Evansville Poker Player & Sports Legend Clint Keown Passes Away in Automobile Accident
Clinton Keown from Evansville, Indiana, passed away on September 22 in an automobile accident. A renowned athlete for both basketball and baseball, Keown was also a popular poker player in the community.
Keown, born February 25, 1980, had $171,271 in lifetime earnings according to the Hendon Mob, which included a career-high $36,480 for finishing ninth in the 2005 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit $10,000 Championship Event at Horseshoe Southern Indiana.
As word of Keown��s passing spread, several players offered their condolences on social media.
��The poker world lost one of the greatest genuine gamblers to ever bet on themselves to a fatal car accident,�� wrote Michael Laake. ��He was every bit of the next generation��s Huck Seed. Absolute master and legend of the game.��
Pej Premo shared: ��The second time I ever met him he was flicking yellow 1k chips against a wall with some old man, outside of the RIO smoking area by the main stairs. He said whoever gets closest to the wall picks up the other guy��s chip and puts it in their pocket. RIP��
Many people remember Keown��s ability to win various basketball-related bets.
��I remember playing in a cash game at the Kennel Club and he got someone to bet him 10k he would make 85/100 3pts,�� wrote Ryan Gianquitti. ��Me being a basketball guy myself wanted to see this first hand. So I went to the LA fitness where this was happening and sure enough, he picks up a shitty ball, not even a good one takes a few warm-up shots, and continues to hit like 90+ out of 100. Pretty wild.��
��He was not just a man defined by his unmatched athleticism but a soul revered for his deep love, unwavering loyalty, and the countless lives he touched beyond the arenas of sport."
Stephen Schweikarth reminisced: ��Dec 2008. First time in Vegas. Around midnight on my first night, I was on the rail watching Clinton Keown playing at the Bellagio poker room. A young Asian kid walked up and we started chatting. He said, ��See that guy in the Polo hat?�� I said yes, not telling him I knew Clint:). He proceeds to tell me that Clint took $10k of his buddy shooting 3s. Clint and I weren��t close. I tried to avoid any table he was playing at. He was always friendly and always a great conversationalist. The community of Evansville lost a LEGEND.��
An obituary for Keown read: ��He was not just a man defined by his unmatched athleticism but a soul revered for his deep love, unwavering loyalty, and the countless lives he touched beyond the arenas of sport. Clint was a legend in more ways than one��both on and off the field �� To those who knew him, Clint was not just the greatest athlete Evansville had ever seen��he was a kind, loyal, and generous man who cared deeply for those around him.��
��To his family, Clint was not just a competitor but a man who always put those he loved first. He was the devoted husband of Hannah and the proud father of Colby, with whom he shared an unbreakable bond. As a self-proclaimed ��Bonus Dad�� to Liam and Leighton Nolen, Clint brought his characteristic dedication and warmth, embracing them fully as his own. Family was everything to Clint. Whether it was a quiet evening at home or cheering from the sidelines, he was in constant communication with those he loved, ensuring they knew how much they meant to him.��
Visitation will be from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 1301 S. Green River Road, Evansville, IN 47715 where a sharing of memories begins at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue at Holy Rosary Catholic Church from 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 26, 2024 until 4:00 p.m. when a Mass of the Resurrection will begin with Fr. Bernie Etienne celebrating. Private burial will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.
