TO EDGAR (Part II)

I have received both comments and private emails asking to release the other remarks of those who adored Edgar and are still around today,  over thirteen years after Edgar’s death.  Bear with me as I will have to do it in two or three sittings as there were so many responses to my request for tributes when Edgar died back in 1997.   They are not one-liners.   His friends, disciples, admirers, partners and teammates really poured their hearts out – some very touching – others quite humorous.   Edgar was a man for all seasons as you will continue to read REFLECTIONS … From Across the Miles

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

IN 1960 I HAD JUST LOST THE LIFE MASTER’S INDIVIDUAL BY 1/2 POINT.   EDGAR, SEEING ME DEPRESSED, TOLD ME HAD I WON THE TOURNAMENT, HE WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED PLAYING WITH ME FOR A FEE OF $5,000.   WITH HIS DRY WIT, I WASN’T SURE IF HE WAS SERIOUS.  BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BARGAIN FOR ME!!

I’LL MISS YOU OLD FRIEND AND TEAMMATE.  /S/ ARTHUR ROBINSON

BECAUSE OUR NAMES WERE SO SIMILAR I FREQUENTLY BASKED IN EDGAR’S REFLECTED GLORY.   I CAN’T COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES I WAS CONGRATULATED FOR BOOKS I DIDN’T WRITE, TOURNAMENTS I DIDN’T WIN, AND CLASSES I DIDN’T TEACH.  AT FIRST I USED TO SAY, ‘NO THAT’S NOT ME.   THAT’S EDGAR KAPLAN FROM NEW YORK’.  AFTER A WHILE I JUST NODDED AND THANKED EVERYONE, TELLING THEM NOTHING.   EDGAR WOULDN’T HAVE MINDED. 

THE ONLY GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS EXPERIENCES I EVER HAD WITH EDGAR WAS SITTING DOWN AT HIS TABLE WHEN HE WAS PLAYING WITH NORMAN.   THE GOOD NEWS WAS THAT THERE WERE TWO OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE, SO TRADING HELLOS, ETC. WAS ALWAYS FUN.  THE BAD NEWS WAS THAT GETTING A GOOD RESULT FROM THESE GUYS WAS LIKE PULLING TEETH.  SO LONG PAL.   YOU’LL BE MISSED.  /S/ EDDIE KANTAR

SADLY, TWO OF THE GIANTS OF THE GAME, EDGAR KAPLAN AND ALFRED SHEINWOLD,  HAVE BEEN LOST THIS YEAR.   DURING THEIR CAREERS THEY PROVED THAT NOT ONLY WERE THEY THE BEST AT WRITING, ANALYZING AND PLAYING THE GAME, THEY WERE MASTERS OF THE WAY BRIDGE PLAYERS SHOULD CONDUCT THEMSELVES AT THE TABLE AND AWAY FROM THE  TABLE.   I CHOSE MY HEROES WELL AND WILL MISS THEM SORELY.   /S/ JOHN SWANSON (Excerpt from an article published in the Southern California Bridge News)

WHILE ALFRED AND I WERE MARRIED FOR TWENTY-FOUR YEARS, UNFORTUNATELY,  I NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW  EDGAR AS WELL AS I WOULD HAVE LIKED.  HOWEVER, HE IMMEDIATELY WELCOMED ME INTO THE “FAMILY OF BRIDGE”  WITH WARMTH AND LOVE.  I’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM AS A VERY ERUDITE GENTLEMAN FULL OF LOVE AND HUMOR.  

ALFRED REVERED AND RESPECTED EDGAR.   THEY WOULD TALK AT LENGTH ABOUT MANY THINGS … MUSIC, LITERATURE AND OF COURSE, BRIDGE!  /S/ PAULA SHEINWOLD

THE BREADTH OF EDGAR’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GAME IS PHENOMENAL  AND UNPRECEDENTED.  AS A RESULT HE EARNED THE RESPECT AND ADMIRATION OF BRIDGE PLAYERS WORLDWIDE AND IN TURN ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS THE GUARDIAN OF THE INTEGRITY OF THE GAME.

AS A FRIEND HE WAS THOUGHTFUL AND COMPASSIONATE.   ONE OF HIS MOST ENDEARING TRAITS WAS HIS KNACK FOR MAKING EACH ONE OF US FEEL WE WERE SPECIAL.  THE WORLD OF BRIDGE HAS LOST AN IRREPLACEABLE LEADER.   WE HAVE LOST A GOOD FRIEND AND WILL MISS HIM GREATLY.   /S/CAROL  AND TOMMY SANDERS

EDGAR WAS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MOST CULTURED PERSON I HAD EVER ENCOUNTERED.  NOT ONLY IS CULTURE A QUALITY I HOLD IN GREAT ESTEEM, BUT I EQUALLY ADMIRED THE FACT THAT HE WAS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ENJOYED, ALL THE FINER THINGS IN LIFE.   I ALWAYS BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF WHEN HE  GAVE A ‘THUMBS UP’ TO A RESTAURANT I HAD SUGGESTED.   /S/ BETSEY WOLFF

AFTER LOSING TO EDGAR AND A YOUNG UPSTART NAMED KAY 20 STRAIGHT TIMES IN SOME 40 YEARS OF COMPETITION, I DO INDEED HAVE A PERSPECTIVE OF EDGAR.   HIS METICULOUS, SURGICAL-LIKE PLAY MADE LOSING TO HIM A CERTAINTY, BUT WHAT I BEST REMEMBERED ABOUT HIM WAS HIS STERN, GENTLEMANLY, BUT FRIENDLY DEMEANOR, WITH NEVER A BAD WORD TO PARTNER OR OPPONENT.  THIS, COMBINED WITH HIS WRY, DRY, WITTY SENSE OF HUMOR MADE LOSING TO HIM PALATABLE, AND ALMOST A PLEASURE.   /S/ RUSS ARNOLD

WHEN I BEGAN COOMPETITIVE BRIDGE IN THE MID-SIXTIES, I REGARDED EDGAR KAPLAN WITH AWE – AND 30 YEARS LATER, I STILL FELT THAT WAY.   EVERYONE KNOWS OF EDGAR’S FEATS AS A PLAYER, BIDDING THEORIST AND ADMINISTRATOR, BUT IT WAS AS A WRITER THAT HE WAS A MODEL AND AN INSPIRATION TO ME.   HIS ARTICLES WERE THE EPITOME OF TASTE.  HIS ANALYSIS WAS PURE, AND HIS PROSE WAS CONCISE WITHOUT BEING TRENCHANT, CAREFUL WITHOUT BEING PEDANTIC,  AND WITTY WITHOUT BEING UNKIND.

I ALWAYS REGARADED EDGAR NOT ONLY WITH ADMIRATION, BUT WITH GRATITUDE.  IN 1978 HE PUBLISHED MY FIRST ARTTICLE, AND BUT FOR THAT, I MIGHT HAVE GONE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. 

I WAS HONORED TO CALL EDGAR A FRIEND, AND I WILL MISS HIM.  /S/ FRANK STEWART

THE BRIDGE WORLD HAS LOST A GIANT.   I WAS A FRIEND OF EDGAR’S FOR FORTY YEARS.   HE WAS A GENTLE MAN AND HAD A MARVELOUS SENSE OF HUMOR.   I WILL MISS HIM.  /S/ MARY JANE FARELL

E = EVERY MAN’S FRIEND

D = DEDICATED TO FAIR PLAY

G =  GAME OF BRIDGE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE

A = ALWAYS THERE FOR ME

R = RALLIED TO HELP THOSE LESS FORTUNATE

 

K = KIND

A = ALWAYS WITH HIS DRY SENSE OF HUMOR

P = PLEASED BY HIS LOVE OF MUSIC

L = LOYALTY

A = ANGER NOT IN HIS VOCABULARY

N = NEVER COMPLAINED                

MY  PERSONAL LOSS IS DIFFICULT TO PUT IN WORDS.  I HAVE A HOLE IN MY HEART THAT CAN NEVER BE FILLED.   /S/ BILLY EISENBERG  

OUR  GAME HAS SUSTAINED A GREAT LOSS – A GIANT IS GONE .  EDGAR WAS MY FRIEND, CONFIDANT, AND MENTOR FOR OVER 25 YEARS.   ALL WHO WORKED WITH HIM TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY AND STRUCTURE OF BRIDGE WERE ENRICHED BY HIS LOVE AND RESPECT FOR OUR GAME.  THE CUFFLINKS HE ‘LENT’ ME YEARS AGO ARE TREASURED REMINDERS OF HIS VIGILANCE.   /S/ WILLIAM J. SCHODER (“KOJAK”)     

IN 1968  ON A VISIT TO NEW YORK CITY,  I (A YOUNG WOULD-BE LAWYER AND BRIDGE PLAYER) WAS ‘ADOPTED’ BY EDGAR AND BETTY WHEN I MET THEM WHILE STOPPING IN AT THE BRIDGE WORLD OFFICES ONE DAY.   THUS I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF CALLING EDGAR ‘FRIEND’ ALL OF MY ADUT LIFE.  ‘LOVE’ IS NOT TOO STRONG A WORD TO USE TO DESCRIBE MY FEELINGS TOWARD EDGAR, THE MAN I RESPECT MORE THAN ANY OTHER.   THE BRIDGE WORLD HAS LOST ITS GREATEST INTELLECT AND I HAVE LOST MY FRIEND AND HERO.    /S/ JOEY  SILVER

EDGAR  WAS REALLY MY IDOL IN BRIDGE FROM EARLY ON.   IN ADDITION TO TAKING UP KS AS MY  SYSTEM OF CHOICE, THE BRIDGE WORLD WAS VERY MUCH MY WINDOW BOTH TO BRIDGE AS IT WAS AND, THROUGH EDGAR’S WRITNG, TO  BRIDGE AS IT SHOULD BE.   ITS OFTEN DISILLUSIONING TO MEET ONE’S IDOLS, BUT IN THIS CASE EDGAR IN PERSON WAS PERHAPS EVEN BETTER THAN AT A DISTANCE.  IN ADDITION TO HIS FINE INTELLECT AND ETHICS, HE WAS ALSO A LOT OF FUN TO BE WITH.

EDGAR IS PROBABLY UP WTH CULBERTSON IN HIS INFLUENCE ON WHERE BRIDGE IS  TODAY.  I‘M SURE WE WILL NOT SEE HIS EQUAL AGAIN AND HOPE THAT THE REST OF US CAN HELP CARRY OUT HIS LEGACY BY SEEING THAT BRIDGE CONTINUES AS THE VIBRANT AND FAIR GAME OF EDGAR’S VISION.   /S/ CHIP MARTEL

EDGAR WAS UNIQUE.   HE SEEMED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE MOST ANY SUBJECT AND GIVE A FRANK, LEARNED, OBJECTIVE VIEW OF IT.

WHAT WERE HIS FINEST QUALIITIES?   WAS HE SUPERIOR AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, PLAYER, PARTNER, TEAMMATE, TOUGH OPPONENT, STRATEGIST,  CAPTAIN, WRITER, CREATOR, RULES EXPERT, EDITOR, APPEALS GURU OR TEACHER?   HE WAS, OF COURSE,  ALL OF THOSE, BUT HIS VALUE AS A HUMAN BEING, FRIEND, CONFIDANT AND FATHER FIGURE TRANSCENDED ALL.

I WILL MISS HIM AS I WOULD MISS THE DAILY SUNSHINE.    /S/ BOBBY WOLFF

The interesting sideline of merely retyping these wonderfully touching thoughts is that they become so spellbinding, I find myself reading and re-reading them and no doubt it enormously impedes my speed.   So, to avoid having to break my dinner date with the last quoter, I will bid you adieu and pick up the pace in a few days – with many more dear friends and admirers of Edgar’s to be heard from. 

Later!