Our guest this week is James McManus. James is the author of several books, and many magazine articles. He is also an avid poker player. Today we discuss his history of poker, Cowboys Full.
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Podcast – guest James McManus author of Cowboys Full
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Years ago I found a paperback copy of Positively Fifth Street at a library sale (it’s even signed and inscribed by the author) and recognizing it as a poker book, I bought it, read it, and enjoyed it very much. I’d rank it a close second to Dalla’s and Alson’s One of a Kind on my list of favorite poker books (and yes, I’ve read more than two).
Two things I particularly remember from the book are (a) the author’s signature tagline “cause that’s the kind of mick I am”–it always made me smile whenever I came across it (I told an Irish friend of mine about the line and he loved it) and (b) my surprise when I saw the name of a guy I actually knew. The author meets this guy in a strip club and he tells the author his grandfather is in prison for life. I wasn’t friends with the guy but we worked together years ago and his grandfather is a fairly big part of Philly mob lore.
One night I go out drinking with the guy and two other guys who were black and ended up at an all-white, neighborhood after-hours club that was absolutely racist. The manager, bouncer, and bartender of the club where none-too-happy about us being there with two black guys nor the fact that I drank too much and got sick in their bathroom sink. The workers–and probably most of the patrons–of the club wanted to kill me for messing up their bathroom and wanted to kill the guy mentioned in the book for bringing me and two black guys into their club but couldn’t do anything because of the guy’s “connections” and the fact that his grandfather, who was already in jail at the time, owned the building where the club was located and the parking lot next door.
Great book and a great podcast. Looking forward to reading Cowboys Full.