I just love writing about the winners of the World Series of Poker because I’m learning so much about the history of poker and the history of one of the greatest card tournaments ever created. The year is 1975 and the sixth winner of the WSOP main event is Brian ‘Sailor’ Roberts.
Roberts grew up in another hot and dusty Texas town called San Angelo. He started his gambling career by shooting craps with the other caddies at the local golf course while enjoying success on the football field.
In the early 1950’s, Roberts spent four years in the Navy during the Korean War playing craps and poker. I’m sure that’s where his nickname of Sailor came along and he left his tour a full-time poker player. He loved the game and it wasn’t long before he found himself traveling the same circuit of games that several other young players like Doyle Brunson and Dwayne Hamilton. The three traveled Texas running into some of the better players in the state, hearing about the big guns like Johnny Moss.
1961 rolled around and on September 13 the Federal Wire Act was passed, making it illegal to transmit sports and betting information across state lines. Two of Roberts’ playing buddies Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim decided to quit the bookmaking but Sailor kept at it. About a year and a half later he was convicted of operating a bookmaking business. He spent over a year in a minimum-security Federal facility, and as soon as he was out of jail, he headed back to the poker circuit.
At the sixth World Series of Poker Main Event, Roberts bested the field and sat at the final table with all the chips in front of him. He won $210,000. He pulled at the baseball cap on his head, took a pull off his smoke and smiled at the crowd. Not a person there was unhappy to see him win it all.
Great Players in Poker History 