The World Series of Poker declared on Thursday that Daniel Negreanu is set to become the first 40-year-old since the iconic Chip Reese to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.
Jack McClelland, the 63-year-old recently retired director of the Bellagio poker room, will be joining him.
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The pair has now joined the ranks of the Hall as its 47th and 48th members, alongside legendary figures like Doyle Brunson, Stu Unger, Phil Hellmuth, Erik Seidel and the newly inducted Scotty Nguyen. Their induction was the result of voting conducted by a panel of 41 individuals, comprising of current Hall of Famers and active poker press members. They managed to surpass a pool of contenders that included Chris Bjorin, Humberto Brenes, Ted Forrest, Jennifer Harman, Mike Matusow, Huck Seed, Bruno Filoussi and Bob Hooks.
The induction ceremony this year is scheduled for November 9 at Binion’s Gambling Hall, marking the start of a three-day poker extravaganza. The event will culminate in the crowning of a new Main Event champion.
Binion’s was the host of the WSOP from its beginning until the poker boom in 2004. Since then, the annual event has been held at the Rio Hotel and Casino.
Negreanu and McClelland took markedly different routes to achieve poker immortality. A selection of their numerous poker accolades and additional contributions to the game is presented below.
Profiling Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu is possibly the most consistently associated player with the game of poker, aside from maybe Phil Ivey. As one of the few players from the “old guard” who is still relevant today, Daniel has shown himself to be more than simply a formidable opponent at the table; he’s a genuine ambassador for the game.
Negreanu, who is both animated and moving, constantly voices his opinions on all aspects of poker that he believes could be bettered. He considers it a sport, and in my modest opinion, his insights on subjects like tournament rules, the Black Friday scandal and the general progression of poker are so precise, that it would be unwise for industry leaders to ignore his words.
I would contend that the poker community needs Negreanu, given the current young professionals’ lack of the necessary understanding to become poker spokespeople. His presence is required to maintain a lighthearted and appealing atmosphere in a game that’s often deemed too serious, especially for casual players.
Daniel’s grandiose personality and deep understanding of the poker realm might alone justify his induction into the Hall. However, he has shown himself to be far more than that.
Over his 18-year career, Negreanu has accumulated close to $30 million in live tournament winnings, putting him in first place on the all-time leader board. Unlike many others in the top 20 of the leader board who only have a handful of significant cashes to their name, Daniel has consistently averaged over twelve cashes per year for the last 15 years.
Daniel is a paragon of consistency, boasting six WSOP bracelets, two WSOP Player of the Year awards, and two World Poker Tour titles to his name. Recently, he secured second place in this year’s Big One for One Drop, even staking a substantial part of the $1 million buy-in himself.
Negreanu is also credited with creating the small ball method of poker, a strategy employed by many of today’s leading professionals. Needless to say, it is effective.
When asked about his induction, Daniel responded:
Being inducted alongside numerous exceptional players who preceded me is indeed an honor. However, the honor is amplified by being acknowledged at the age of 40, the same age as the legendary Chip Reese. I extend my gratitude to the existing members of the Poker Hall of Fame and the members of the Blue Ribbon Media Panel who voted for me.
Congratulations Daniel, I firmly believe you’ll be the only Hall member to achieve more after your induction than before.
Profiling Jack McClelland
Despite not making his name at the poker table like Negreanu, Jack McClelland’s extraordinary contributions to the game in no way diminish his significance.
The renowned figure in the industry initially relocated to Las Vegas, not for poker, but to pursue a career as a professional bowler. He eventually found himself earning a modest $18 a day working in the dealer’s box. Unbeknownst to him at the time, he would soon find himself mingling with pioneers of the contemporary poker era.
Over his career spanning five decades, McClelland had the prestigious honor of collaborating with Hall of Fame inductees Jack Binion, Bobby Baldwin, and Eric Drache.
McClelland’s dedication and determination earned him the position of tournament director for the WSOP by 1984. At this point, poker was on a decline, but the game experienced a revival, albeit short-lived, in 1987 with the emergence of new players like Johnny Chan and Phil Hellmuth.
McClelland was the first tournament director to host events at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. He has been instrumental in promoting poker awareness during a period when it was most needed.
In 2002, right when the poker boom was starting, McClelland took charge of the poker room at the Bellagio. That same year, the Bellagio hosted the inaugural World Poker Tour event, bringing poker to the mainstream audience a year prior to Moneymaker’s title win.
McClelland retired his “let’s shuffle up and deal” last year, attributing his departure to a decline in televised events at the Bellagio and health concerns.
McClelland’s experience with poker, from its greatest triumphs to its deepest downturns, is a testament to the power of the American Dream. Throughout these fluctuations, he accomplished something few other icons in the industry have been able to – he persisted.
He responded with a statement when asked.
The prospect of induction into the Poker Hall of Fame, Class of 2014, fills me with excitement and I anticipate the experience to be incredibly humbling. My gratitude extends to each individual involved in this process, as well as to the WSOP, WPT, and the numerous fantastic individuals I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and working with over the years. I am deeply honored by your decision to bestow this accolade upon me. Thank you, I am profoundly grateful.
We are indeed, Jack, we are indeed.
Daniel Negreanu and Jack McClelland, thank you for being yourselves and congratulations on your induction into the Poker Hall of Fame.
