Over the course of the of illustrious 36-year history of the World Series of Poker, there have been an incalculable amount of absolutely thrilling and immortal moments. In fact, each passing decade has brought with it dozens of moments that deserve to be memorialized and reexamined by poker fanatics again and again. It's just that kind of tournament, folks.

Surely, one of these key moments occurred at the 1991 World Series of Poker. As you may recall, that was the year in which Brad Daugherty became the very first player in the history of the tournament to win a $1,000,000 prize when he took home the main event. It is at least arguable to say that no bracelet was ever more satisfying to slip on a person's wrist.

Brad Daugherty was born in 1951 in the "show-me" state of Missouri. From his humble beginnings, he learned the value of hard work and determination. He also learned that one must always keep one's eyes on the prize and never become too easily daunted when unexpected challenges appear along the path.

It was in 1969 that Brad Daugherty first began to play poker. He was still in high school at the time and certainly could never have imagined where the long and winding road of poker would ultimately lead him. He did not actively pursue the life of a professional gambler after graduating, but rather got a respectable job in the construction industry. Yet the tables kept calling his name without rest and by 1978 he had resettled in Reno, Nevada. It would take him all of nine long years to win his first tournament, during which all those early lessons he learned about patience and determination surely must have come in handy.

Obviously, Daugherty's life changed forever in 1991, when he walked away with that massive pile of chips. From that moment on, he was a serious poker celebrity, the type of person whose opinion about the game matters to a huge audience. He co-authored several highly popular books on strategy with his good buddy and sometimes competitor, Tom McEvoy.

In recent years, Brad Daugherty has slowed down a bit but can still be seen competing in some of the larger tournaments. He is now a full-time resident of Las Vegas, so he is never far from a broad range of high-stakes games of poker, should the mood strike him. And there is little question that his many fans will always turn out in large numbers whenever they get a chance to see their hero perform his special brand of magic at the poker table.