The Poker Hall of Fame has announced its 2008 inductees: Duane "Dewey" Tomko and Henry Orenstein will become the 36th and 37th members. The two will be honored in a special ceremony on November 9 at the Penn & Teller Theater inside the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, which is part of the overall festivities surrounding the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event final table.
Tomko, who was once a high school teacher in Florida and a high-stakes golf player, found a second home in Las Vegas tournaments and remains one of the most enduring veterans in the history of the World Series of Poker. He has won three WSOP bracelets and finished as the runner-up twice in the Main Event. Tomko also holds the record for playing in every Main Event for the past 35 consecutive years. Two of his bracelet victories came in 1984 when he won the $10,000 2-7 Lowball Draw and the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha events. His third bracelet came in the $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event in 1979. His two runner-up finishes in the Main Event came in 1982, when Jack Straus made his legendary "chip and a chair" comeback, and in 2001 when Carlos Mortensen took down the title.