The first thing you noticed about Johnny Moss were his eyes.They were hooded, evil looking actually. They reminded me of a cobra.
Moss was born in Marshall, Texas. He grew up in Odessa, my old stomping grounds, and moved to Dallas where he learned how to play poker and how to cheat at cards.
He won the first World Series of Poker and picked up two other WSOP bracelets at the Horseshoe, owned by his friend Benny Binion, back in the 1970s.
He and Benny became lifelong friends. Both were outlaws at heart and both had shot and killed men in gambling disputes in Texas. Moss served time for his crime, but Binion escaped prison by claiming self-defense.
I first met Moss in the 1970s while on a weekend jaunt to Las Vegas. After dropping my luggage off in my room, I went down to the poker room and signed up for a $4-8 Texas Hold'em game.
Benny Binion was his usual gregarious self. After making sure I was taken care of -- Benny liked the press -- he took me over to a table where Moss was playing $20-40 Hold'em.
"Hey, Johnny," Benny said. "Take your eyes off those cards and meet this fellow. He's a newspaper reporter. He's here to expose you and all your sins to the world."
Moss turned slowly around and appraised me. His eyes narrowed and he nodded. King Cobra.
"My sins pale compared to yours, Benny," he said, yawning. He reached out and pumped my hand. "Pleased to meet you." Then he turned back to the game.
Over the next several years, I tried to talk Moss into granting me an interview. He never turned me down, but always put off my request for 'later.' Well, with Johnny Moss, later never came and he went to his grave at age 88 without sitting down and talking to me about his life.
A lot has been written about Moss over the years. I have read those stories and it's my opinion that the writers made up most of what they wrote.
They all write about the marathon poker game Moss supposedly had with Nick the Greek, a game that Binion allegedly arranged. But there is no real proof the game ever existed even though author-poker player Al Alvarez used it as the premise for his book, 'The Biggest Game in Town.'
According to the stories, the game took place at Binion's Horseshoe over a five-month period, with anywhere from $2 million to $4 million changing hands. The story goes that Nick finally got wearily to his feet and said, 'Mr. Moss, I will have to let you go,' before staggering off to bed.
If the game occurred, wonderful. If not, it's a great poker legend that will probably be told as long as poker exists.
Doyle Brunson was one person who respected Moss's ability as a poker player. Doyle told of beating him for $35,000 one night. Moss broke even on the game by defeating the other players.
"Johnny Moss had an uncanny sense when it came to cards," Brunson declared. "He almost always made the correct judgement on a hand."
I watched Moss play poker many times. On several occasions,I would approach his table and engage in a brief conversation with him. He would nod and acknowledge me, but his mind was always on the game and the players.
Sitting behind him would be his wife, Virgie. They were married in May 1926 and were about as close of a couple as you could find. Virgie always sat behind Johnny and kept her hand on his arm, assuring him of her presence.
Poker players aren't supposed to play well when they age. Supposedly the brain slows down and their skills evaporate. Hah! Tell that to Moss and the players he kept beating game after game after game despite the passage of years.
A doctor once told Moss, "Johnny, you're going to die of a heart attack if you don't watch it.'
Moss barely smiled. "Not me, Doc," he said. "I don't have a heart."
One of the last attempts I made to interview Moss happened in 1993 just two years before his death. He was cordial enough but waved me away muttering something like, "Later, Son. I'm playing poker."
I decided to have some fun with him.
"Okay, Johnny, no interview," I said. "But could you lend me $40 so I can buy into a poker game?"
He turned around. And he smiled.
He looked at the other players at the table. "I like that," he said. "It's funny."
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
