"Cowboy" Kenna James
"Cowboy" Kenna James was born on December 18, 1963 in Chicago, Illinois. Kenna James was actually born Kenna Grob. He changed his name, taking his father's middle name James, because too many people mispronounced Grob, it's pronounced Grobe.
Kenna picked up the nickname "Cowboy" when a woman in the audience at the $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event during the 2004 Plaza Ultimate Poker Challenge kept yelling "Go Cowboy!" and "Ride 'em Cowboy!".
Kenna won $588,210 when he finished in 2nd place at the World Poker Tour Legends of Poker $5,000 No Limit hold 'em tournament in August 2005. Kenna took home his biggest payday in March 2006 in the fifth annual PartyPoker Million Cruise when he finished 2nd and won $700,000. He also won $242,251 in February 2006 playing no limit hold 'em at the LA Poker Classic when he won.
Kenna's only final table appearance at World Series of Poker events was a 4th place finish in the 2003 $2,500 no limit Texas hold'em event, taking the $36,140 prize.
Cowboy Kenna James has said about poker, "I want to contribute to its growing success and popularity in the years to come, making it more respectable and an accepted sport of the mind."
Kenna James donates 1% of all his tournament winnings to the Wounded Warrior Project in the name of the Screaming Eagle Poker League. In 2006 Kenna hosted a charity poker tournament that raised $70,000 for the organization.
For the first season of the Ultimate Poker Challenge Kenna James was the only player to win two satellite tournaments. Jennifer Harman eliminated him from the semi-finals.
Fun Facts:
- Had a scholarship to the Michigan School of the Arts in Jackson.
- Acted in independent films and a soap opera.
- Commentated on the Game Show Network's "Poker Royale".
- Appeared on the internet broadcast "Live at the Bike".
- Married to poker pro Marsha Waggoner.
- Helped run Russia's first poker tournament.