You Can Bet That Riggs Came Away a Big Winner

Great story in today’s paper (April 15) by Bob Oates. As a hustler, Riggs makes Minnesota Fats look like a piker.

At the Pan-Pacific Auditorium in L.A., I watched in fascination as Riggs beat the world’s No. 1 player, Don Budge. There were 7,000 spectators there, including hundreds of movie stars. Clark Gable and Groucho Marx sat in the row ahead of me. Whenever Riggs changed sides in the match, he placed bets on himself by holding up fingers to the crowd. Gable held up one finger, Riggs shook his head and held up two fingers. Gable held up two fingers and nodded. That meant that Riggs bet Gable $2,000 that he would win that set even though he was behind, 5-2. He also placed bets with Groucho and others the same way.

Budge was winning with his big serve and volley, when Riggs began to throw up unbelievable lobs that landed on or near the baseline. Riggs won the set and the match and spent a lot of time afterward collecting thousands of dollars from the losing bettors in the crowd.

FRANK CHAMBERLIN

Paso Robles