Farewell Jimmy the Greek: The Wizard of Odds [Hardcover]

Ginger Wadsworth (Author), Jimmy Snyder (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

For twelve years Jimmy "The Greek" Synder rattled off predictions for upcoming games and titillated fans with sports gossip. Burly and unpolished, this high-school dropout created an excitement and spontaneity unfamiliar to previous pregame-show formats. Jimmy died in Las Vegas in May, 1996, at the age of 76. Farewell Jimmy The Greek tells the life story of a remarkable man including a double murder-suicide in childhood that left him motherless and spurred a gambling career, the story behind his dismissal from CBS that led to a multimillion-dollar lawsuit, his conviction for interstate gambling, his three-year public relations ventures with Howard Hughes, the story of how he won $170,000 in 1948 betting against presidential candidate Tom Dewey because Dewey had a mustache, the reason he secluded himself during his last eight years of life and the calamity that led to his death, his personal experienced with Ted and Bobby Kennedy, George Wallace, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Telly Savalas, Herschel Walker, Paul "Bear" Bryant, Billie Jean King, Bobby Riggs, Jack Chrysler, H. L. Hunt, and many others This is the story of an American original. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Hardcover: 293 pages
• Publisher: Eakin Pr; 1st edition (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571681442
• ISBN-13: 978-1571681447
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,011,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An intriguing look behind the man who caused such controvery, November 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Farewell Jimmy the Greek: The Wizard of Odds (Hardcover)

More than a biography, this books reads like a novel--deftly written with narrative pinache. I entered the book with reservation since I didn't particulary care for the man, but left with an appreciation for him and the writer of the book. Ms. Wadsworth is a talented researcher, interviewer, and writer. She engaged me from the beginning and then guided me through the gaming jargon in the middle. By the end I felt I knew Jimmy the Greek personally.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jimmy Died a Broken Man, August 23, 2006

By 

Bookworm - See all my reviews

This review is from: Farewell Jimmy the Greek: The Wizard of Odds (Hardcover)

A very interesting book on an icon. Jimmy was a broken man, who felt that he had lost his self-respect, after he was fired by CBS. Jimmy was a sacrificial lamb in an early poltical correct world. Jimmy ultimately filed lawsuits for wrongful termination against CBS, but most were past the statute of limitations. He died in Las Vegas. His daughter and a friend that he met late in his life were his best friends in his last years. Reading between the lines Jimmy must have had a strained relationship with his wife. The book talks of his fight with Brent Musberger and how he hated Phyllis George's then husband John Y. Brown, even though Jimmy was the catalyst in them meeting. Jimmy had sued John Y. over money that Brown had owed him from a business deal, then withdrew the lawsuit because he felt it would hurt his on-air relationship with George. Again reading between the lines, it is interesting that neither Musberger, George, Irv Cross, or any CBS executives attended his funeral. Although Jimmy had three children who were buried in Las Vegas, he chose to be buried in his hometown of Steubenville, OH. I've only been in Steubenville once in my life, but if I get near there again I'll stop and see Jimmy.