Two-Time MLB World Series Champ Jose Canseco Fires the BIG Fifty at the WSOP
The World Series of Poker's BIG 50 event brought out players from far and wide, including a former baseball star who is trying his hand in another type of World Series. Most baseball fans know the legend that is Jose Canseco, the Cuban-American former outfielder and designated hitter who was part of two World Series-winning squads, the Oakland A's in 1989 and New York Yankees in 2000.
The six-time All-Star won Rookie of the Year honors in his first full MLB season in 1986 playing for the A's, and he won Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1988, the year he became the first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a single season. Canseco also won four Silver Slugger awards (1988, 1990, 1991, 1998) and was the first player to hit more than 30 home runs in a season on four different teams (Oakland, Texas, Toronto and Tampa Bay).
"I'm just an ex-athlete trying to get lucky and chip up."
What some may not know about the former big league power hitter is that he also likes to play cards, and he's been doing it for some time now as he recently shared with PokerNews' Sasha Salinger.
Staying Busy in Retirement
Like many other former athletes, Canseco has stayed active since retiring from the big leagues. In addition to obviously taking care of his body and working out, he does appearances like home run derbies as well as some acting. He also spends a lot of time with his Victoria Secret model daughter, Josie Canseco, who he joked thankfully for her sake takes after her mother. He also finds time to play cards, which he's done for 34 years.
Though he's played with some of the best, Canseco is humbled sitting at the WSOP, despite his physically dominating stature.
"Anyone can win this; just a little bit of luck and some skill, but always luck can beat skill."
"I'm not [intimidating at the table] because these players are way better than I am," said Canseco. "I'm just an ex-athlete trying to get lucky and chip up."
While he downplays his poker skills, he is acutely aware of one major difference between professional sports like baseball and poker.
"I tell everyone; get out here and play poker, anyone can win this; just a little bit of luck and some skill, but always luck can beat skill."
That's not so much the case in the MLB. Asked what baseball player is the best on the felt, Canseco credits former Cy Young pitcher Orel Hershiser, who he also called "one of the best pitchers I've ever faced and have ever seen."
While Canseco didn't make it to the money in the BIG 50, he shared that there's a chance we'll see him in other events, specifically the Main Event.
He also leaked a teaser: that he may be involved in a sequel of the very funny 30-minute "visual poem" that The Lonely Island recently released on Netflix entitled, 'The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience.' If you haven't seen it, you should probably check it out, and you can watch the PokerNews interview with the slugger below:
