The Australian Poker Hall of Fame (APHOF) was formed in 2009, and over the past few years they have been busy honoring some of the biggest names in Australian Poker History. This year’s inductees into the very exclusive club were revealed at the 2012 Aussie Millions tournament series, and even the two players who made the final cut, David Gorr and Jason Gray, were surprised with the news, as Gorr explained to PokerNews.com:

“Well, first of all, I didn’t know I was going to be inducted,” Gorr said. “I found out five minutes before. They said stay around, you need to be up at the front. I’m really honored and humbled that they have chosen me. I’ve been in poker a long time, that’s true, and I was the 1996 Adelaide Champion, but it took another 15 years for me to win a tournament, so you can see the stamina you need to hang around and hopefully win a tournament. It’s fantastic, it will be interesting to see what my wife says when I get home.”

Gorr won last year’s Aussie Millions Main Event, a win that finally put the longtime Aussie poker player on the poker radar and moved him into 4th place on the all-time Australian money-list. Gray has racked up a number of wins and big cashes in his poker career, totaling over $1.1 million in career earnings according to thehendonmob.com, and is also a mainstay in cash-games around Australia.

The pair join the 11 other inductees to the APHOF, including the inaugural members from 2009 Joe Hachem (who was bestowed with the title Legend of Poker), Antanas “Tony G” Gouga, Jeffrey Lisandro (who also was granted Legend of Poker status the following year), Lee Nelson, Billy “The Croc” Arygos, Mel Judah, Gary Benson, and Maury Pears (who is also the APHOF Chairman). In 2010 Marsha Waggoner became the first female member of the APHOF, and in 2011 the APHOF added Leo Boxell and Danny McDonagh.

In order to be nominated for the Australian Poker Hall of Fame the player/contributor must meet a certain set of criteria outlined by the APHOF:

* Be a current or former residents of Australia or New Zealand,

* Have demonstrated outstanding and extended service to the game, bringing credit to Australian Casino Tournament Poker, and/or

* Have displayed significant player excellence

Pears explained the decision-making process in the following way:

“In proposing this Australian Poker Hall of Fame, I have been driven by a long time desire to honour and set in stone, those poker players, casinos and promoters who have done so much to bring the game to the standard of excellence as it is today.

“In the selection of inductees, advice has been taken from numerous poker players and supporters and casino administrators. Domestic and international results were examined as were results from overseas going back to 1987.”

For more information on the Australian Poker Hall of Fame you can check out the website, www.pokernetwork.com

Tags: Aussie Millions, Australian Money, Career Earnings, Cash Games, Cashes, Croc, Female Member, Gary Benson, Gorr, Gouga, Hall Of Fame, Inaugural Members, Jason Gray, Jeffrey Lisandro, Joe Hachem, Lee Nelson, Marsha Waggoner, Mcdonagh, Poker Hall, Poker Player

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