Famous Poker Star Dies

As the old saying goes “time and tide waits for no man” last month well-known poker legend and professional poker player Thomas Preston Junior better known as “Amarillo Slim” died aged 83 having suffered colon cancer. Regarded by many as a “Legend In His Own Time” Preston a native from Texas will be remembered for his Stetson hats, stylish cowboy boots and the exuberant manner in which he made poker a household name in America.

In 1972 Amarillo Slim won the World Series of Poker Main Event and in 1992 he was was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. He also participated in the WSOP up and till 2008.

”Preston’s family released a recent statement: “We hope everyone will remember our beloved Amarillo Slim for all the positive things he did for poker and to popularize his favorite game. He was also highly quotable: “Look around the table. If you don’t see a sucker, get up, because you’re the sucker.”

Slim also wrote several books, including “Amarillo Slim’s Play Poker to Win” and “Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People: The Memoirs of the Greatest Gambler Who Ever Lived.”

Larry Grossman well-known gaming analyst and poker historian who knew Slim said, “He brought poker out of the back alleys”. He was just a guy with a huge personality, and he was the perfect person for the time to represent poker. It was really Slim that became the face of poker for middle America.”

Amarillo Slim’s reputation took a beating in 2003 when he was indicted by a grand jury on three felony counts of touching a 12-year-old girl on three occasions that year. He pleaded guilty in 2004 to three misdemeanor assault charges and was fined $4,000 by an Amarillo judge. Robert Templeton, his attorney at the time said that the felony charges were dropped because prosecutors could not prove their case.

When he passed Preston was surrounded by family and friends.