Frank Scoblete's Captain of Craps

I recently put a version of the following post up on another board. On that board (which is dyeing a slow death) there was some discussion concerning The Captain that Frank Scoblete writes about. I figured that I would contribute what I knew about him. There were a few responses that doubted my veracity but I did not respond to them.

Thinking about it I figured the members of this board would find it interesting.

SCAN

The following is a true account, whether you believe it or not is up to you........




I am a voracious reader of casino and gambling related literature, One of the most prolific authors in this genre is Frank Scoblete, who posts on this board. I loved his Craps books that featured The Captain, The Arm and The Crew. One day, maybe a dozen years ago, I was at a craps table in Atlantic City and I saw an older man with white hair carefully setting the dice and tossing them down the table. He was doing quite well. I thought about the Captain of Craps that I read about and wondered if it was him, after his successful roll a woman that may have been his wife came up and spoke with him, he cashed in and left the table. I never spoke to him.
About ten years ago, I was thinking about the adventures of "The Captain" and his crew. I found the mystery of whether he existed and if so, who was he, fascinating. So I decided to try to discern if he was a real person or a titular character, created to present Mr. Scoblete's gambling methods. To give you a little background about me, I was born in Brooklyn NY, the hometown of the Captain in the books, and lived the majority of my life in NYC. I had a successful career in law enforcement with most of my assignments being related to conducting and supervising investigations into serious matters.
I began my hobby project to find the truth about character, by reading the books Mr Scoblete had available at the time, I believe it was three. I also read several interviews of The Captain which were published in the now defunct Chance and Circumstance Magazine. In addition, I scoured the internet and read everything I could find written about The Captain. It is important to note, that in his writings, Mr. Scoblete said that the Captain's real name would be recognized by people in the general public so that was one of the reason he was not revealing his identity
In my research, I found that besides telling the stories of the Captain's exploits, Mr. Scoblete also provided a lot of detailed information about The Captain.
Putting together all the information that I gathered, I then reviewed public records to verify some ideas I had.
Finally, I pretty much had it narrowed down to one person.

I know that at this point in your reading of this post you are probably saying this is all "bullshit." You can think that if you want, but I assure you this is all true. It does not matter to me if you believe it or not.

Anyway, I will continue; To confirm my suspicions, I spoke with an old-timer I knew in NYC. He was a knock-around guy that had seen it all. Based on what I knew of the old-timers life story, I was certain that he would definitely have rubbed shoulders with my suspect. When I spoke to him he said he knew my suspect and also members of his family (I believe the family members may been deceased by then... my memory is fuzzy on that). He recalled they liked gambling and were frequent visitors to the racetrack before casino gambling arrived. However, the old-timer was strictly interested in horse racing and he had no interest in casino gambling so he never visited a casino with them or was part of any "crew."
Even though I could not confirm the casino visits, based on certain other facts he provided I was more certain than ever, that I was correct about my suspect.

Finally it was time to review everything to ensure I had it all straight, but when I was putting everything together, I discovered that there was one major problem. In rereading Mr. Scoblete's book, there was a major contradiction. There was a statement in there that would make it impossible for my suspect to be The Captain.
I put the project aside for a while. Then one day I decided to re-visit the project. This time, I began to consider that Mr. Scoblete put the point that was troubling me into the book to throw someone off, I reread the paragraph, but this time I though of the words meaning differently, it then occurred to me I was looking at that aspect wrong and there was actually no contradiction, just a different interpretation.

I put my evidence together and contacted Mr. Scoblete by e-mail, giving him my word that I would respect the wishes of The Captain to maintain his privacy.

Mr. Scoblete responded to my e-mail. There is no reason to indicate whether Mr. Scoblete confirmed my theory or not, I know I am correct and if you chose to doubt me nothing I write will change your mind. I can just assure you that The Captain was a real person. He is now deceased, and I will never reveal his identity.

Quote: Scan

Thinking about it
I figured
the members if this board would find it interesting.

i thinks you have errors in your figuring
but that is just me

ok
i will look to see what you gots

Quote: Scan

SCAN

The following is a true account, whether you believe it or not is up to you........

Oh no
(graphic image provided by poster edited to not show involuntarily; click the link at your peril for projectile vomiting)
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/af252/sallymustang/sallyOh/spit2_zpsrerphosd.png

best weight loss program, imo
read something with Frank S (Scoblete you used 12 times) in it right after breakfast

feel good story
thanks

Nothing like revisionist history. Nothing like editing second editions of your books to fit your new found theories. Nothing like inventing a roll that never happened.

I can see dead people.

this dead guy is sure getting a lot of protection

What a meaningless, pointless "investigation."

Wish I had those few minutes back.

welcome to the wizards board of outstanding craps players that know every player that
ever existed, and have a comment about the positions of anyone that enters the site.

A person almost needs to bow to the elite on this site just to enter.


thanks to Scan for his work and the guts to state his position.

dicesetter

Quote: dicesitter

thanks to Scan for his work and the guts to state his position.dicesetter

Position?

What position?

Just another "Nyah, nyah, I know something you don't know" post.

I had hopes that this self-proclaimed sleuth would reveal the results of his alleged investigation, but no, he's just a capt. tease.

Probaby a shill for Scoblete, to keep the myth of the Captain of Craps in the public eye.

He could have been a contender.

*yawn*

Quote: mustangsally

best weight loss program, imo
read something with Frank S (Scoblete you used 12 times) in it right after breakfast

I am wondering mustangsally, how did you get a free pass on rude and insulting behavior on this board? Many of your posts in the "online casino 101% BJ" thread were offensive and borderline insulting. Now this here is a flat out personal insult against a board member. Yet no suspensions for you. The Wizard even has personally defended your behavior. Good for you, I guess.

However, for the sake of the quality of this board, please tone it down a notch. Your mathematical calculations are appreciated, your rude, arrogant and insulting behavior is not. Thanks.

Quote: Canyonero

I am wondering mustangsally, how did you get a free pass on rude and insulting behavior on this board?

i have absolutley no clue

Quote: Canyonero

Many of your posts in the "online casino 101% BJ" thread were offensive and borderline insulting.

link to one, please
and thank you for your opinion on that
Management will have a look after the Ellen show

Quote: Canyonero

Now this here is a flat out personal insult against a board member.

yes, i used the words
best and
good

Quote: Canyonero

Yet no suspensions for you.

give it time

Oh oh
about time
i got to get over to school
my first day there
must make a great first impression on the teacher because i really want to learn something

Quote: Canyonero

The Wizard even has personally defended your behavior. Good for you, I guess.

i guess so too

Quote: Canyonero

However, for the sake of the quality of this board, please tone it down a notch.

thank you for asking

Quote: Canyonero

Your mathematical calculations are appreciated, your rude, arrogant and insulting behavior is not. Thanks.

you are welcome but to me
you sound kind of rude, arrogant and insulting

that looks like a tie and overtime
tonight again

Quote: Scan

There is no reason to indicate whether Mr. Scoblete confirmed my theory or not, I know I am correct

wow!
that is BOLD

Quote: Scan

I can just assure you that The Captain was a real person.

that could be correct and truthful, ok - he was real.

Quote: Scan

He is now deceased,

that could be the truth also

Quote: Scan

and I will never reveal his identity.

for what reason?

i say
you can be bought

how about a start price of $1000.01

of course, proof is required

think about it
no hurry or rush

it you want proof that i actually have that much real $$$$$$$
after school i take a picture of it next to my laptop

you might just have hit a jackpot
Sally

Quote: Canyonero

your rude, arrogant and insulting behavior is not. Thanks.

I find it hilarious especially the vomit picture. The more mully and ME posts this board has, the better.

Just my opinion.

From the way you worded and formatted your post, it feels like you are not taking me seriously and are just trolling at this point.

In case I am wrong, here is my reply:

You asked me to link to an offensive post you made, how about this one:

https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/blackjack/21921-blackjack-game-with-0-75-player-advantage/33/#post459001

A lot of people put money into this casino in good faith and were cheated in various ways (some proven, some not). It is offensive in my opinion to gleefully state how much "entertainment value" (better: Schadenfreude) you got out of their misfortune.


Also, please explain in what way I have sounded rude, arrogant and insulting. That was not my intention. I will try to word my post more carefully in the future.

To avoid a constant back-and-forth with no real exchange of information, I would like to invite you to respond to my original post with either of these sentences:

A I understand what you are saying, but I think the majority of people on this board actually enjoy the way I post and I will continue to do so in the future.
B I see that I may have occasionally stepped over the line and I will try to be more considerate in the future.
C I do not understand what you are asking of me.

You can just pick one and copy&paste it. Thanks.

Someone named "caprain" walks into a casino and wins unspecified amount and he did it on a constant basis. Surveillance don't notice him, other players never have seen him and besides these facts he suppose to be one of the greatest players of all times. How about a triple crown winner whose identity is unknown or a basketball team which won all games in a season with players whom nobody has ever seen. You welcome to the mysterious world of FS, the land of shadows, graves, ghosts. The land of magic where the dreams become truths.

How do we know Scan isn't FS? I mean sock puppets are his specialty, and he had some classics on the GTC site. He was also outed on bj21.com as his sock puppet "Delaney" was exposed.

Demango



How do you or anyone
else on here know for sure that the guy Frank calls the captain does not exist??????

I surely don't know.

What I do know is the very limited exposure I had with Frank indicated to me he is a straight
shooter.......I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

If one of the esteemed members of this board such as MRV has proof he did not exist... I for
one would be glad to see it.

It should take just as much proof to call some one a liar, as it does to some thing is true.


dicesetter

Quote: dicesitter

Demango



How do you or anyone
else on here know for sure that the guy Frank calls the captain does not exist??????

I surely don't know.

What I do know is the very limited exposure I had with Frank indicated to me he is a straight
shooter.......I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

If one of the esteemed members of this board such as MRV has proof he did not exist... I for
one would be glad to see it.

It should take just as much proof to call some one a liar, as it does to some thing is true.


dicesetter

Although this is how DI/CD and other conspiracy theorists work, in general that is not how real life works. It's nearly impossible to prove a negative. The onus is on the person claiming that something is true to provide the proof it does exist. If Mr. Scoblete, or anyone else for that matter, professes "The Captain" is a real person, they would have to show that he is to be accepted by the general public. Not the other way around. Nobody can prove somebody that doesn't exist, doesn't exist. There is no proof for such a thing.

So until someone can prove The Captain exists, or DI/DC has any affect or that casinos are systematically cheating players by purposely putting in bad dice or that Santa Clause exists (or other fairy tale creatures and powers), none of it does.


ZCore13

A :/

Its not that serious

Quote: DeMango

How do we know Scan isn't FS? I mean sock puppets are his specialty, and he had some classics on the GTC site. He was also outed on bj21.com as his sock puppet "Delaney" was exposed.

I wonder if BBB will admonish you for this?

zcore13


Sheep dip...........

everyone has a right to their opinion based on what they know.... its not their fault some one else like you
chooses not to accept it......

To be brutally honest..... most of everything cant be proven because almost everyone would have a different
set of proof they require...... if god came back right now.... do you honestly think most people would accept that???


Sorry each of us has the right to set our own standards of what we accept.


dicesetter

Quote: dicesitter

If one of the esteemed members of this board such as MRV has proof he did not exist... I for
one would be glad to see it.

It should take just as much proof to call some one a liar, as it does to some thing is true.


dicesetter

"Esteemed?"

Uh, no, not really.

I am not claiming that the fellow never existed.

I suspect there is a good chance that Scoblete once knew a guy he now calls the captain of craps.

My disagreement concerns the quasi-heroic, near-mythic deeds which Frank ascribes to this guy.

I've always called "bull----" about this issue on this and other gambling boards, and I've no reason to stop.

The only valid reason Scoblete would now have to protect the identity of this dead man would be to keep the legend going and book sales growing.

You vote for "captain of craps," and I cast my vote for:

Quote: dicesitter

It should take just as much proof to call some one a liar, as it does to some thing is true.

Sorry. That's not how real life works. Especially in a major public forum known (and celebrated) for highly critical examination.

Quote: dicesitter

zcore13


Sheep dip...........

everyone has a right to their opinion based on what they know.... its not their fault some one else like you
chooses not to accept it......

To be brutally honest..... most of everything cant be proven because almost everyone would have a different
set of proof they require...... if god came back right now.... do you honestly think most people would accept that???


Sorry each of us has the right to set our own standards of what we accept.


dicesetter

You can accept anything you want in your own mind. It doesn't mean it's true. Anything that is real can be proven by experimentation, statistics, math, repetition, etc. Setting ones standards has nothing to do with proving something.


ZCore13

Quote: dicesitter

A person almost needs to bow to the elite on this site just to enter.

dicesetter

Nonsense. You've entered. You're here. Glad you're here. i doubt you "bowed"
tom "home runs are sometimes boring" p
-g. geist: he said "almost", dummy!
--tom p: o
---g. geist:
----tom p: never mind then. sorry

Mrv



Well see we are making progress now, you admit there may be a captain, and if you admit that,
then you may also be wrong about how that guy played craps.

See this is a start.

As I have said, I have no idea, so based on what I know I cant call Frank a liar.

When I first came on this site, Ahigh wanted some data, so I went to my table with
a new set I was using and threw for a time. I listed that data and Ahigh called me a liar
in presenting it..... It was accurate data.

But as with many things you don't have anyway of proving it.... so my stance is clear
there are way to many people on here that are quick to call a person a liar and then
go further with personal attacks....

This board treats anything to do with dice control just as it would a political site,
where nothing means anything......

I for one would rather there was a guy named captain, and I would have loved to have played with him.

Who knows, maybe there are a couple of guys like that right now, and if there are I sure I hope I
get to see them



dicesetter

It is claimed that the captain had an epic roll in AC, rolling 147 numbers before sevening out.

I've yet to discover any proof that it happened, such as corroborating statements from witnesses (other than the claimant, who is far, far from disinterested) .

One would think that such a roll would have been noticed and remarked upon in printed or electronic media.

The story makes for fun reading, I'll grant you that, but then again so do Aesop's Fables.

if anyone rolled anywhere near the record set in the brogata they would break the time record of 4 hours 18 minutes. the table lost under 150k. the shooter won around $1000

Quote: MrV

It is claimed that the captain had an epic roll in AC, rolling 147 numbers before sevening out.

I've yet to discover any proof that it happened, such as corroborating statements from witnesses (other than the claimant, who is far, far from disinterested) .

One would think that such a roll would have been noticed and remarked upon in printed or electronic media.

The story makes for fun reading, I'll grant you that, but then again so do Aesop's Fables.

“Move the dice,” said the boxman. “We don’t want this table to cool down.”

... said no boxman ever.

I would have guessed the thread was for moving book sales along.

A wild guess.

What happened after each and every epic dice roll? Publicity, lots of it, name in the news, plaque on the wall, dealers telling everyone they know. What about The Admiral? Crickets.

So dicesitter, live in your fairy tale world, and believe that millions of dollars are being made. The rest of us know better.

Demango



I did not say anything about making millions, I did not even say the captain was a winner over time, and in times
Frank talks about the guy I have never seen or heard him say he made millions or was a lifetime winner. All I
felt was he as a guy that had a nice throw and with his friends did well .... that is enough.

There are more than a few players that have had rolls over 100 , I play with one and that was verified by
the table crew.

I have not come close, and I doubt I will, but I sure as hell would like to experience that type of roll.

Demango, you have trouble with some one else doing something you cant.... why does it upset you, just say
good for you and move on>>>>>>>>>>

dicesetter

I have a problem with fiction writers, could care less about a hundred rolls, a fantasy that bankrupts players. The reality is that the seven shows within 4 rolls more than 50% of the time. So anyway, I also don't doubt the reality of The Admiral, just that his roll never happened.

Long rolls of an hour or more are quite common; just take a look at the wall of the breezeway connecting the Cal with MSS: they're running out of room for all the "Golden Arms."

Demango


Your back tracking faster than you can type.

we were talking about whether the Captain ever existed, and your off in never land saying he was
portrayed as a god like guy that a
had a 100 roll every time he went to the table.

We talk about the old timers in everything, and to be honest many times we give them a little
more credit for doing things than they may have done, or maybe they are not any better than
many of us.

I once hit 4 home runs in a semi pro baseball game, and after the game we were all talking about
our fathers and how they played... and on and on ...and a much older guy said, hey I played with
your dad and others, and not many of them could the things you guys can do.

ITs all perception... like I say, let the so called fiction writters write all they want about the Captain
and the older guys... I would give a weeks wages to go the table in Atlantic city with some of the old
players 50 years ago.

Right now going to the table with Supperick or I hope with Little Joe Green is something I will remember
20 years from now (I hope)

Chill out it is a great time to be alive


Dicesetter

-the captain is here. If you bet on his shot you'll make 10 grand.
-And casinos don't mind?
-Not at all, they love to loose 150k.
-I'll follow him anywhere he goes.
-He is so famous you'll never have a chance to get a spot at the table.
-People work for $7.50 an hour and here is someone who can make you rich in couple hours, he is followed by thousands of people.

The king is dead, long live the king!

After "the suits" crucified him on a cross made of craps table rails, the members of GTC ("get the captain!") pried him off the cross, snuck him out of the casino and then propped him up in the back seat of a Rambler and went joy-riding around AC.

I read in one of that famous author's books, I think it was "The Captain: Kangaroo or Kirk?" that his tossing hand is preserved in formaldehyde in a back room at the Smithsonian.

And the legend continues.

DeMango does not backtrack and knows a whole bunch more about FS than does dicesitter. You are extremely late to this party, get the stars out of your eyes. I could care less if The Admiral ever existed. I do know that he was described, at first, as a rythem roller. Then overnight he became a dice influencer. Later editions of books were edited to rewrite history. Maybe your god will take a midnight ride on a flying carpet to Jerusalem? No more wayward Catholic!

Demango



AS I am have said I don't know for sure about the captain and I don't care.... either way
it has no affect on me.... and to be honest it has no affect on you..


If you have a hard on for Frank that is your busy, but to be honest then your doing the same
thing you accuse Frank of and that is building up the image of this guy beyond what it really was.

As far as all the fiction writters are concerned....let them write, we should all be smart enough to
determine what makes sense to us and what does not. I for one do not think these casino's make a
determination how they treat players on what some one writes anyway.

In the end we as players do more damage to ourselves in how we play, how much we bet, how long
we play than any casino could possibly do, even with poor dice.

As far as Frank is concerned Demango.... if you remember it was I that questioned Frank when he came to
this site and seemed to dish Golden Touch when he was no longer part of it. I felt that was out of place
and I said so... but in doing that I was not defending Golden Touch because again it does not affect me, I was
just indicating to Frank my opinion that when you have something like Golden Touch and you had a hand in
selecting and training all those that teach other players... you cant just say I am out, and have nothing to
do with what is left.

Demango I don't want to argue with you, I think you see my point, when you are as old as I am I have an affinity
to the past, because I have more past than future. The idea of the old guy going to the table and doing well
appeals to me, because I am getting to be that old guy.

dicesetter

I find it odd that people criticize Mr. Scoblete for not revealing the Captain's idenity in his books and then say the Captain could not be real because he would have throngs of followers when he played.

It seems to me that is exactly one of the main reason the man requested anonymity.

If it is true that the capt. really did all the deeds his squire ascribes to him, why not document them with proof?

C'mon, he says this yay-hoo rolled 147 numbers before sevening out: that is major, and NOBODY has any real recollection or proof of it?

We don't even have a name.

It's just a fanciful contrivance to drum up interest in his books: and guess what, it worked.

Finally, the notion of a "rhythmic roller" is just complete nonsense.

Did the capt. practice the rhythm method?

Quote: Zcore13

Ok that was really good +100

Quote: AxelWolf

Quote: Zcore13

Ok that was really good +100

I don't have a dog in this argument about whether the "Captain" was real or not, but I have to admit this made me laugh. Could have given it a +200

Hey Scan, have you spoken to the Dice Master about the Captain?


This Dice Master (GN's dual rate boxperson/supervisor) has always been the go-to-guy for all of your die info/stats in AC. He should be able to confirm or refute the Captain's unique 147 rolls before 7out.

Coincidentally, as if a die were a Hanukkah Dreidel, the Dice Master spins it on his thumb after the craps table's gone dead. Could the Captain spin a die on his thumb too?

I just tried to do that about a dozen times and failed miserably.

Quote: MathExtremist

I just tried to do that about a dozen times and failed miserably.

I just tried it, and I'm going to need a lot more dice. Not sure where it went?

Well ya gotta use BALANCED dice! ;)

That's pretty good, but the captain is a rhythmic spinner.

He kept the die spinning for 147 seconds.

Quote: MrV

Long rolls of an hour or more are quite common; just take a look at the wall of the breezeway connecting the Cal with MSS: they're running out of room for all the "Golden Arms."

I did just this in April. Many of them were just above an hour (60-70 minutes). It was also difficult to find a 2-hour player. I think we found one during our ~minute exam of the wall.

And well-played with the "Dos Equis" meme, ZCore13.