Sailor Roberts

Sailor Roberts was born on March 7, 1931, in San Angelo, Texas. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and served in the Korean War, earning the nickname "Sailor." After his discharge, he began playing poker in underground Texas card rooms, becoming a comrade of Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim. The three traveled together, pooled their bankrolls, and studied poker strategies that later appeared in Brunson's book Super/System.

Roberts began competing in the first World Series of Poker (WSOP) in 1970, playing alongside Amarillo Slim, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Moss, and others. He placed sixth in the 1973 WSOP Main Event and third in 1974. Also in 1974, he won his first WSOP gold bracelet in the $5,000 2-7 Draw event, earning $35,850. In 1975, he defeated Bob Hooks to win the WSOP Main Event, claiming $210,000 and his second gold bracelet. After that, he only cashed again in the 1985 Main Event, finishing eighth.

Roberts, Brunson, and Slim were the famous "Texas Road Gamblers" trio. They traveled together for several years, jointly managing their bankrolls while moving through Texas, and engaged in numerous side bets. Brunson wrote in Super/System: "Sailor, Slim and I were together for about six years and had a lot of great times. Our partnership broke up after our first trip to Las Vegas, when we lost nearly six figures — our whole bankroll — but we have remained close friends ever since." Roberts was also a well-known bridge player.

After the Federal Wire Act of 1961, Brunson and Slim stopped sports betting, but Roberts continued, leading to a one-year prison sentence for bookmaking. After his release, he moved to Las Vegas and frequently appeared in high-stakes cash games at Binion's. On June 23, 1995, Roberts died of cirrhosis of the liver caused by hepatitis at age 64. He was posthumously inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2012. He is deeply missed by the older generation of poker players for his generosity and willingness to help fellow gamblers in trouble.