DoyleBrunson

Doyle Brunson

Doyle Brunson in the 1976 World Series of Poker

Nickname(s) Texas Dolly
Hometown Las Vegas, Nevada

World Series of Poker

Bracelet(s) 10
Money finishes 28
Highest ITM main event finish Winner (1976, 1977)

World Poker Tour

Titles 1
Final tables 3(+1)
Money Finishes 4
Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson (born August 10, 1933 in Longworth, Texas) is an American poker player who has played professionally for over 40 years. He is a former world champion of poker and the author of several poker books.

The first player to earn $1 million in poker tournaments, Brunson has won ten World Series of Poker bracelets throughout his career, tied with Johnny Chan and Phil Hellmuth for the record. He is also one of only four players to have won consecutive main events at the World Series of Poker, in 1976 and 1977.

Early life
Brunson was born in Longworth, Texas, a town with a population of approximately 100, and was one of three children. Because of Longworth's small size, Brunson frequently ran long distances to other towns, and became a promising athlete. He was part of the All-State? Texas basketball team, and practiced the one-mile run to keep in shape in the off-season. Although he was more interested in basketball than running, he entered the 1950 Texas Interscholastic Track Meet and won the one-mile event with a time of 4:38. Despite receiving offers from many colleges, he attended Hardin-Simmons? University in Abilene, Texas, because it was close to his home. The Minneapolis Lakers were interested in Brunson, but a knee injury ended his playing days. He had taken a summer job and was unloading some sheetrock; when the ton of weight shifted, Brunson instinctively tried to stop it, but it landed on his leg, breaking it in two places. He was in a cast for two years, and the injury ended his hopes of becoming a professional basketball player. He still occasionally requires a crutch to get around because of the injury. Brunson changed his focus from athletics to education and obtained a master's degree in administrative education.

Brunson had begun playing poker before his injury, playing five card draw and finding it "easy". He played more often after being injured and his winnings paid for his expenses. He obtained a bachelor's degree in 1954 and a master's the following year. After graduating, he took a job as a business machines salesman, but on his first day, he was invited to play in a seven-card stud game and earned over a month's salary in under three hours. He soon left the company and became a professional poker player.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doyle_Brunson