WSOP Final Hands: 1974

After an unceremonious 1972 World Series, Johnny Moss almost reclaimed the title regarded many to be rightfully his. He’d gotten to the finale in ’73 only to have Puggy Pearson hit a few timely cards to leave Moss with the $0 second prize and an earful from his wife Virgie.

It had now been two years since Moss, considered by most the best player in the game, had won the title. He swore he was done with tournaments after losing to Pug, but it ended up being a shallow threat; he made his way to Vegas for the ’74 event like everyone knew he would and reclaimed the throne that had really been his all along.

Moss’ opponent in the finals was Crandall Addington. ‘Dandy’ Crandall, was a Texan pro who would later be immortalized as ‘the amateur’ that Bobby Baldwin beat in the ’78 Series. Crandall’s loss to Moss in ’74 coupled with that later defeat made him the first player in history to make two finals without a win. He’d eventually be joined by Dewey Tomko and TJ Cloutier.

The final lasted four hours, an excruciating length for the then-67 year old Moss. Still, he managed to persevere to the delight of most onlookers. Crandall was a beloved figure in the community, but when Johnny Moss won, something was right with the world. The best had bested the best.

For his win, Moss received $160,000, $10,000 for each entrant in the event. In addition, he received what was by then the traditional silver cup commemorating the event and the first ever gold bracelet handed out at the World Series. On the back was engraved the date of his win. From that point on, every event winner would receive such a bracelet, a tradition that’s obviously still being enacted today.

For Moss, it would be the last truly great moment. He’d revisit the final table in later years, but he was never quite feared the way he was in ’74. Johnny’s decline had begun, and over the next three years, the next Texan guard would take the reins.

Gary Wise
gary@wisehandpoker.com