA!" He was absolutely cor-
rect. The theme of the game is supposed to be dice but
the maiden of honor here is none other than the Black
American Queen of the Folies Bergere, Josephine Bak-
er.
Josephine is a fascinating story. Born in 1906 in
St. Louis, Missouri, she started her career as a choru s
line dancer. Recognized early as a precocious talent,
she advanced rapidly to become a featured dancer in
"revues." As a black wom-
an in the 1920's, she faced
the restrictions of racism and
the Jim Crow system that de-
manded that she embrace her
second-class status. Rather
than submit, she moved to
France where she became a
head-liner talent in some of
the most successful shows in
Paris. Photo C is a picture of
her from one of her many stage
productions. She was very
successful personally and financially. During WWII,
she worked first with the Red Cross and later with the
French Resistance. For her bravery, she was awarded
the Legion d'Honneur from Charles de Gaulle in 1961.
She adopted and raised more than a dozen children of
different races and nationalities. In later years, she re-
turned to the United States and played an important
but quiet role behind the scenes of the U.S. civil right
movement, even addressing the March on Washington
in August, 1963. She died in 1975 of a cerebral hemor-
rhage. She was a remarkable woman with a talent that
transcended more than one Continent.
As is usually the case for me, physically retrieving
the game was half the adventure. The seller was a fel-
low in New York City who graciously agreed to hold
the machine until I could arrange a trip to the City to
pick it up in person. Several months later I was wel-
corned into the home of long-time collector and COCA
member, Murray Gottlieb. Many of you already know
Murray. For those who do not, he is a gentleman and
raconteur beyond compare. Murray started collecting
back in the 1970's when little was known about an y-
thing in this field. Armed with a small budget and good
instincts, Murray was in the initial cadre of collectors
who pioneered the early days of our hobby. Today, hi s
collection and breadth of knowledge earn the envy of
all who know him. Two of Murray's strongest qualities
are his joy for the hobby and his willingness to share
hi s knowledge with other collectors just starting out,
collectors like me. After a three-hour tour of Murray 's
collection, he took me back to the airport and I escort-
9