Puggy Pearson
{{Short description|American poker player (1929–2006)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{infobox poker player
|name=Puggy Pearson
|nickname=Puggy
|birth_date={{birth date|1929|1|29}}
|birth_place=Adairville, Kentucky
|death_date={{death date and age|2006|4|12|1929|1|29}}
|death_place=Las Vegas, Nevada
|image=PuggyPearson.jpg
|caption=Puggy Pearson in the 1974 World Series of Poker
|wsop bracelet count=4
|wsop money finishes=9
|wsop main event best finish rank=Winner
|wsop main event best finish year=1973
}}
Walter Clyde "Puggy" Pearson (January 29, 1929 – April 12, 2006) was an American professional poker player. He is best known as the 1973 World Series of Poker Main Event winner.{{Cite web |last=Moravec |first=Daniel |date=October 2, 2013 |title=Famous Poker Player Biographies & History |url=http://www.macpokeronline.com/famous-poker-players/puggy-pearson/ |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=Mac Poker Online |archive-date=November 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130210734/http://www.macpokeronline.com/famous-poker-players/puggy-pearson/ |url-status=live }}
Early years
Pearson was born in Kentucky and raised in Tennessee in a family with nine siblings. He got his nickname "Puggy" from a childhood accident that left him with a disfigured nose at the age of twelve.{{Cite web |last=Pajich |first=Bob |date=August 25, 2013 |title=Men of Action: Walter Clyde "Puggy" Pearson - Poker News |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/16052-men-of-action-walter-clyde-puggy-pearson |access-date=November 29, 2018 |website=CardPlayer.com |language=en |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130030417/https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/16052-men-of-action-walter-clyde-puggy-pearson |url-status=live }} He dropped out of school in the fifth grade, and at the age of 17, he joined the United States Navy, where he served three tours. He strengthened his skills at poker and gambling while in the Navy.{{Cite web |last=Caldwell |first=John |date=April 13, 2006 |title=Legend of Poker: Walter Clyde 'Puggy' Pearson 1929-2006 |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2006/04/legend-poker-puggy-pearson.htm |access-date=November 29, 2018 |website=Pokernews.com |language=en |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130071540/https://www.pokernews.com/news/2006/04/legend-poker-puggy-pearson.htm |url-status=live }}
Professional poker career
Prior to 1949, all poker games were cash games; a player could cash out his chips and leave at any time. Pearson originated the idea of a freezeout tournament and shared his idea with fellow gambler "Nick the Greek" Dandolos in the early 1950s. Dandolos later brought the idea to legendary casino owner Benny Binion.{{Cite web |last=Lucas |first=Adam |date=September 24, 2022 |title=Puggy Pearson - Poker Player Profile |url=https://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player/puggy-pearson |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=PokerListings |language=en |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202151629/https://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player/puggy-pearson |url-status=live }} After further urging by Pearson, Amarillo Slim, and Doyle Brunson, all of whom felt that such a tournament would create great side (cash) game action, Binion founded the World Series of Poker in 1970. Pearson participated in the first World Series of Poker that year along with Amarillo Slim, Doyle Brunson, Sailor Roberts, Crandell Addington, and Carl Cannon.{{Cite web |title=World Series of Poker: A Retrospective: 1970 Summary |url=http://gaming.unlv.edu/WSOP/annual/1970.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813162800/https://gaming.library.unlv.edu/WSOP/annual/1970.html |archive-date=August 13, 2022 |access-date=November 29, 2018 |website=University of Nevada, Las Vegas}}
Pearson won his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet in the 1971 Limit Seven-Card Stud preliminary event.{{Cite web |title=2nd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1971 - Limit 7 Card Stud - Event 1 - Poker Tournaments - Results |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-tournaments/261-2nd-world-series-of-poker-wsop-1971/16106/results |access-date=November 30, 2018 |website=CardPlayer Magazine |language=en |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130071837/https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-tournaments/261-2nd-world-series-of-poker-wsop-1971/16106/results |url-status=live }}
Pearson was involved in a controversial ending to the 1972 WSOP Main Event. He ended up being the runner-up to Amarillo Slim, but there was a question of fair play.{{Cite web |last=Kaplan |first=Michael |date=July 16, 2019 |title=The scrappy, seedy origins of the World Series of Poker |url=https://nypost.com/2019/07/16/the-scrappy-seedy-origins-of-the-world-series-of-poker/ |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=New York Post |language=en-US |archive-date=January 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129232618/https://nypost.com/2019/07/16/the-scrappy-seedy-origins-of-the-world-series-of-poker/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Des |author-link=Des Wilson |date=October 2007 |title=Collusion and Confusion at the WSOP – Ghosts at the Table |url=http://www.pokerplayer.co.uk/news/features/2923/collusion_and_confusion_at_the_wsop.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421083751/http://www.pokerplayer.co.uk/news/features/2923/collusion_and_confusion_at_the_wsop.html |archive-date=April 21, 2013 |access-date=July 16, 2011 |website=PokerPlayer Magazine}}
In 1973, Pearson won two preliminary events in the WSOP. In the same World Series, he won the Main Event when his A♠ 7♠ defeated Johnny Moss's {{red|K♥}} J♠.{{Cite web |date=April 14, 2006 |title=Poker tournament pioneer 'Puggy' Pearson dies |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2006/apr/14/poker-tournament-pioneer-puggy-pearson-dies/ |access-date=November 29, 2018 |website=Las Vegas Sun |language=en |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130030401/https://lasvegassun.com/news/2006/apr/14/poker-tournament-pioneer-puggy-pearson-dies/ |url-status=live }} With the Main Event victory, Pearson became the first player in WSOP history to win three events in a single year.{{Cite web |last=Duckworth |first=Tim |date=June 24, 2022 |title=World Series of Poker 23-Year Streak Continues with Dan Zack Win |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/hk/poker/news/world-series-poker-23-year-streak-continues-dan-zack-win/mwze8gdv20ufvmedungf0m57 |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=Sporting News |language=en |archive-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429192535/https://www.sportingnews.com/hk/poker/news/world-series-poker-23-year-streak-continues-dan-zack-win/mwze8gdv20ufvmedungf0m57 |url-status=live }} This record has since been matched by five others. He won four bracelets, two of which were in seven-card stud and two of which were No limit hold'em.{{Cite web |last=Oresteen |first=Paul |date=April 2, 2009 |title=WSOP NEWS: 37 Puggy Pearson |url=http://www.wsop.com/news/2009/Apr/2327/37---Puggy-Pearson.html |access-date=November 29, 2018 |website=WSOP.com |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130030341/http://www.wsop.com/news/2009/Apr/2327/37---Puggy-Pearson.html |url-status=live }}
Pearson was known as a man who would always seek out the biggest game in town, whether it was in the poker room or on the golf course. He owned a RV, which he called the Roving Gambler, with this painted on the side: "I'll play any man from any land any game he can name for any amount I can count, provided I like it."{{Cite web |date=June 17, 2013 |title=A History of the World Series Of Poker: - Puggy "The Roving Gambler" Pearson (1973) |url=https://poker.partypoker.com/en/blog/a-history-of-the-world-series-of-poker-puggy-the-roving-gambler-pearson-1973.html |access-date=November 29, 2018 |website=PartyPoker |language=en-US |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130031923/https://poker.partypoker.com/en/blog/a-history-of-the-world-series-of-poker-puggy-the-roving-gambler-pearson-1973.html |url-status=live }}
Pearson was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1987.{{Cite web |last=Pajich |first=Bob |date=April 12, 2006 |title="Puggy" Pearson, Poker Hall of Famer, Has Died |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/924-quot-puggy-quot-pearson-poker-hall-of-famer-has-died |access-date=November 29, 2018 |website=Card Player |language=en |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130030355/https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/924-quot-puggy-quot-pearson-poker-hall-of-famer-has-died |url-status=live }}
World Series of Poker Bracelets
Death
Pearson, who had a long history of heart problems, died on April 12, 2006.{{Cite web |last=Allan |first=Elkan |date=April 17, 2006 |title=Walter 'Puggy' Pearson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/apr/18/guardianobituaries.gambling |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB |archive-date=October 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028130552/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/apr/18/guardianobituaries.gambling |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Gower |first=Diana |date=April 26, 2006 |title=Puggy Pearson |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/puggy-pearson-6102592.html |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=The Independent |language=en |archive-date=July 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722044238/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/puggy-pearson-6102592.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Coren |first=Victoria |author-link=Victoria Coren Mitchell |date=April 28, 2006 |title=How to play poker |url=https://www.theguardian.com/g2/story/0,,1763346,00.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509022442/https://www.theguardian.com/g2/story/0,,1763346,00.html |archive-date=May 9, 2021 |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=The Guardian}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=191 Hendon Mob profile]
- [https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/walter-puggy-pearson/ PokerNews profile]
- [https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=17879 WSOP profile]
{{WSOP Main Event champions}}
{{1970s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}
{{Poker Hall of Fame}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearson, Puggy}}
Category:United States Navy sailors
Category:World Series of Poker Main Event winners
Category:World Series of Poker bracelet winners
Category:Super Bowl of Poker event winners
Category:People from Tennessee