You might not have noticed Scott Malone, but this pilot and carwash owner is making a big impression back home. Listed as coming from Ulysses, Kansas, Malone is also playing on behalf of a small town in western Kansas called Johnson, (population 1100). Malone is just one of the 15-person poker league called the Bear Creek Rounders that played $25 tourneys for forty weeks to send one of their players to the 2006 World Series of Poker. After driving 22 miles to get to a rented trailer poker house, Malone and the Rounders would play for points. A little more than a year of games and they had collected $12,500 to send their mate to Vegas.
Malone has quite the cheering section. Twelve family members have joined him in Las Vegas for the Main Event, including his father and mother who surprised him yesterday on Day three.
Sally, Malone's mom walked up while I was talking to his wife, Jean.
"Am I to be praised or blamed?" she said when she saw us talking.
"Praised!" Jean said confidently.
"I am just thrilled to death he's gone so far, " said Sally. "We don't think of small town Kansas boys in big leagues like this."
More than half of the Bear Creek Rounders are agricultural farmers. Whatever Malone wins, he gets to keep $10,000 plus 50% of the rest. The remaining 50% will be split between the rest of the Rounders, including one man out on bail for allegedly killing his wife's ex husband.
As of the afternoon break, that 50% net was more than $20,000. Malone was below average in chips, but holding on to 371,000 chips with 81 players remaining in the stamina fight for the $12 million first prize.
Malone's wife Jean couldn't think of any live tournaments that Malone had played in before this World Series but claimed that he does play online at Party Poker.
"That's where he first started playing," Jean said. "It's where he learned how to play poker online."
"The first time he played live was right here in Vegas," Jean said. "He was on a trip with his twin brother who has since passed away in a plane accident. It'll be two years in October.They were both pilots."
"Scott's been thinking about his brother a lot while he's at the table," she added.
On the felt, it's hard to tell what Malone is thinking about. He is a steady, quiet, patient player that wears one of two shirts with a plane on it to represent the family's interest in flying. When Malone's son David asked him why he was so quiet on the felt, the normally outgoing man replied that he was concentrating.
"He doesn't see how people socialize and read at the table," David said.
"They call him the Librarian back at home," Jean said. "Because he's always reading poker books."
It's that kind of focus that a winner needs to have. Malone might be under average in chips, but that could change at any time. After all, he's made it to Day Two, Day Three ($384,500), and all the way through Day Four ($585,000). Malone has already beat at least 8,692 other players in a week. That's quite an accomplishment considering he had to play 40 weeks just for the chance to get here.
Good luck, Scott! I hope you go all the way.
Note: As I was heading back to the media room to post this, David called to tell me that Scott Malone finished 79th. Congratulations, Scott! And to all the Rounders who will be getting a piece of their $27,986 share as well. Make sure you spend of your winnings on the poker house!
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