Huck Seed enters Poker Hall of Fame as 59th inductee

While poker for 2020 may have been amiss for a number of reasons, it seems that this year has not been quite as terrible for some. A great way to end the troubling last couple of months, Las Vegas pro Huckleberry ‘Huck’ Seed concluded the year with an outstanding cause for celebration.

The announcement came last Wednesday with the World Series of Poker awarding the 51 year old pro the latest enshrinement into the elite Poker Hall of Fame. While Seed has frequented the list of finalists in previous years, it was only this 2020 where he topped the tally of votes garnered from the PHOF’s living members. Joined by this year’s first time nominees Patrik Antonius, Norman Chad and Lon McEachern, and Isai Scheinberg, Seed led by a significant margin electing him to eventually become the group’s 59th member. He had this to say about his induction:

“Hearing the news that I am being inducted into the poker hall of fame this year brought back memories of my early poker days, walking into the Binions Horseshoe, about to start a poker session, admiring all the poker hall of famers on the wall. It feels good to be included with all the poker legends that I once idolized and competed against over the years. Thank you everyone.”

The tally of votes as released by the WSOP for the first time in PHOF history, were noted as follows:

• Huckleberry Seed – 76 Votes
• Matt Savage – 51 Votes
• Isai Scheinberg – 45 Votes
• Eli Elezra – 30 Votes
• Antonio Esfandiari – 23 Votes
• Lon McEachern and Norman Chad – 20 Votes
• Ted Forrest – 20 Votes
• Mike Matusow – 17 Votes
• Patrik Antonius – 15 Votes
• Chris Ferguson – 3 Votes

In total, 30 living members out of the 31 cast their votes with each allotted 10 votes distributed as they see fit. Montana native Huck Seed topped the ranks having received 76 votes, a fourth of the total 300 votes submitted. Foremost tournament director Matt Savage was a close second, followed by PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg in third. With only a single slot set to enter the PHOF this year, the two will likely have to settle for next year’s round of nominations.

Seed’s impressive background

Mainly known as the 1996 WSOP Main Event champion, Seed has been a regular figure of the poker industry since the early 90’s. Beginning his career as a college student, Seed ultimately decided to play poker full time in 1989 leaving behind his basketball career and the path towards becoming an electrical engineer. With roughly three decades worth of experience to date, Seed had successfully amassed over $7.6 million in total live tournament winnings including four WSOP bracelet wins, second of which was his biggest live score of $1 million for his historic victory.

Aside from his prowess in high stakes cash games and outstanding tournament skills, Seed continued to dominate the field, bagging notable wins twenty years in the game. In March 2009, Seed emerged as the NBC Heads-Up Championship winner claiming the grand prize of $500,000. A year later, the American pro topped the WSOP Tournament of Champions for another half a million.

While his poker resume may be worthy of the PHOF title already, Seed is also popular for his interesting prop bets outside of the game. Some of which included not shaving for an entire year, floating in the ocean for over 18 hours, running a mile in 4 minutes and 40 seconds and so on. Amusingly, his out of this world and unexpected antics have led him to become even more so beloved by many.

Poker Hall of Fame member and long-time pro Erik Seidel shared his support in the days leading up to the final tally of votes tweeting,

Reasons Huck is my top HOF pick:

1-1st player to break Chip & Doyle’s 30 year hegemony in cash games
2-Had a great tournament record including winning WSOP main
3-Honorable, well liked
4-Was inspiration for main character in the movie Lucky You
5- Dylan wrote Huck’s Song

— Erik Seidel (@Erik_Seidel) December 18, 2020

Following his win, fellow poker legends were quick to congratulate the four-time bracelet winner for this amazing achievement. Icons Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth took to Twitter to welcome the latest PHOF member.

“Was happy to see @HuckleberrySeed finally get the call for the Poker Hall of Fame, his induction was long overdue. He was a hero of mine growing up in Vegas trying to make it. We used to go for drinks then play $200-$400 Stud 8 heads up for hours. He won.”, tweeted Negreanu.

Congrats Huck Seed!! Well deserved my friend!!

Huck Seed Inducted into Poker Hall of Fame | PokerNews https://t.co/OJUAbrlkf6

— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) December 31, 2020

Co-nominee WSOP and ESPN commentator Lon McEachern likewise expressed his regards for Seed’s timely election saying, “Huck Seed is such an amazingly worthy new member of the Poker Hall of Fame. His accomplishments are more than “Hall-worthy” and the stories of him off the felt would have lasted forever even if he were not voted in. I am very happy for him.”