Don Cooke was born in 1918 and took up the game of poker in his early days. In his book of memories he wrote of playing poker for books among his young friends. He notes that it was an odd combination but it does explain t wo of his biggest passions .... books and poker. He also mentions having a full size pool table in his bedroom that he somehow finagled from a speakeasy that had gone out of business. Don was no stronger to gambling or its trappings.

He continued to play poker at St. Joseph's Prep and St. Joseph's College where he graduated in 1940. He served in General Eisenhower's HQ in World War II as a weatherman and refined his poker skills during the war years in Europe and North Africa before returning in the summer of 1946.