AS MORE AND MORE OF OUR CLUB MEMBERS GO TO THE BIG CHIP IN THE SKY SORT OF SPEAK .... I FLASHED BACK TO MY LONG TIME FRIENDSHIP WITH PAST CLUB MEMBER AND AVID COLLECTOR OF MOST ALL GOOD THINGS ... LOU LUCCI (LUCKY LOU). I WAS INTRODUCED TO LOU AT ONE OF THE VERY 1ST. CLUB CONVENTION SHOWS BY JAMES CAMPIGLIA WHO HAD TABLES NEAR LOU'S TABLE. AS I WALKED BY I COULD HEAR HIS LOUD JERSEY CITY, N.J. ACCENT! .... MY FAMILY IS ORIGINALLY FROM NEW JERSEY, SO WE HIT IT OFF DOWN MEMORY LANE. IF YOU EVER MET LOU, HE COULD TALK YOU EAR OFF ... LOU WAS NOT FORMALLY EDUCATED, BUT A VERY SMART MAN ... HE GOT HIS DEGREE ON THE STREETS OF HARD KNOCKS. HE FIRST COLLECTED TOY LEAD SOLDIERS AS A KID ... THEN HE USED TO SEARCH OLD BUILDINGS FOR OLD CONE TOP BEER CANS ... LATER HE GOT INTO ILLADRO FIGUERINES ... AND LASTLY CASINO COLLECTIBLES.

DID YOU KNOW LOU WAS A BIG WIG FOR THE SEAMANS MARITIME UNION IN CHICAGO? LOU RETIRED HERE IN LAS VEGAS ... THE UNION RE-HIRED LOU TO ORGANIZE A UNION FOR THE LAS VEGAS CAB DRIVERS ... WHAT A FIASCO! .... LOU WAS ON 60 MINUTES, THE CAB COMPANY OWNERS DID NOT WANT THE DRIVERS TO ORGANIZE ... BUT LOU WAS RELENTLESS AND TODAY THE SEAMANS UNION IS STILL GOING HERE IN LAS VEGAS! . .. LOU HAD TO HAVE PROTECTION DURING BATTLE WITH THE CAB COMPANIES.... LOTS OF THREATS WERE MADE TO HIM. LOU PUT HIS 2 GIRLS THRU UNLV COLLEGE AND THEY ARE BOTH MANAGERS FOR THE CITY OF LAS VEGAS ...
LOU AND I TRAVELLED THROUGH OUT THE SOUTHWEST IN SEARCH OF TREASURES IN THE SUN .... WE HAD A TON OF GREAT TRIPS, TALKING TO OLD TIMERS ABOUT CASINO HISTORY AND CASINO COLLECTIBLES .... LOU ALSO WORKED IN MY COLLECTIBLE MUSEUM STORES ... THE TROPICANA MUSEUM AND LOST VEGAS ANTIQUES ... LOU IS NOW RESTING IN PEACE AT THE VETERANS CEMENTARY HERE IN BOULDER CITY, NEVADA ... HIS BIRTHDAY IS MARCH 22ND. AND I AM TAKING HIS BRIDE TO VISIT LOU AND HAVE A FANCY LUNCH IN HIS HONOR! .... LOU AND I ALSO WENT TO HIS HOME TOWN AND TOOK ALL THE TOURS IN NEW YORK CITY ... FUNNY THING ... HE LIVED THERE FOR OVER 40 YEARS' AND NEVER GOT TH SEE MANY OF THE OLD N.Y. LANDMARKS UNTIL OUR TRIP. I MISS MY FRIEND LOU ... HE TAUGHT ME ALOT ABOUT LIFE AND OF COURSE COLLECTIBLES .... THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR READING MY POST ... I JUST GOT THE LAST TABLE AT THE NATIONAL SHOW HERE IN LAS VEGAS, AND HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS & DOLLS THERE! .... BELOW ARE SOME OF MY PICTURES OF LOU LUCCI .... SEE YA, RICH BURGEL