1972

Poker Omnibus W50P

April 13

Carlos Mortensen [], b. Ambato, Ecuador as Juan Carlos Mortensen
2001 WSOP Main Event winner ($1,500,000). 2013 WSOP Main Event final table bubble boy ($573,204). Won 2003 $5,000 Limit Hold 'Em ($251,680). First Spanish player to win a bracelet. 1 Circuit ring. Poker Hall of Fame 2016.
Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

May 14

WSOP Cancels $5,000 Seven-Card Stud
On page 33 of All In, Jonathan Grotenstein and Storms Reback say that because Eric Drache was disappointed that he couldn't determine how many players had registered, he became the WSOP's first tournament director the next year. It turned out that not enough players had signed up, and the tournament was cancelled when Johnny Moss was too tired to play.

May 15

Bill Boyd Wins $10,000 Five-Card Stud for Second Bracelet
Defeats single unknown opponent for $20,000.

$5,000 Limit Five-Card Stud (Event #1, began 5/15)

Winner: Bill Boyd ($20,000)

Entries: 8 (1 paid)

Date is approximate.

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 18

Amarillo Slim Preston Wins 1972 WSOP Main Event
Defeats field of eight players, including Puggy Pearson heads up, for $80,000 and second bracelet.

$10,000 Main Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #2, began 5/17)

Winner: Amarillo Slim Preston ($80,000)

Entries: 8 (1 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 16

Amarillo Slim Preston Appears on "The Tonight Show"
The Main Event champ was one of Johnny Carson's first guests in the show's new Burbank home. [Preston would continue to popularize poker with ten more appearances plus three "60 Minutes" episodes and stints on "Good Morning America", "The Mike Douglas Show", "To Tell the Truth", "What's My Line?", and "I've Got a Secret".

July 5

David Benyamine [], b. Paris, France
Cash game player who won the 2008 $10,000 Omaha Hi/Lo ($535,687). 18 final tables and over $3 million in winnings.
Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

July 14

David "ODB" Baker [], b. Connecticut
Two bracelets: 2006 $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em ($757,839) & 2009 $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo ($228,867). 1 Circuit ring.
Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

September 8

Phil Laak [], b. Dublin, Ireland as Philip Courtney Laak
Won 2010 WSOP Europe £2,650 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (£170,802).
Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

[Go to 1973]

{ Data is current through January 1, 2023. }