Here's a pic I took a couple of years ago on a dreary day of the Metro Parking Garage at Hudson & Kerr ...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/CopsAndRobbers/gambling/kerrhudsonparking.jpg

Only some old-timers will know what was there before, as shown in the October 19, 1950, ad for the property's tenant, below:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/CopsAndRobbers/gambling/centralclub_1950_10_19.jpg

The Central Club was one of six or so downtown hangouts of the bookies ... where you could go downtown, hang out, openly place your bets with the openly visible bookmakers, and inhale all of the second-or-first hand smoke that your lungs could endure.

The police tried and tried but could never stop 'em. Only the Pei Plan and urban renewal could do that though it seems like overkill, if you ask me!

For a trip to downtown Oklahoma City's underbelly memory lane, go here: Doug Dawgz Blog: The Central Club, et al. (http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2009/06/central-club-et-al.html) and have a good time imagining then teenager Pody Poe watching Minnesota Fats shoot pool in the Central Club back in the 1940s.

There's an old saw that police generally could not shut down bookies because bookies always knew which LEO's and which politicos owed money to whom, how much was owed, and what it was lost on.

All old saws have some toothie to them, some are sharper than others though.

Doug, another great post. Kudos and attaboys to you. You my friend are the backbone of OKCTALK. Your knowledge and research keeps me and many other coming back for more. Please continue to keep up your outstanding work. :yourock:

Amen

Amen

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10-4 "Good Buddy":.....you fascinate me with the stuff you find....you mentioned a library card....I just found the OKC library yesterday to find out they moved it....Oh well, I'll follow you....

Doug, another great post. Kudos and attaboys to you. You my friend are the backbone of OKCTALK. Your knowledge and research keeps me and many other coming back for more. Please continue to keep up your outstanding work. :yourock:
Thanks guys. Blushing I am.