The Gambler

Mention Kenny Rogers to most baseball people and they won’t think of the country crooner with a voice and silver beard like spun silk. They'll think of the other Kenny Rogers, the left-handed pitcher with 200 wins and a perfect game to his credit.

In most respects, Wade Townsend, who pitched for the Columbus Catfish last season, resembles the other Rogers. He stands 6-foot-4, weighs 230 pounds and throws some serious heat.

But Townsend channeled the original Kenny last month and demonstrated that he knows when to hold them and knows when to fold them.

The blog of my friend and esteemed colleague Stacy Long, the Montgomery Biscuits beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser, pointed me to this wonderful nugget:

http://www.thepokerforum.com/wsopctu120708.htm

It seems Townsend won a whopping $77,000 and a gold championship ring at a World Series of Poker circuit event last month at the Grand Casino Resort in Tunica, Miss. He emerged victorious from a No-Limit Hold'Em tournament that featured 380 players and a prize pool of $256,120.

Not a bad day of work. Wonder which he'll wear more often: The ring from Tunica or the championship ring from last year's South Atlantic League championship.