Renowned poker icon, inductee of the Poker Hall of Fame, and experienced entrepreneur, Crandell Addington, sadly left us last week. This illustrious character, celebrated for his contributions to the establishment of the significant World Series of Poker (WSOP), and for his role in various business successes, departed at the age of 85 last Sunday.
During the late 1960s, Addington had his hand in facilitating a tournament for a friend. This gathering pooled some of the country’s top poker players and heavy hitters together. It would go on to be renowned as the Texas Gamblers Convention in 1969 and evolved into the WSOP in following year.
In addition to triumphing at the Texas Gamblers Convention, Addington demonstrated his prowess by reaching the WSOP final table on seven unique occasions during the course of the 1970s. This unparalleled performance and his remarkable skills etched his name in the records, where it still remains. As per a report by Legacy, close friend Doyle Brunson labelled Addington as a “No-Limit Hold’Em Legend”.
This moniker does not come unexpectedly, considering that Addington was honoured with an induction into the Poker Hall of Fame in the year 2005. Known not only as a professional poker player and entrepreneur, Addington is also recognized for his famous statement, “Limit poker is a science, but no-limit is an art. In limit, you are attacking a target. In no-limit, the target awakens and retaliates.”
An Accomplished Businessman and Entrepreneur
Reminiscing about the 1960s and 1970s during a talk at Harvard University, Addington disclosed that high-stakes players of that era, himself included, carried firearms. According to him, the guns were kept not for disputes among players, but for defence against potential thieves. “Our ultimate aim was to ensure our winnings made it back to the car safely. So, not only did we have to outsmart a swath of talented players, but we also had to elude potential hijackers and sometimes even the county sheriff”, he highlighted at that time.
Following his departure from the world of poker around the mid-1980s, Addington ventured into the oil sector, establishing a prosperous oil company in Texas. In 2003, he also co-established Phoenix Biotechnology. He held the positions of chairman and CEO at the company until his health compelled him to step down.
In addition to his successful business ventures and proven poker prowess, Addington made vast contributions towards a multitude of charitable causes throughout his life. He supported various animal charities and also provided the necessary financial backing for the education of his family members.
