Cory Lidle Memorial Poker Tournament

On January 28, California's Hollywood Park Casino hosted the inaugural Cory Lidle Memorial Poker Tournament. Family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances of the late athlete joined with the event's main sponsor, the Ultimate Blackjack Tour (UBT), to remember Lidle's legacy and keep his poker tradition alive.

"If you come across a poker game filled with major league baseball players, try to snag a seat." Said Lidle at last year's event. "Or at least put your initials on the waiting list. It could pay off."

The late New York Yankees pitcher spent countless hours over the past two years planning and hosting poker tournament fundraisers for the Make-A-Wish Foundation before his untimely death on October 11, 2006.

The numbers are in, with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles raking in $58,000 in donations and a portion of the poker tournament prizepool. Chris Welch outlasted 270 players and took home the first-place prize of $12,560.

On hand to show his support was Barry Zito, a San Francisco Giants ace pitcher and winner of the 2002 American League Cy Young Award. Zito was an Oakland teammate of Cory Lidle in earlier years. Also in attendance were Dodgers catcher Mike Lieberthal, Dodgers pitcher Randy Wolf, and Hollywood director John Landis. Professional poker players and UBT representatives Annie Duke, Freddy Deeb, and UBT founder Russ Hamilton donated their time and resources.

Cory Lidle was 25 years old when he broke into the big leagues in 1997 with the New York Mets. About that time he discovered poker and was immediately hooked. In an interview at the Palms Las Vegas 2006 charity poker tournament benefiting the same foundation, the Philadelphia Phillies right-hander said. "I caught the poker bug, and decided to model a poker tournament benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation after the golf events that many professional athletes organize."

The results of his efforts manifested into a popular celebrity poker tournament, now in its third year. It was estimated that around 20 celebrities would show, guaranteeing one at each table when the cards went into the air at noon. But someone should have taken the overs, as more than half of the field included famous athletes, sporting events organizers, and VIPs.

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