Intro Tom McEvoy 1983 World Poker Champion

Hi everyone, I am 70 years old and in good health. I have been a professional poker player since 1978 and a resident of Las Vegas since 1979. Originally I graduated from college with a B.S. degree in Accounting and planned to be a C.P.A. Fortunately for me that never happened and after working as an accountant for various companies for 12 years I got the best break of my accounting career when I got fired from my last job. I was 33 years old and finally had enough of working for other people and was willing to take a chance on working for myself. That is when I decided to play poker full time. I spent a year flying back and forth between my home in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Las Vegas; testing the poker waters before taking the plunge and moving out west.
In 1983 I achieved every poker players dream by playing in the main event of the WSOP and winning it. My life has never been the same since. My win changed everything and eventually I became an author (14 books) a poker teacher and a leader in the non-smoking crusade for poker tournaments. I was even a poker room manager for the worst 53 days of my life and spent a year in Los Angeles working as a prop player. It was a great day for me when I hosted the first non-smoking tournament in the history of Nevada and helped the World Series go non-smoking for the first time in 2002. In 2013 I received the 2nd biggest honor of my poker career, topped only by my win in the main event at the WSOP. I was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame and consider that the frosting on the cake of my poker career. In additional to poker I have many other interests and will be happy to discuss them in the future. I once wrote "there is more to poker than life". In my case that is especially true as I have a great life outside the poker world with many friends, family members, pets and hobbies. Much love is given and received. Remember poker is just a game and not life and death. Be happy and stay lucky.

 

this guy is so humble.... he has appeared at seminars for my groups in Vegas, come to private events and played.

every single year he was eligible for HOF selection I rounded up my friends and asked them to personally get out the vote for Tom. We came up short a few times, but he got his due finally, and I couldn't be prouder.

Welcome Tom Terrific!

 

Hi, it's great to see you here.

 

So, we meet again. Of all the gin joints....nice to see my partner in WSOP

 

I didn't know that WSOP as strictly non-smoking!

 

Honor to meet a HOF of poker.. and a World Champion such a honor ..