Paul DeGruccio was one of the most creative photographers in Arizona and I was lucky to get him to work as my partner when I went out on stories. He was born in Brooklyn, had a New Yorker's nose for news, and together we made a good team.
During the day he worked for a small weekly newspaper in Phoenix and I covered stories for the Phoenix Gazette. But at night and on weekends, we were Batman and Robin, going after stories about unique people, newsmakers and celebrities that would later grace the covers of People Weekly, TV Times, The Star, Globe, Argosy and the National Enquirer.
We even organized our own company and called it Focus International. Operating out of our homes, we would dash off on a moment's notice to cover the stories our editors wanted. I had been designated the official Arizona Correspondent for People Magazine and People Editor Hal Wingo sent a lot of story assignments our way.
Some of the stories we covered still stand out in my mind. The 100-mile cattle drive where we joined cowboys on horses to drive a herd of cattle to their destination. The rejected dentist who built a castle in the desert after his girlfriend left him for another man. Bill Grier's Ballroom Brawlers where drinking buddies slugged it out in a makeshift ring in bars to iron out their differences. And a chance encounter with actor Claude Akins, star of 'Movin' On,' a truck driving television series when they shot one of the shows on location at the Road Runner Truck Stop in Phoenix.
Paul introduced me to Tucson artist Ted DeGrazia who would later burn $1 million worth of paintings in the Superstition Mountains to protest the inheritance tax law which he felt was unfair to artists. And we met a 12-year-old mechanic who could tear down and rebuild a Rolls-Royce engine.
After six months of working together and producing a lot of stories for publication. I suggested we take off for a weekend and drive to Las Vegas.
'We've been working too hard,' I said. 'We need a little R&R.' Paul agreed and the following Friday, we quit work early and headed for Las Vegas.
Just outside Wickenburg, AZ., the Dude Ranch Capital of the World, we saw a large banner along the highway. It was promoting an all-girls rodeo in Wickenburg that weekend. The sign promised 'death-defying rides on wild Brahma Bulls, saddle bronco riding, barrel racing and much more.'
Female bull riders. Paul and I looked at each other. That was a story we needed to get!
We stopped for a late lunch in a cowboy restaurant and met the promoter of the rodeo, who also happened to own the restaurant. He appreciated who we were and gave us press passes to the rodeo.
'Enjoy yourselves,' he said. 'These gals are gutsy riders and the Brahma Bulls are wild buckers from Mexico. You'll have an exciting time. I can guarantee that.'
We drove to the rodeo grounds a half mile from downtown Wickenburg. There we met two identical twins. They were both 20 years old, they were married and they were at the rodeo with their husbands to compete in the bull riding action.
I asked one of the husbands handled watching his wife mount a 1,500 Brahma Bull.
'I just drink my beer and try not to look,' he said.
The other husband said he presented his wife with a special gift after she did a commendable job of riding in another competition.
'I bought her a pink saddle,' he said.
Paul got a lot of great shots of rodeo action and I picked up some good quotes to add to the story. I called it 'That Ain't No Lady' and it sold to Argosy, People and a couple of the tabloids that were using our services. Our article even placed third in the annual Best Rodeo Articles Writing Competition sponsored by the Levi Strauss Company. I received a pair of Levis and a check for my efforts.
We finished the interviews around 10 p.m. and headed off for Las Vegas. Around 2 a.m., bone tired but feeling somehow refreshed after our Wickenburg experience, we arrived in Las Vegas and checked ourselves into our room at Binion's Horseshoe. The city was alive and we were ready for some activity at the poker, dice and blackjack tables.
'Hey, Partner,' I said as I tossed my overnight bag into a closet, 'this is the life, isn't it?'
'You got that right,' he said, grinning. 'Let's hit the tables.'
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
