Tommy Hufnagle, the legendary poker player and World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, passed away last week Friday at the age of 77. Earlier this year, on February 15, Hufnagle suffered a heart attack that left him unresponsive and incapacitated.
Born on January 10, 1944, in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, Hufnagle served in Vietnam. Locally, he was known to be one of the best Texas Hold ’em players, but his fame quickly spread out of his hometown. In the 1970s Hufnagle made his first breakthrough.
According to a 1977 WSOP media guide, Hufnagle proved his incredible skills by finishing third at the World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe Casino. Furthermore, he was described as “one of the world’s best all-around poker players“.
The Poker Pro Participated in More Than 70 Tournaments
Since 1976, Hufnagle is known to have won a total of $866,372, according to the Hendon Mob. In 1998, he played the WSOP $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Split and won first place. Besides a prize of $139,305, the event brought Hufnagle a WSOP bracelet. Overall, throughout his career, Hufnagle has participated in 19 WSOP tournaments.
Another honorable mention is the $5,000 + 80 Championship Event – No-Limit Hold’em that Hufnagle ranked 3rd. That 1999 tournament got him a hefty $96,425 prize. Furthermore, he has also won the $1,000 + 60 H.O.S.E. tournament in Los Angelis back in 2002. Ranking first in the tournament, Hufnagle got home with a $49,920 prize. More recently, he won the $500 + 50 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo in LA in 2006. Ranking first got him a prize of $20,550.
Overall, the poker pro has participated in 74 tournaments throughout his career. From that total, Hufnagle ranked second five times. In contrast, the victories which he had are double – 10 tournament victories.