JimRivett
11-20-2003, 02:17 AM
Art Sathmary is referenced in the John Fox book, Play Poker Quit Work and Sleep Until Noon, as the "Almost Legendary ASQ", he is also mentioned in the Mike Caro section of the Doyle Bronson book, "Super System". Art is currently a house player at the Bicycle Casino (Bike) and over the past few months I have had the pleasure of sitting in the same game as him. Art is a very pleasant and approachable man who always has a smile on his face regardless of the situation. Incidently, Art claims that the things that both John Fox and Mike Caro say about him aren't really true, in fact he claims Mike gives him undue praise in the "Super System" book. I have my doubts about Art's memory, it may be just a case of him being humble.
Well the other day, I asked Art why he is referred to as ASQ when his initials are AS. He told me that many years ago, when he first started playing cards (1945 or 1946) he used to play in a small Gardena card room called the Western Club, it was only a small place and on Saturday night the board was very long for the game he wanted to play in - 25/50 cent draw (I think). Art would put his name on the board as AS and wait for a seat, however when AS was called there was more than one person with the initials of AS all claiming to be the AS called for the open seat. To avoid confusion Art started putting a Q on the end of AS - ASQ thus ending any dispute when his name was called. For that point on he became known as ASQ even to this day you hear people referring to him as ASQ.
While we were on the subject of the Western Club, I asked him what happened to that place. He laughed and said that it went out of business, this seemed strange to me that a casino would go out of business and I asked him why. He related this story to me which you may find interesting.
Apparently a gentleman called George Jessel, who was at that time a toastmaster at the Fryers Club, escorted Lena Horn to the Western Club one night, Mr Jessel is white and Ms. Horn is black and this was the late forties. Well as Art described it "these moral minded, alachol drinking, gamblers" didn't appreciate having a black person being there so a large number of them refused to ever go there again and as a result there wasn't enough customers to keep the place open so it closed.
Art was there that night and said that Lena Horn really was an attractive woman. Back then the only way black people could get into the card rooms was if they worked there.
Incidently I did ask Art if I could post this story and he looked at me kinda strange and with a smile said "Sure". Also, unfortunately, John Fox is very ill right now with throat cancer (I think).
Well I hope yopu enjoyed this, Art has told me a few Mike Caro stories which I may post.
Jim
Well the other day, I asked Art why he is referred to as ASQ when his initials are AS. He told me that many years ago, when he first started playing cards (1945 or 1946) he used to play in a small Gardena card room called the Western Club, it was only a small place and on Saturday night the board was very long for the game he wanted to play in - 25/50 cent draw (I think). Art would put his name on the board as AS and wait for a seat, however when AS was called there was more than one person with the initials of AS all claiming to be the AS called for the open seat. To avoid confusion Art started putting a Q on the end of AS - ASQ thus ending any dispute when his name was called. For that point on he became known as ASQ even to this day you hear people referring to him as ASQ.
While we were on the subject of the Western Club, I asked him what happened to that place. He laughed and said that it went out of business, this seemed strange to me that a casino would go out of business and I asked him why. He related this story to me which you may find interesting.
Apparently a gentleman called George Jessel, who was at that time a toastmaster at the Fryers Club, escorted Lena Horn to the Western Club one night, Mr Jessel is white and Ms. Horn is black and this was the late forties. Well as Art described it "these moral minded, alachol drinking, gamblers" didn't appreciate having a black person being there so a large number of them refused to ever go there again and as a result there wasn't enough customers to keep the place open so it closed.
Art was there that night and said that Lena Horn really was an attractive woman. Back then the only way black people could get into the card rooms was if they worked there.
Incidently I did ask Art if I could post this story and he looked at me kinda strange and with a smile said "Sure". Also, unfortunately, John Fox is very ill right now with throat cancer (I think).
Well I hope yopu enjoyed this, Art has told me a few Mike Caro stories which I may post.
Jim