Daniel Negreanu, Jack McClelland Chosen For Poker Hall Of Fame

On Thursday, the World Series of Poker announced that Daniel Negreanu and Jack McClelland have been selected to become members of the Poker Hall of Fame next month.

Negreanu, who reached the 40-year-old age requirement this year, is a first ballot inductee.

The two become the 47th and 48th individuals to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. The two were nominated by the public and voted in by a 41-person panel made up of existing Poker Hall of Famers and members of the poker media.

McClelland and Negreanu will be inducted officially on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 pm at Binion’s Gambling Hall, the birthplace of poker in Las Vegas. The 2014 WSOP main event final table begins on Nov. 10.

The Canadian-born Negreanu moved to Las Vegas when he was 22 and has never looked back. Negreanu is poker’s all-time winningest player, with nearly $30 million in lifetime tournament earnings. The Team PokerStars Pro has six WSOP gold bracelets and two WPT titles.

Jack McClelland, 63, was once a semi-professional bowler and poker dealer. He moved out to Las Vegas to help his ailing mother and ended up directing tournaments at the WSOP in the 80’s and running the Bellagio poker room from 2002 to 2013. He was extremely influential during the height of the poker boom. McClelland retired at the end of last year.

“It’s an honor to be inducted alongside so many great players that have come before me,” said Negreanu. “An even bigger honor to be recognized at age 40, the same age as the legend Chip Reese. Thank you to the living members of the Poker Hall of Fame and those on the Blue Ribbon Media Panel that voted for me.”

“Being inducted into the class of 2014 Poker Hall of Fame is a very exciting prospect and I’m sure it will be a very humbling experience,” McClelland said. “I thank everyone involved in this process and to the WSOP, WPT and all of the great people I’ve met and the wonderful people I’ve worked with throughout the years. Thank you for bestowing this honor upon me. I’m very grateful.”

The two beat out Chris Bjorin, Humberto Brenes, Bruno Fitoussi, Ted Forrest, Jennifer Harman, Bob Hooks, Mike Matusow and Huckleberry Seed, who were all nominated this year.