He was such a talented basketball player that he was considered an NBA prospect. During the 1952-1953 season, he averaged 12.5 points per game. Growing up, the man who would later become known as “Texas Dolly,” or the “Godfather of Poker,” had other aspirations.īrunson was a standout basketball star who played college ball at Hardin-Simmons College in the 1950s, where he was one of the best players on the team.
In fact, it’s a bit surprising where he ended up. Early in his life, poker wasn’t even a thought on his mind. As he famously said on the “Poker After Dark” show intro, “we don’t stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing.” Who is Doyle Brunson?ĭoyle Brunson was born Augin Longworth, Texas, a small town about three hours west of Dallas.
Well into his 80’s, Brunson continues to play high-stakes cash games in Las Vegas against much younger players, and he’s made it clear that he isn’t going to stop playing until the day he dies. He’s a rare breed of poker pros in that he didn’t stop playing regularly after striking it rich through this game. Doyle Brunson is one of poker’s all-time legends and most popular players.
