| 1979 |
|
Ageless
patriarch of the game, Johnny Moss was a three-time
world no-limit Texas hold 'em champion (1970,
1971, and 1974). He lived in Las Vegas until
his death in 1997. In 1979 he was enshrined
as a charter member.
|
Johnny
Moss |
|
|
Known
for making astronomical wagers in Las Vegas
casinos, Nick became a household name. Late
in his career, Dandolos was near broke and playing
low-limit poker in Southern California. Asked
how he could bet millions of dollars once and
now play for $5 chips, Dandolos was purported
to have said "Hey, it's action." He was enshrined
in 1979 as a charter member. Deceased.
|
"Nick
the Greek" Dandolos |
|
|
A
noted no-limit gambler, Corky introduced Texas
hold 'em to Las Vegas in 1963. He was enshrined
in 1979 as a charter member. Deceased.
|
Felton
"Corky" McCorquodale |
|
|
Known
as a quintessential all-around player, Red Winn
was enshrined in 1979 as a charter member. Deceased.
|
Red
Winn |
|
|
From
the early 1950's to the late 1970s, Sid was
co-owner of several gaming properties, including
the Sands, Riviera, and the old Dunes. The Missouri-born
Wyman was a noted high-stakes gambler who excelled
at poker. He died in June 1978. Casino play
was halted for two minutes at the Dunes at the
hour of his funeral. He was enshrined in 1979
as a charter member.
|
Sid
Wyman |
|
|
James
Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok, a nineteenth-century
gambler and lawman, was killed while playing
poker. He held aces and eights, which became
known as "The Dead Man's Hand." Hickok is perhaps
the most recognizable name in the shrine at
least to those outside of poker circles. He
was a scout in the Civil War, a marshal in Kansas,
and later toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West
show as a sharpshooter. His shoot-out with the
McCanles gang -- he killed three of them --
made Hickok a legend in his own time. While
playing in a poker game in a saloon at Deadwood
in the Dakota Territory (now South Dakota),
he was shot in the back by "Crooked Nose" McCall
and died on August 2, 1876, at age thirty-nine.
He was enshrined in 1979 as a charter member.
|
"Wild Bill" Hickok |
|
|
For
more than two centuries, card players have played
"according to Hoyle", which has become synonymous
with conformity to rules. Born circa 1672 in
England, Hoyle wrote his first book, A Short
Treatise on the Game of Whist in 1742. The book,
a classic, was used to settle differences during
games played by London society. Hoyle died August
30, 1769, at age ninety-seven. The eighteenth-century
author was enshrined in 1979 as a charter member.
|
Edmond
Hoyle |
|
| 1980 |
|
A
master road gambler, Blondie was enshrined in
1980. Deceased.
|
T.
"Blondie" Forbes |
|
| 1981 |
|
Regarded
as one of the best five-card stud players of
all time, Bill was several times champion of
the event at the World Series of Poker. He was
ceremonially dealt the first poker hands at
both the Golden Nugget and Mirage cardrooms.
Retired from professional poker, Boyd was selected
to be a Hall-of-Famer in 1981, and lived in
Las Vegas until his death on Nov. 21, 1997.
|
Bill
Boyd |
|
| 1982 |
|
After
suffering a heart attack at the poker table,
Tom turned to another player and asked him to
count his chips down and save his seat. He died
that night, intending to return to the game.
He was enshrined in 1982.
|
Tom
Abdo |
|
| 1983 |
|
A
sharp road gambler; Joe was known as a dapper
dresser at the poker table. He was enshrined
in 1983. Deceased.
|
Joe
Bernstein |
|
| 1984 |
|
Regarded
as one of the best deuce-to-seven draw (Kansas
City lowball) players of all time, Murph was
enshrined in 1984. Deceased.
|
Murph Harrold |
|
| 1985 |
|
Considered
one of the best seven-card stud players of all
time, Red was selected for the Hall of Fame
in 1985. Deceased.
|
Red Hodges |
|
| 1986 |
|
A
road gambler from Alabama, Henry Green was an
even tempered player who was skilled at all
forms of poker. He was selected for the Hall
of Fame in 1986. Deceased.
|
Henry Green |
|
| 1987 |
|
A
husky, cigar-chomping Tennessee born gambler,
Walter Clyde "Puggy" Pearson won the world title
in 1973. Considered a great seven-card stud
player, he is noted for his aggressive style,
an erratic temper, and homespun philosophy.
He was made a Hall-of-Famer in 1987 at age 58.
An active professional gambler, he lives in
Las Vegas.
|
Puggy Pearson |
|
| 1988 |
|
A
hulking-Texas-born gambler who won the 1976
and 1977 world titles, Doyle was the first player
to win $1 million in tournament play. His book
Super/System is an acclaimed study of his high
stakes poker. Brunson got his nickname "Texas
Dolly" when Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder misread
"Doyle" as "Dolly." Enshrined in 1988 at age
fifty-four, he's an active professional gambler
who lives in Las Vegas.
|
Doyle Brunson |
|
|
An
aggressive gambler noted for imaginative play,
Jack won the 1982 world title.The salt-and-pepper-bearded,
Texas-born gambler was noted for spinning poker
yarns. Nicknamed "Treetop," Straus stood six-foot-six.
He died in August 1988 at age 58 after suffering
a heart attack during a high-stakes poker game
at the Bicycle Club in Bell Gardens, California.
He was enshrined at the first Hall of Fame Classic
that year.
|
Jack Straus |
|
| 1989 |
|
A
New England-born son of Lebanese immigrants,
Sarge became a professional gambler to escape
the poverty of his youth. He won the 1980 deuce-to-seven
draw world title. He gained notoriety when,
on April 22, 1983, the Internal Revenue Service
seized $46,000 worth of chips from him during
a high-stakes game at the Horseshoe. He died
of a heart attack in March 1989, the year he
was enshrined.
|
Fred "Sarge"
Ferris |
|
| 1990 |
|
A
colorful cowboy and gambler. Benny Binion founded
the Horseshoe casino in downtown Las Vegas.
In 1970, he inaugurated the World Series of
Poker as a gambler's convention at the resort.
He died on Christmas Day 1989, at age 85. He
was enshrined in 1990. A tempered player who
was skilled at all forms of poker, he was selected
for the Hall of Fame in 1986. Deceased.
|
Benny Binion |
|
| 1991 |
|
David
Edward "Chip" Reese came to Las Vegas in 1974
with $400 in his pocket and started at the $10
limit tables. He quickly rose to become one
of the game's best all-around high-stakes players.
The Ohio-born gambler who began playing poker
for baseball cards at age six, is a Dartmouth
graduate. He was enshrined in 1991 at age 40,
the youngest Hall-of-Famer ever. An active professional
gambler he lives in Las Vegas.
|
"Chip"
Reese |
|
| 1992 |
|
A
fast-talking, flamboyant Texas gambler and poker
tournament promoter, Thomas Austin "Amarillo
Slim" Preston won the world title in 1972. Unlike
many gamblers of his era, he sought out publicity
by going on national talk shows after winning
the World Series. He was enshrined in 1992 at
age 62. Preston has not competed in major Las
Vegas tournaments in recent years. He resides
in Texas.
|
"Amarillo
Slim" Preston |
|
| 1993 |
|
"Gentleman
Jack" has been one of the most consistent players
since arriving in Las Vegas from Philadelphia
in the early 1980s and is the 1984 World Champion.
Enshrined in 1994 at age 51, he is an active
professional gambler who lives in Mississippi.
|
Jack Keller |
|
| 1996 |
|
Popwell
was a gambler of near-mythical stature. He was
posthumously inducted into the Poker Hall of
Fame in 1996. His road games were five-card
stud. He played against Johnny Moss, Henry Green
and others in the '40s and '50s. Deceased.
|
Julius Oral "Little
Man" Popwell |
|
| 1997 |
|
In
1974 Moore entered his first World Series of
Poker and hasn't missed one since. Born into
adversity as the son of a sharecropper, Moore
has earned the reputation as one of pokers most
determined and formidable practitioners. He
has preformed admirably against most of the
giants of the game, including fellow Hall of
Famers Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese,
Amarillo Slim, Jack Straus, Puggy Pearson and
Jack Keller.
Moore is the 1994 World Series of Poker $5000
Seven Card Stud World Champion and has placed
in the money 15 times.
Along with his three runner-up finishes, he
has been in the money in the championship event
three times. WSOP lifetime money earnings: $400,378.
|
Roger Moore |
|
| 2001 |
|
Many
regard Stu Ungar to be the greatest player to
have ever played the game. He won two World
Championships before reaching the age of 26
and ten major No-Limit Hold'em Championships
in which the buy-in was $5,000 or more. Ungar,
along with Johnny Moss, are the only two men
to have won the World Championship three times.
He lived in Las Vegas until his death in 1998.
|
Stu Ungar |
|
| |
