According to Joan Gerard …
a twenty-six year long member of the illustrious Board of Directors, has made the following statement:
"The Peter Pender issue is a sad one but one that I think will be solved in what Peter would have considered ok given that there was a screw-up … at least his good friends Peter Rank and Jeff Polisner think we are doing ok .. Not perfect but ok.”
Such an outrageous, wimpy cover-up is beyond the wildest of imaginations. I knew Peter from Philadelphia since 1955. We (Norman Kay, my late husband, and Polly and Bobby Jordan) were very close friends of Peter when we lived back East). He adored the game and was a super player in his own right, getting even better as he got older. He moved to California and we stayed in touch and visited him while on a trip out there. The last time I saw him was in Memphis at a trials where he knew he was dying of AIDS and it was important to him he not be forgotten. He expressed that very thought to Bobby (and Becky Rogers) shortly before his death in 1990 and the naming of the vugraph after him was one of the considerations.
And what has the ACBL done with his separate bequests of $27,500 and $50,000? The first to the Juniors was ignored after the first two years when I bought it to Jay Baum’s attention last year and he did a lickety-split job and brought it up to date. The second grant to the ACBL (according to a letter I have from Jeff Polisner to the ACBL on his legal stationery, dated October 21. 1991 to Steven Signaigo, then managing director of the ACBL) states:
“Dear Steve
Enclosed is a check in the sum of $50,000.00 from the Estate of Peter A. Pender, dated October 18, 1991 payable to the ACBL Education Fund. “
Also from the minutes of the ACBL EF Board of Trustees Indianapolis, IN, November 23, 1991:
[Page Two] The Foundation has received a bequest of Peter Pender in the amount of $50,000; These funds are to be used to purchase VU-GRAPH equipment.”
There is no doubt Peter’s intention was to be remembered VIA THE VU-GRAPH and indeed was done so until 1998 when the Pendergraph flew into outer space never to be seen or heard from again.
UNLIKE JOAN, PETER AND JEFF’S FEELINGS ABOUT PETER, I DISAGREE THAT PETER WOULD HAVE PASSED OVER THE PENDERGRAPH SCREWUP LIGHTLY and it is a disgrace that the ACBL/EF are trying to wheedle their way out of this one.
ALL MONIES AFTER THE PENDERGRAPH CEASED (circa 1998) plus the $11,400 taken in 2004 and 2005 were sheer thievery and should be ADDED to the meager balance of about $10,700 which remains now.
THE FACT IS THE EF AND ACBL WERE SLOTHFUL AND NEGLIGENT AND LEFT NO ONE MINDING THE STORE. IT WAS MORE THAN A “SCREWUP”!!!!! AND, BY THE WAY, JOAN … FOR $50,000, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MANAGED “PERFECTLY,” – NOT MERELY O. K. PANDERING TO STEALING FROM A DEAD MAN IS A BIT MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT’S TIME THEY STOPPED TALKING ABOUT IT AND TOOK SOME DEFINITIVE ACTION AFTER I CALLED IT TO THEIR ATTTENTION A YEAR AGO. THE TIME HAS COME TO STOP PASSING THE BUCK AND HONOR PETER PENDER IN SOME LASTING EXCEPTIONAL MANNER TO MAKE AMENDS FOR THEIR FAILURE TO LET ALL THIS TIME LAPSE IN LETHARGY.
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HBJ : There are so many awards the ACBL could create to honour his name ……… in fact…… just one will do. Perhaps they should come up with the BUCK PASSING PENDER AWARD which one of their own is guaranteed to win !!
Others suggestions include SCREWING UP BIG TIME AWARD, STEALTHY HANDS AWARD and OSTRICH HEAD IN THE SAND AWARD.
The possibilities are endless. Hmmmm…they could be another HBJ blog in the making.
I congratulate you on your fight for justice.
Dear HBJ:
Nothing shy about you! It is not a laughing matter but your comment couldn’t help but bring a smile to my lips.
I have received private emails from friends and strangers who preferred to not get involved publicly — but in essence the messages were all basically tantamount to WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO GET THE LEAD OUT AND DO SOMETHING.
Closing their eyes, playing dumb, stalling and acting innocent is not going to get the job done as far as I am concerned. $50,000 is a lot of money (especially today) and it is time the ACBL GOT OFF THEIR FANNY AND STARTED MAKING REPARATIONS. It is 21 years since Peter died and thirteen years since his beloved Pendergraph has disappeared. THE TIME IS NOW. THE ACBL/EF SHOULD HANG THEIR HEADS IN SHAME AND MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO RESOLVE IT IMMEDIATELY.
One additional point that you might want to consider:
“Don’t let your mouth write a check that your butt can’t cash”
I certainly agree that the ACBL’s behavior in this matter has been disgraceful. With this said and done, I think that it was foolish to expect that you could rename the Vu-Graph. Once a standard gets adopted, it’s damn hard to displace. This holds especially true when most of the people who “consume” the Vugraph do so via electronic environments like Bridge Base Online and OKBridge.
From the sounds of things, the ACBL tried to promote the name “Pendergraph” for several years. It didn’t work. They gave up.
I agree 100% that the ACBL should have found some other way to use the remaining funds to promote Peter Pender’s memory. At the same time, its damn hard to read this screed without wondering whether these promises should have been made in the first place.
Dear Judy, yes….I too do not regard this as a laughing matter. The whole sorry episode almosts beggars belief.
However, wrongdoers need to be exposed….shamed, humiliated and lampooned in some way….if only to serve as a wake up call. Embarrassing the ACBL into action one way or the other has to be a good thing.
You have the knowledge and the voice….and perhaps a sphere of influence. I can only use your criticisms in a way I know best………..a touch of biting satire.
I only hope that my support gives you that bit of inspiration to fight on. HBJ
Richard:
I don’t believe all of your facts are entirely correct. The vugraph, according to ACBL, was renamed and referred to as the Pendergraph until 1998 (starting around 1992-3)(two-three years after Peter’s death). Why so long, I have no idea.
The reason for the renaming had nothing to do with it “catching on”. IT WAS known and accepted as THE PENDERGRAPH and referred to in the Daily Bulletin as such. However, as upgrades were being made and money being paid to experts to improve the science of it (as well as buying additional equipment) lots of money disappeared from the Peter Pender (originally $50,000) Fund. I have no complaint about the improvements being made, but once the name Pendergraph sank to obscurity, I proclaim Peter’s funds should have been off limits. If they wanted to retain the money, they should HAVE IMMEDIATELY come up with another way to honor his name.
Incidentally, I originally renamed it the Pendergaffe. I think I can go one better.
Why not refer to it as The Pendergraft????