The poker world is once again mourning the passing of one of its own. Yesterday, popular New Jersey poker professional Mike “Little Man” Sica passed away after being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. He was 69 years old.
Sica, who was one of the terrors of the East Coast poker scene for well over a decade after retiring from his teaching career, earned his first tournament cash in 2004 at the World Series of Poker’s Senior Event, finishing in 10th place. Later that same year, Sica would earn the goal of every poker player, winning a WSOP event, in taking down the $3000 No Limit Hold’em event for a $503,160 score. He could often be found on the tournament grind in Atlantic City, taking part in events across the array of hotels on the Boardwalk. Overall in his career, Sica had 134 total cashes for total lifetime earnings of $1,326,851 along with that WSOP bracelet.
His final tournament cash came at the WSOP Circuit event in Chester, PA, earlier this year, when he informed the poker world of his diagnosis. “I had come back from playing at the Borgata and had a pain in my neck,” Sica told WSOP.com at that time. “After the doctors ran some tests, they told me it was cancer.” He started chemotherapy treatments at that time and never seemed to be daunted by the challenge he was facing.
One of the trademarks of his appearance at the tables was the toothpicks he constantly was chewing on as a method to satisfy his urge to smoke. During that same interview with WSOP.com, he offered a bit of advice to the public. “Don’t start smoking,” Sica stated. “I started when I was sixteen and I remember a 93-year old neighbor who walked up to me while I was lighting up and said to me, “You better stop doing that.” Looking back, I wish I had listened to him.”
Reaction from the poker community was vociferous and honorable in citing Sica’s passage. “One of my first poker tournament memories was playing with Mike Sica in Atlantic City,” Andy Frankenberger commented over Twitter. “He lit up the table with his stories and signature toothpicks.” “I had the pleasure of playing against Mike Sica many times in the last several years,” Jason Mercier tweeted. “His personality alone was inspiring.”
“Saddened by Mike Sica’s passing,” wrote Shannon Shorr on Twitter. “(I) had pleasure of meeting “Little Man” right when I entered poker. He was always genuine and will be missed.” Matt Stout added, “Very sad to hear of Mike “Little Man” Sica’s passing. I often called him my ‘Poker Grandpa.’”
World Poker Tour champion Will Failla said, “The poker world will not be the same anymore. My dear friend Mike Sica passed on today. He will be remembered and missed.” Team PokerStars Pro Victor Ramdin added, “One of my saddest days in the poker world.”
One of his peers in the poker world, “Miami” John Cernuto, added over Twitter, “Mike Sica won a bracelet in No Limit and we’ve been poker buds ever since (Cernuto was at the final table for Sica’s bracelet win in 2004, finishing eighth). He was a good friend, always a positive person and loved tournaments.”
Noted journalist Nolan Dalla had perhaps the best epitaph in remembering Sica. “(He) may have been known as “Little Man” a nickname given for his smallish stature,” Dalla wrote. “But he was a giant of joy and one of the funnest and most decent people I’ve ever met in poker…He was full of smiles and good cheer, no matter what happened at the poker table. I hope he’s remembered for his positive attitude, because we need more of that and more people like him.”
