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Michael Spegal: 2007 WSOP - Event 4 ($1,500 PLHE) Winner Profile
Event #4
Pot-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $1,500
Number of Entries: 781
Total Prize Money: $1,066,065
Date of Tournament: June 3-6, 2007
WSOP GOLD BRACELET WINNER
EVENT #4 – MICHAEL SPEGAL
Michael Spegal is 39-year-old former United States Marine. He was born in Newton, Iowa. He owns an equipment rental and UPS store in St. Marys, which is located in southeast Georgia. He has been married to his wife Jeanne for nine years. They have four children.
On this night of his incredible victory, Michael Spegal was celebrating his ninth wedding anniversary. Jeanne Spegal sat at ringside and celebrated their win. “She can have the prize money. I’ll take the bracelet,” Spegal joked. ESPN commentator Norman Chad ribbed Spegal during the post-tournament interview, noting “You are the only married man I know of who gets to play poker on his anniversary.”
He collected $252,290 for first place. Spegal’s poker nickname is “Bob Cat Spegal.”
After his upset win at the final table, the “Big Cat” was visibly moved when his wife was invited up to the Corum gold bracelet stand and was permitted to present and latch the coveted World Series of Poker gold bracelet on her husband’s wrist. With WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack doing the official honors, Michael “Big Cat” Spegal collected the most meaningful anniversary present a poker player could ever hope to receive.
