Julius Oral "Little Man" Popwell (June 1, 1912 – May 19, 1966) was an American poker player.
Little Man Popwell | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 1, 1912 |
| Died | May 19, 1966 (aged 53) |
| Occupation | Poker player |
| Awards | Poker Hall of Fame inductee (1996) |
Biography
editPopwell is one of the most famous poker players from the first half of the 20th century. His preferred game was five card stud, and he often played against other poker legends such as Johnny Moss. He was posthumously inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1996.[1]
Despite his nickname, Popwell was obese, weighing over 300 pounds (136 kg) while standing 5'6" tall. The nickname "Little Man" actually came from his prowess in billiards when he was a teenager, because he could regularly beat men over twice his age.[2]
He operated lotteries and card games from his home near Birmingham, Alabama, and on April 3, 1954, he was sentenced to 366 days in jail and fined $250 for this, as well as income tax evasion.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Hall of Fame Poker Classic Inductee". www.conjelco.com. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ Gaywood, Oliver (July 23, 2007). "Little Man Popwell". Unknown Poker. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016.
- ^ "Julius Oral Popwell". The Sunday Times. April 20, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
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