News spread across the poker world at the weekend that “Amarillo Slim” Preston had died after a long illness, at the age of 83.

Born Thomas Austin Preston Jr, “Amarillo Slim” was one of the early pioneers of the game, long before the internet turned the game into a mainstream activity.Excelling in cash games across the United States, Preston, who was rarely seen without his Stetson and ostrich skin boots, won the World Series of Poker in 1972 and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1992, two years after winning his fourth bracelet.

Preston had been unwell for some time and lately had been in a hospice. The Preston’s family released a statement yesterday that was posted on the World Series of Poker website.

“We hope everyone will remember our beloved Amarillo Slim for all the positive things he did for poker and to popularize his favourite game, Texas Hold’em,” the family said.

As the Las Vegas Review Journal reported, Preston had faced a rocky last few years.

“In August 2003, a Texas grand jury indicted Preston on multiple counts of indecency with a child. The felony charges were later dropped, but Preston eventually agreed to plead no contest to misdemeanour assault charges to protect his family, he claimed, and avoid the embarrassment of a public trial.”

Years later Preston told author Nolan Dalla that the charges had split the family, but that they had since been re-united.

“Yes, that was right at one time,” Preston told Dalla. “But that’s not true anymore. All of them have since written letters about these charges saying it was a big mistake and the sexual abuse never happened.”

Dalla himself commented:

“While other less deserving poker players got rich and famous in recent years, Slim missed the poker boom entirely.”

Read the full article on the Las Vegas Review Journal website.