The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-07
TIE SCIENCE or CRAPS.
Likewise the linEo or That Enthusiastically
Southern Ganne.
Prom the Atlanta Constitution
aevcn-elayent"

Bsuthern Dame
Prom the Atlanta Constitution
Como sevcn-eleveni"
Fade your
"Cut his throat, seyeni'
Jimmy Hicks, take my gal TO Memphisi"
big Dick is miner
Come, Little joel"
Those expressions are q part Of the vocabulary
which accompanies any well-arranRed sitting Of
the Southern darky's great game OF craps
Throughout the entire South the game is now
probably played, although It has been in exist
ence only about twenty years. But just how the
name originated is not known. 1t is used in
only one part Of the game, on the very first
throw. when the thrower Is said to crap out"
The rules under which tho remarkable game
is played are interesting. From one Of the king
crap players of Atlanta I have been initiated
into the mysteries Of the game. and I have givon
all the rules here as faithfully as II l was tran
scribing the new rules in whist.
Any number OF persons can shoot craps. I say
shoot advisedly. for no crap player ever uses the
word play. The game is played with two dice
The first player places them in the hollow of his
right hand unless he is left-handedl. and shak-
ing them about n bit. throws them upon the floor
or the ground. generally tho ground. Before ho
throws no states how much he 10 throwing for.
usually a nickel. Some one among the other
players cries out:
fade you'll"
That means the throver's money 10 covered.
There then can be as many side bets as the other
players wish to make. II on the first throw
the player makes seven or eleven he wins. II he
throws two, three or twelve on the first throw
he loses, or craps out. II he throws four. five,
six, eight, nine or ten, that IL called his point,
and he throws again until he either makes
his point once more or makes seven. II he makes
his point before he makes seven, he wins; but IL
seven comes first. he loses. Tho thrower can
hold tie dice as long as he continues to win, but
when he loses he surrenders them to the next
player.
Amy person in the game has the right 10 pick
up the dice quickly when a player makes the
first throw. He does this to see that no loaded
dice have been struggled into the game. The
usual way of doing this is for a player to reach
out as the dice fall and say:
My dice"
He examines them, blows on them, and. toss
ing them back to the thrower. says:
Your dice; shoot"
II this is attempted at any other stage Of the
game, except on the first throw, a legitimate
showdown of white-handfed razors is In order.
T mone pe is sall Sh0 the Sfe afad se e9vs %o the Of th sSs bert.
ting in the, game is done by those who are stand
Yearly all the points on the dice are named:
.Phabe or Fever" six is known as "Jimny
sometimes also called Big Tom"
When en- g am d has been arranged tn those ,S WhG
fhnow sne t ease s n1 or b isan eoin ar and ss aso r .ne mrs. ~
shoot. He blows upon the dice. make an eX:
clamH.ion that sounds like o deep. aspirated
"Ah!" throws the dice upon the ground. and,
may seem like some special trimmings, but the
FADED the outside betting begins, the threweI
The Eth thr s"Sea i is ssid to to-; like hae hi ina VINO 0''' win
th 70 sa' as game he f RTas5 tosse. { tRs d fSR e eseIa ih'
Come seven-elevsn!'
II he fails either to win or crap out he will
Liz" or whatever his point may be,
Gut him on; seven!" "Cut his throat, seven!'
When Liz-that is nine-is first thrown. the
player always exclaims: Liz is the gal for me.
n The w0 or s, Which ars. efSmpssn Jimmy my H lie, s
Memphis
4. smooth place on the ground is always
entirely out Of the question. Many times a
gang of negro gamblers will play on the side;
boys are stationed in the middle OF each block to
Keep a watch for the approach of a policeman
The game is pisyci b" the old and GS"i the young,
In the country and in the cities, by railroad
hands and deck hands on the river steambos's,
Negroes in The large cities know scarcely any
other sort Of gambling. The ~eteamboat hands
play night and day and they hnve been known
TO return after n long trip with every cent nj
their earnings gone into theo pockets of the
lucky players.
Here in Atlanta there are III sorts of crap
shooters, including the big gamblers and the
small boys; who will shoot for anything of value,
often the clothes on their backs. Hardly a week
passes withou some place. usually an alley. be,
ing raided and n lot OF the rap shooters" ar
r'Stod. But the gambling cannot be broken up
Craps has come among the Southern darkies
OF a sporty nature to stny. and as long as they
can get hold of a pair % dice. and have the coin,
they will WOO the goddess of fortune, with pray
ers for the lucky seven-elevcn.