Cory Lidle Memorial Poker Tournament Continues Late Pitchers Wishes

CALIFORNIA -- New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle spent countless hours during the past two years planning and hosting poker tournament fundraisers for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, his charity of choice,
The late Cory Lidle (in white) at a Charity Poker Event.  before his untimely death on October 11, 2006.

In remembering Cory's legacy of love, giving and friendship, his family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, along with the Ultimate Blackjack Tour (UBT), kept his poker tradition alive with the inaugural Cory Lidle Memorial Poker Tournament. After nine hours of calling, bluffing and raking in chips at the Hollywood Park Casino on Sunday, January 28th, Chris Welch outlasted 270 players and took home the first place prize of $12,560; but the real winner was the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles, which raised $58,000.

On hand to show their support and play poker in Lidle's honor were San Francisco Giants' ace pitcher Barry Zito, who won the 2002 American League Cy Young Award while playing with Lidle in Oakland, Dodgers catcher Mike Lieberthal, Dodgers pitcher Randy Wolf, and Hollywood director John Landis. From the gaming world, poker greats/Team UBT members Annie Duke and Freddy Deeb played for charity along with Ultimate Blackjack Tour founder and 1994 World Series of Poker Main Event champ Russ Hamilton.