World Poker Tour

Ted Kearly “Mandrake“

Hometown
Alpena, Michigan

Total Winnings
$1,329,990

Ted Kearly got his start playing poker in the Army more than a half a century ago. It was during the down times that he learned how the game could transport him to another place of competition and relaxation, away from the tasks at hand. Back home in Michigan, it was education that took his focus; he graduated from Michigan State University with a Masters in Education and went on to coach Michigan Tech’s football team for fourteen years. Subsequently, he became the director of the athletic department, then the head of the department until he retired.

It was a love of competition that kept Ted in the sports arena for his entire career, and it was that same passion that brought him to poker. Playing with friends for years, it was the World Poker Tour that brought hold’em into the mix. Upon retirement, Ted and his wife bought a winter home in Las Vegas. That move coincided with his interest in hold’em, and tournaments were a logical next step. In 2007, he played a satellite for the WPT World Championship, and he won a seat into the $25,000 buy-in main event. With a 36th place finish for over $77,000, he was inspired to continue playing.

In December of 2007, Ted and his wife were in Vegas for the winter, and he played in the senior tournament. Finishing fifth, he moved on to the main event of the Five Diamond World Poker Classic. Playing through a field of numerous pros and hundreds of players, he ended up at the final table and ended up finishing as close to first as possible – runner-up of the WPT main event for a grand total of $1,252,640. On a teacher’s retirement, he and his wife were thrilled with the performance and the prize money.