Amarillo Slim beaten up and robbed - again!

• Author: Qid
• Filed under: High Stakes News, Poker, Poker player
• Date: Jan 23,2009

According to Amarillo police office, 80-year-old mr Preston was beaten and robbed while trying to take collateral on a $3,000 gambling debt he was owed. He was lured to a field by his attackers, who were offering him a four-wheeler as collateral.

He never got a four-wheeler, but he got beaten pretty bad and robbed $8k and a diamond ring worth of $85k! He was also hospitalized because of a broken jaw, hand and thumb.

Amarillo Police Lt. Jim McKenny had some opinions about the case: “That would not be that unusual for him to have that kind of money ($8,000 in cash). It wasn’t the first time he’s been robbed either. I think it probably has to do with the clientele and people he tends to hang with in the gambling circles.”

It seems like mr McKenny has quite old school image about gambling and poker today or maybe the poker scene in Texas is little more agressive than elsewhere. Still, he is right about this not being the first time when old boy Preston got mugged.

Almost exactly two years ago, in January 2007, Amarillo Slim was tied up and robbed outside of his own house! That time he was unhurt, but the robbers took a pair of his shotguns with them.

Also, in 2006 a guy tried to rob him while Slim was driving a car in him home town Amarillo. He refused to give any money to this fellow and because of that his car was shot three times. Again, Preston was not injured, apparently he is so slim that he can dodge bullets by turning sideways. Phil Hellmuth should be jealous about that skill!

Anyway, it sure looks like mr Preston has quite a few enemies. I wonder how he has become such a hated figure. Maybe he took a tight and agressive style little too far?

Amarillo Slim won the 1972 World Series of Poker and has been a member of the Poker Hall of Fame since 1992.

Sources: chron.com, Wickedchopspoker, amarillo.com