Guide to the Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker This finding aid was created by Dana Miller and Joyce Moore on September 25, 2017. Persistent URL for this finding aid: http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f1pk6f © 2017 The Regents of the University of Nevada. All rights reserved. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives. Box 457010 4505 S. Maryland Parkway Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-7010 [email protected] Guide to the Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker Table of Contents Summary Information ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Biographical Note ............................................................................................................................................ 3 Scope and Contents Note ................................................................................................................................ 4 Arrangement of the Records ........................................................................................................................... 4 Administrative Information ............................................................................................................................. 5 Related Materials ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Names and Subjects ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Collection Inventory ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Series 1: World Series of Poker ................................................................................................................... 6 Series 2: The Poker Hall of Fame Materials ............................................................................................... 9 Series 3: Advertising and Promotional Materials ........................................................................................ 9 Series 4: Clippings ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Series 5: Miscellaneous .............................................................................................................................. 11 Series 6: Photographs ................................................................................................................................. 11 Series 7: Artwork and Oversized Materials ............................................................................................... 14 Series 8: Audiovisual Materials ................................................................................................................. 14 Series 9: 2004 Addition .............................................................................................................................. 17 - Page 2 - Guide to the Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker Summary Information Repository: University of Nevada, Las Vegas. University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives. Creator: Binion's Horseshoe Club Title: Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker ID: MS-00325 Date [inclusive]: 1960-2002 Date [inclusive]: 1970-1989 (bulk) Physical Description: 9 Linear Feet (10 boxes) Language of the English Material: Abstract: The Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker (1960-2002) contain event proceedings, press releases, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs, scrapbooks, event schedules and programs, audiocassette tapes, videotapes, and promotional pamphlets. Also included are newsletters in the form of trade magazines, awards, advertising budgets, a few pieces of business correspondence and invoices, drawings, published writings, a movie script, business proposals, and two posters. Preferred Citation Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker, 1960-2002. MS-00325. Special Collections, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. ^ Return to Table of Contents Biographical Note Casino owner Lester Benjamin "Benny" Binion was born in Texas in 1904. He was already a seasoned gambler when he arrived in Las Vegas in 1946, accompanied by his wife Teddy Jane and their five children. After building an earlier casino and enjoying partial ownership of the Las Vegas Club, Binion purchased the Eldorado Club on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada in 1951 and renamed it the Horseshoe Club. Here he established a reputation as a casino operator who provided his customers unmatched hospitality with inexpensive, quality meals and high-limit tables. The Horseshoe was the first downtown property to have a fully carpeted casino. After his conviction for tax evasion in 1953, Benny sold the majority interest in the Horseshoe to Joe W. Brown, but regained full ownershipb by 1964 and the Horseshoe Hotel and Casino was christened Binion's Horseshoe. Benny Binion's son Jack became the president of the Horseshoe and his younger son Lonnie "Ted" Binion acted as casino manager. Although - Page 3- Guide to the Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker Benny was not licensed he was listed on the payroll for decades as a consultant and was an extremely familiar sight around the casino. Benny Binion passed away on Christmas Day 1989, attended by his wife and son. Binion's greatest contribution to the gaming industry was the introduction of tournament poker. He originally conceived the idea in 1949 when he arranged an extended match between poker greats Nick the Greek and Johnny Moss. Decades later Binion bought the rights to host the World Series of Poker from a casino owner in Reno, Nevada and began hosting the annual tournament at the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1970. The contest was open to professional poker players and amateurs alike, provided they could pay the ten thousand dollar buy-in fee. Beginning in 1977, a separate women's event was established within the larger tournament, a move which broke a barrier to a game traditionally perceived as masculine and received a large amount of press within the industry. The increasing popularity of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) attracted more and more players and potential winnings increased to an excess of a million dollars, while the Binions orchestrated a system of time-limited play that allowed the tournaments to be televised on networks such as ESPN. Binion's Horseshoe hosted the World Series of Poker for over thirty years. Although no longer held at the Horseshoe, since its purchase by Harrah's in 2004, the official WSOP tournament continues each year. ^ Return to Table of Contents Scope and Contents Note The Binion's Horseshoe Casino Poker Records (1960-2002) are composed of materials related to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) held at Binion's Horseshoe Casino. The materials date primarily between 1969 and 2004. Publicity and promotional materials include press releases and press kits, newspaper and advertising clippings, photographs, advertising campaigns, and advertising copy. These records were mainly generated by the Binion press agent, Henri Bollinger. Other topics covered in the collection include the establishment of the Poker Hall of Fame, and promotional and publicity efforts by Binion's Horseshoe in the 1970s and 1980s. A significant amount of printed and photographic publicity material within the WSOP series focuses on women poker players and gender-related issues in the industry and covers the late 1970s to early 1980s. ^ Return to Table of Contents Arrangement of the Records The collection is arranged in nine series: Series 1. World Series of Poker Records, 1977-1989 Series 2. The Poker Hall of Fame Materials, 1976-1989 Series 3. Advertising and Promotional Materials, 1966-1989 - Page 4- Guide to the Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker Series 4. Clippings, 1975-1990 Series 5. Miscellaneous, 1982-1989 Series 6. Photographs, 1960s-1980s Series 7. Artwork and Oversized Materials, 1970s-1980s Series 8 Audio/visual Materials, 1979-1990 Series 9. 2004 Addition, 1997-2002 ^ Return to Table of Contents Administrative Information Access This collection is open for research. Publication Rights Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish. Acquisition Note Materials were donated in 1991 by Jack Binion; accession number 91-30. There was a second addition donated in 2004. Processing Note Collection was processed by Dana Miller, inMarch, 2006. In 2017 Joyce Moore revised and enhanced the collection description to bring it up to current professional standards. ^ Return to Table of Contents Related Materials Separated Materials Some of photographs in this acquisition have been removed form the collection and placed in the Benny Binion Photograph Collection, 1920-2003. PH-0318. Special Collections, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. - Page 5- Guide to the Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker ^ Return to Table of Contents Names and Subjects • Gamblers – Nevada – Las Vegas – Biography • Casinos – Nevada – Las Vegas – History. • Poker Players – Archives • World Series of Poker – Archives • Poker – Tournaments – Nevada – Las Vegas – History