Editing Hal Fowler

{{Short description|American poker player (1927–2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{infobox poker player
|name=Harold Arthur Fowler 
|nickname=Hal
|image=HalFowler.jpg
|caption=Hal Fowler at the [[1979 World Series of Poker]]
|birth_date      = {{birth date|1927|1|12|mf=y}}
|birth_place     =
|death_date      = {{death date and age|2000|11|7|1927|1|12}}
|death_place     =
|hometown=[[Tulare, California]]
|Offspring= Gregory Arthur Fowler|Marcy Fowler
|wsop bracelet count=1
|wsop money finishes=1
|wsop main event best finish rank=Winner
|wsop main event best finish year=1979
}}

'''Harold Arthur "Hal" Fowler''' (January 12, 1927 – November 7, 2000)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harold A. Fowler |url=http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi?lastname=Fowler&firstname=Harold |access-date=November 30, 2009 |publisher=[[Social Security Death Index]] |quote=Harold A. Fowler 12 Jan 1927 7 Nov 2000}}</ref> was an American [[poker]] player known for winning the 1979 World Series of Poker Main Event. He is considered the first amateur poker player to become poker's World Champion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holloway |first=Chad |date=November 4, 2010 |title=History in Spades: The First Amateur to Win the Main Event |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2010/11/history-in-spades-the-first-amateur-to-win-the-main-event-9269.htm |access-date=August 2, 2011 |website=PokerNews.com }}</ref>

Fowler was born in [[Rutland (city), Vermont]] and later lived for many years in [[Tulare, California]].  Before his WSOP victory, he worked as an advertising executive.

==Poker==
Although he was a relative unknown amateur player, Fowler won the [[1979 World Series of Poker]] Main Event. At one point in the tournament, he was down to around 2,000 in chips (out of over 500,000 total tournament chips) at a final table that included [[Johnny Moss]], [[Bobby Baldwin]], [[Bobby Hoff]], and other professional players. Additionally, it is believed that Fowler could not cover the entrance fee and [[Benny Binion]] had to loan it to him. {{Citation needed|date=September 2007}} Fowler's 1979 win is sometimes called the greatest upset in the history of the WSOP.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wise |first=Gary |author-link=Gary Wise |date=May 25, 2009 |title=The Only Legend |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/poker/columns/story?columnist=wise_gary&id=4205054 |access-date=December 8, 2023 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

Fowler defeated professional [[Bobby Hoff]] heads up to win the championship when his {{cards|7♠|6♦}} made a gut-shot straight and defeated Hoff's {{cards|A♣|A♥}} on a board reading {{cards|5♥|3♣|J♠|4♠|T♦}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McManus |first=James |author-link=James McManus |date=August 27, 2005 |title=Running Bad When You Want to Be Running Good |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/27/sports/running-bad-when-you-want-to-be-running-good.html |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=New York Times |language=en}}</ref>

Fowler later faded from the poker scene because of complications from [[diabetes]] that hurt his [[eyesight]] and his [[human leg|leg]]s. {{Citation needed|date=September 2007}}

Fowler's career tournament earnings exceeded $380,000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hal Gene Fowler's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=27590 |access-date=December 8, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}</ref>

He died at the age of 73 of hemorrhagic shock due to upper gastro-intestinal bleeding, after having been driven to the hospital by a friend on November 7, 2000. He had been living in a seniors housing complex and was experiencing symptoms of a duodenal ulcer and cirrhosis.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wilson |first=Des |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cjNjBlbhwkAC&q=Harold+A.+Fowler&pg=PT157 |title=GHOSTS AT THE TABLE: Riverboat Gamblers, Texas Rounders, Roadside Hucksters, and the Living Legends Who Make Poker What It Is Today |date=March 17, 2009 |publisher=Hachette Books |isbn=9780786732050 |location=Google Books |pages=157–158}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brunson |first=Doyle |author-link=Doyle Brunson |date=April 13, 2008 |title=DOYLISM OF THE DAY: "Don't take life too seriously; nobody gets out alive." |url=http://www.doylesroom.com/blog/?p=32 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513114417/http://www.doylesroom.com/blog/?p=32 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=May 13, 2008 |access-date=June 2, 2008 |publisher=doylesroom.com}}</ref>

===World Series of Poker bracelet===
{|class="wikitable"
!Year
!Tournament
!Prize Money (US$)
|-
|[[1979 World Series of Poker|1979]]
|$10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
|$270,000
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/25553-hal-fowler Card Player profile]
*[https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=27590 Hendon Mob profile]
*[https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=18165 WSOP profile]

{{WSOP Main Event champions}}
{{1970s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fowler, Hal}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:American poker players]]
[[Category:World Series of Poker Main Event winners]]
[[Category:World Series of Poker bracelet winners]]
[[Category:People from Rutland (city), Vermont]]
[[Category:People from Tulare, California]]
[[Category:Diabetes-related deaths]]