T.J. Cloutier Fast Facts
Birth date: Oct. 13, 1939
Education: Dropped out of college
WSOP Bracelets: 6
WPT Titles: 0
Was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006. Has come within one card of winning the WSOP Main Event twice (1985, 2000) and has two other top-five finishes. In sole possession of fifth place for All Time WSOP gold bracelets and holds a record with 37 WSOP final table appearances. Played professional football in Canada and appeared in the Rose Bowl while playing at USC – Berkeley in 1959. Authored five poker books, including four co-author credits with acclaimed poker writer and player Tom McEvoy. The starting hand J-9 is called the TJ in honor of Cloutier because as legend tells it, he made three straight flushes with that hand in the course of one year.