Published: August 30, 2007 11:25 pm         

Valley poker duo showcased on ESPN

Terre Haute residents competed for poker crown earlier this summer

TERRE HAUTE — When it comes to poker, 94-year-old Jack Ury is all business.

The Terre Haute resident missed the nationally-televised debut of the show that chronicled his efforts in the World Series of Poker.

He was busy playing poker in an Aurora, Ill., riverboat casino.

Ury and his grandson Seth Harrold, 30, participated in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas earlier this summer, and were featured in the television show about the event. Although they failed to win any money – the two were eliminated early in the second day of competition – Ury’s age helped make him a fan draw.

Harrold was pleased that his grandfather received some recognition for playing the game for more than half a century.

“It’s not one of those things that he played poker for the fact that it’s popular in the last 3 or 5 years,” Harrold said. “He’s been playing since he was” a child.

Harrold said during a previous interview that his grandfather suffers from a complete lack of vision in one eye and has only 20 percent vision in the other, and can hear out of only one ear.

ESPN 2 will re-broadcast the World Series of Poker episode at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Harrold said. He added that the new episode about the group of contestants he and Ury were in will debut at 9 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN.

Harrold said Thursday afternoon that his grandfather had prolonged his trip to Aurora, Ill. and will come back in a few days.

“He’s up like six grand,” Harrold said, “so he’s staying.”

Austin Arceo can be reached at (812) 231-4214 or austin.arceo@tribstar.com.