BRIDGE MIGRATIONS …
When Bobby and I moved to Vegas from Dallas eight years ago, we were looking forward to enjoying our golden years amongst new friends as we knew very few people here .. excluding someone like Marc Jacobus who was able to recommend a realtor to us. Fortunately, it turned out to be our newfound friend Martha Beecher (who had been at the helm of countless enormously successful bridge happenings here in Sin City a few decades earlier).
We have enjoyed the warmth of our many new acquaintances, especially at our local duplicate bridge gathering site on Flamingo Road — The Las Vegas Bridge World. One day we awakened to the realization that a huge flock of our longtime fellow bridge lovers had also descended upon Vegas and now call it home. What caused me to reflect upon this subject was while my friends and I were having our weekly Monday noontime tete-a-tete at a nearby Panera Bread location, I looked up and gave a double take as I spotted a familiar bridge face which I had not seen in a while since we stopped frequenting NABCs some years back. I am embarrassed by my own admission that though I recognized him immediately — his name was on the tip of my tongue but my mind went blank. When I passed his table to say hello, I learned that Roger Bates had moved here in March. My experience only proves that remembering cards and conventions are not the only faculties of the mind that are affected when you approach senility. It takes its toll on associating names and faces as well — but it had a happy ending as we had a chance to chat.
What you are about to read was inspired by seeing Roger. As Bobby and I were having dinner last night at The Suncoast, I told him about my lunchtime reunion. It led us down a path — struggling to name all the well known Las Vegan bridge refugees (both newbies and veterans) who consider our city their homestead. Their identities are well known in national bridge circles for their contributions to the game in one way or another. With apologies in advance for any oversights, here goes ………. Karen Allison, Jack Blair, Drew and Teri Casen, Curtis Cheek, Joshua Dunn, Keith and Florine (Atkins) Garber, Fred Gitelman and his wife Sheri Weinstock, Joe Grue, Barbara Hamman, Geoff Hampson, Fred Hamilton (now living in CA), Mary Hardy, Proctor Hawkins, Paul Ivaska, Marc and Brenda Jacobus, Marinessa Letizia, Bobby and Jill Levin, Billy Miller, Mike and Nancy Passell, Carol Pincus, Becky Rogers, Ron Rubin, Nancy Schwantes, Ron Smith, JoAnn and Danny Sprung, Ron von der Porten and Sue and Jerry Weinstein. An impressive list, I must say!
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It will be harder and more expensive to get to Las Vegas. We just moved to a Del Webb community near Hilton Head SC.
On my last trip I went to see a magician. During the show he changed a 110 lb woman into a 700 lb tiger and back. After the show I remarked that’s nothing. I used to have a girlfriend who could look at me and smile. When she smiled I turned into a 40 room motel.
I also played at a club game with a frequently complaining partner. He did not like my bidding. Finally I said the partnership might do better if the player without the 2 world wide bidding wins would ask the one who did win what his bid meant. He never asked me, but I did get my other goal accomplished – he was quiet the second half of the session.
Hi Bill,
EVERTHING is ‘harder and more expensive to get to’ … not just Vegas. However, there are always airline and hotel deals (and food coupons which incessantly seem to clutter my computer .. but that is not all bad)!! The economy sucks; however, if you do your homework, you will find your way.
Alluding to your magic reference, I too have been fascinated by those shows that featured magicians and illusionists like Siegfried and Roy which did not have such a happy ending … going the way of all flesh. As far as other forms of entertainment — ‘comps’ are plentiful.
Vegas has offered countless lures for decades (starting in my youth with then-new and exciting ‘gambling junkets’). In addition to being the glamor capitol of this hemisphere, I suspect that another attraction (especially to bridge players) is that most have a competitive gambling bent. Also, they have conveniently located bridge clubs, terrific Sectionals and Regionals held at prominent casinos – replete with big names from all over (including a host of visiting pros and sponsors).
On the flip side of the coin for those who are not card lovers, dozens of well known entertainers’ names highlight the marquees up and down the Strip (and even the suburbs)!
What’s not to like???
In any event, the upper strata of the bridge world is well represented here!!