Hitting the million mark

Saturday, May 3, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Prior to the start of the 28th Annual World Series of Poker at Binion's Horseshoe, a dejected former world champion Tom McEvoy sat down with his financial backer and said: "If I were you, I'd fire me."

"Nonsense," the sponsor told the down and seemingly out 1983 World Series $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas hold 'em champ as he gave him $5,000 and said: "You are playing -- now go win some satellites and get into the games."

That trust in the man who owed him $100,000 paid off with dividends Thursday when McEvoy finished third in the $2,000 buy-in pot-limit Texas hold 'em game and became the 17th millionaire in the rich history of the granddaddy of all gaming tournaments.

McEvoy collected $46,930 -- most of which went to his backer, a man who prefers to remain anonymous -- bringing his lifetime World Series earnings to $1,045,397. He moved from 19th to 16th on the all-time money list with his 20th in-the-money finish.

McEvoy edged past Hans "Tuna" Lund, who placed 19th in the same event and brought his World Series lifetime earnings to $982,645, as well as Eric Seidel ($984,926) and Men Nguyen ($1,002,412).

"In poker, you have your ups and downs, and it is no secret that I was broke -- I had my back to the wall," McEvoy said after Wednesday's first round. No matter where he finished Thursday he was assured of topping the $1 million mark.

McEvoy has been so broke in recent months, he has been playing in the smaller amateur-level events, including the Monday night $20 buy-in no-limit Texas hold 'em tournament at the Orleans hotel-casino, where the first prize often is not enough to cover the buy-in fee of a single World Series event.

Often called a quintessential ordinary man's gambler, McEvoy says he enjoys playing no-limit hold 'em and likes the Orleans' event regardless of what other people think.

McEvoy last week placed third in the $1,500 buy-in limit 7-card stud game and ninth in the $1,500 buy-in limit 7-card razz game to bring his WSOP winnings this year to $87,152.

McEvoy spent Thursday afternoon before the game at his Las Vegas home, relaxing by working on his United Nations stamp collection and reminiscing about his pro poker career that began in 1980 when he entered his first World Series event.

McEvoy won his first major title, a limit Texas hold 'em event, at the 1982 Amarillo Slim Super Bowl of Poker in Northern Nevada. He followed that up with his first in-the-money finish in the World Series -- sixth in a razz game -- also in 1982.

The next year, McEvoy, won his first World Series title, a limit hold 'em game. Then, he parlayed a victory in a $100 buy-in satellite game into $540,000 and the coveted world championship with his stunning victory in the no-limit hold 'em finale.

Both he and second-place finisher Rod Peate had won satellites, besting third-place finisher two-time world champion and poker hall-of-famer Doyle Brunson, who had put up his own $10,000 buy-in, much like the bulk of the field at that time.

"That tournament changed the face of poker forever," said McEvoy, noting that today's record fields are comprised mostly of satellite game winners. Even big-name players jump at the chance to gain entries for a fraction of the buy-in fees.

The '83 world title, however, did not establish McEvoy as a respected, premier player as he continued to participate in the lower-limit games, often drawing scorn from the local fraternity of veteran high-stakes Texas gamblers he so admired.

Originally from Grand Rapids, Mich., McEvoy, as he did Thursday night, often wears a Stetson hat and western-cut shirts reminiscent of the Old West's Texas road gamblers. He readily admits: " They had it much rougher than we do. They often risked their lives in the games they played" in cut-throat saloon back rooms.

While players came and players went, McEvoy has remained a force in the game. However, it took him 14 years to equal in winnings the purse he earned that fateful May day in 1983 when he and Peate played a 4 1/2-hour marathon head-to-head title showdown, the longest in World Series history.

"I am very proud of reaching the million-dollar mark, but I feel I have to win the no-limit hold 'em world title one more time to prove that the win in 1983 was not a fluke," McEvoy said. "If I can do that, I think I will have a shot at getting into the hall of fame."

The 21-event World Series of Poker continues with daily action and concludes May 12-15 with the $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas hold 'em championship to be televised by ESPN under the Fremont Street Experience canopy.