The 666 Fix – Revisited
September 2, 2021If you were in Pittsburgh in 1980 – April 24 to be exact – you know about legendary and beloved announcer Nick Perry’s involvement with the Pennsylvania Lottery 666 scandal at the WTAE-TV studios. In June 2021, WHP-TV in Harrisburg, where, by the order of then-Governor Dick Thornburgh, the drawing has been held since June 29, 1981, took a look back at the well-known scandal.
Perry, once the host of WTAE’s Bowling For Dollars, would never admit to his involvement. He was sentenced on May 21, 1981 to 7 years in prison, of which he served 18 months at the correctional facility in Camp Hill, PA, and another year at a halfway house in Pittsburgh. He was also ordered to pay restitution. His charges included criminal conspiracy, criminal mischief, theft by deception, rigging a publicly exhibited contest and perjury. He remained on parole until 1988 and died in 2013. Again, he never admitted any involvement.
In 2006, Game Show Network showed the following program, “Anything to Win” featuring former Governor Thornburgh, former WTAE anchor Don Cannon, former WTAE news director Joe Rovitto, and Mike Starobin whose father, Sandy, was the Harrisburg reporter for KDKA Radio who later broke the story on the air. The program is an in-depth look into Perry and others who were involved.
Nick Perry was his TV name and his real name, which I have forgotten, was very Greek and was in the Pittsburgh White Pages. On page 666.
But, we need to find a 1980 Pittsburgh White Pages to confirm!!!!
When KDKA broke the story (which included an interview with convicted numbers kingpin Tony Grosso who claimed that the draw had been rigged) the response from the brass at Channel 4 was that this was just a stunt staged by KD to grab the lottery contract away from them. And besides, who would believe a convicted felon anyway? They insisted that security at Channel 4 was top-notch and there was no way this could have happened.
DOH!
I had my suspicions at the time. The vending machine area at WTAE was referred to by employees as “Nick’s Diner”. Apparently Perry owned an interest in that vending machine company. And vending companies at one time were closely associated with…..errr…..certain unsavory organizations.