Doyle Brunson dies: Poker world pays tribute to Texas Dolly, 'Godfather of Poker'

Author Photo
Doyle Brunson
(Getty Images)

The poker community is mourning the death Sunday of legend Doyle Brunson at age 89.

Brunson's family announced his passing.

"He was a beloved Christian man, husband, father and grandfather. We'll have more to say over the coming days as we honor his legacy," the family said.

One of the most prominent figures in poker history, Brunson was the first person to win $1 million from tournaments. He wrote the iconic poker book "Super System" in 1979. He is tied for second all time with 10 World Series of Poker bracelets.

The tributes came pouring in from players and fans alike.

Brunson retired from tournament poker in 2018 at age 84. His son, Todd, and daughter, Pamela, both have experience as professional poker players.

Why is Doyle Brunson called 'Texas Dolly'?

Brunson's famous nickname came from Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder.

Snyder, before his work for CBS, developed a relationship with Brunson and used the alias "Texas Doyle" to refer to Brunson because gambling was not encouraged in Texas at the time. Brunson was born in Longworth, Texas, near Abilene. 

The rest of the story is a game of telephone. Snyder sometimes referred to Brunson as "Texas Doylee," which was misinterpreted by The Associated Press as "Texas Dolly." That misinterpretation became poker's most iconic nickname, one that would follow Brunson around for the rest of his life.

undefined
Author(s)
Dan Treacy Photo

Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News.

undefined