It’s a sad day for the poker community as we mourn the loss of one our most cherished brothers, Jack Ury. Ury is the oldest person ever to play at the WSOP. At age 97, he was still tearing up the felt and paying homage to the greatest card game of all time. He will be sorely missed by the regulars at the WSOP, especially since his cheerful disposition ensured that he was loved and liked by all.

About Jack Ury

Jack Ury has lived a very full life. He was a Navy Veteran of World War II, a dedicated postal worker, a husband to a dedicated wife, and father to four daughters. Once a year, however, Ury makes an appearance at the WSOP. For the last four years, Ury has been a mainstay at the WSOP. Of course, his age has made it somewhat hard for him to play the game, and his grandson had to help him with the blinds and the stacking of chips. But that didn’t stop Ury from enjoying the game of poker. In fact, even though Ury never cashed in the WSOP and only ever made it to Day 2, he made a lot of friends and inspired a lot of people — and really, when it all comes down to it, that’s worth more than any millions this tournament can ever offer. Ury’s dedication to the game made him an instant media sensation. Even ESPN featured Ury in one of their shows.

It’s really amazing to think that he could last until day 2 and endure 14-hours of grueling nonstop play. He certainly held his own against players who have lived just a fifth of the years he did. Ury suffered from deafness in one ear and was also blind in one of his eyes and had impaired vision in the other, so it certainly mustn’t have been easy for him to play. That he managed to do it with a hearty disposition certainly showed great dedication and passion for poker.

A Legacy

Ury will certainly be missed by the poker community. His cheerful disposition made sure that every table he sat on was bursting with life. His grandson, Harrold, who aided him in playing the game, told the local newspaper that they started preparing for the WSOP in March and that Ury talked about the game the whole year. It’s difficult to imagine that we’ll no longer be seeing him at the WSOP 2011 this year. But we should not wallow in sadness because Ury’s certainly having a blast in that great big poker room up in the sky right now.