June 10th, 2013 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
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Rubber bridge, for the most part, has been supplanted in popularity by the boom of duplicates, sectionals, regionals and nationals. I remember the days of the Cavendish and Mayfair in New York where just about every bridge lover who passed through the city would routinely drop in to either or both of those celebrity-packed sites to see and play against some of the nation’s best. New York was no doubt the top hot spot for rubber bridge in the early days. Many known players, although active in tournament bridge, in the ‘off-weeks,’ were consumed with the excitement of vying for both the money and glory of victory. It was a wonderful social experience for me, getting to meet and know all of Norman’s friends in the early days of his career.
Rubber bridge was also popular in the Lone Star State – but the photo you see below was of a different nature. It was more of a ‘social’ bridge game. The money was secondary. Sadly (and I take full responsibility as I never came upon it until today) it was omitted when The Lone Wolff was published. Taken in the late seventies, It looks like any other bridge game set in the surroundings of someone’s office. It was not just ‘someone’s’ office. It was leased by Ira Corn, founder of The Dallas Aces.
The balding young man at the bottom of the picture is Bobby. On his left is Charlie Weed (instrumental in the team’s formation as well) with Ira as his partner on Bobby’s right. If you look closely (and you are old enough to recognize him), you will spot the ‘one and only’ George Burns. who (according to Bobby) had a terrific natural flair for the game – and bridge compliments are Bobby’s short suit. Take it from one who knows.
George had a deep rooted passion for the game and took advantage of it, playing as much as he could at his favorite Los Angeles suburban country club. Always seen with cigar in hand, it was difficult for him to abide by the No Smoking sign where he played, so they edited the restriction – and added “unless you are over 95!”
Another association with bridge playing stars occurred when the fleeting headliners were scheduled to appear in a road show that was passing through Dallas. Jean Carpenter (Ira’s Press Secretary) researched it and made it her job to learn if they had any ties to our game. A couple who visited the Sunday soirees were actress Meredith Baxter and comedienne Phyllis Diller. There were many others, but my memory fails me at the moment. Ira would host a delectable brunch followed by an informal fun-packed bridge game all afternoon. By the way, those celebrity encounters became the grist of many of the Aces on Bridge columns featuring real deals played or defended by Ira’s guests.
June 9th, 2013 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
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A very impressive victory by the Kranyak Team (left to right: Gavin Wolpert, John Kranyak, Kevin Bathurst, and Kevin Dwyer) after handily beating the Diamond, Nickell and Fleisher Teams, have earned them the distinctive honor of representing the United States in the Bermuda Bowl this September in Bali! I don’t know them personally (nor their ages) but they appear to be one of the youngest assemblages of bridge stars to capture such a title. It was an extremely popular win because of their exuberance, ethics and deportment. A third pair will be selected to round out the team.
The battle for USA II takes place today on BBO featuring Fleisher (Marty Fleisher, Mike Kamil, Zia Mahmood, Chip Martel, Michael Rosenberg and Chris Willenken) v. Nickell (Nick Nickell, Ralph Katz, Steve Weinstein, Bobby Levin, Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell). Zia and Chip, Michael and Chris, and Nick and Ralph are not longtime partnerships – while Fleisher/Kamil, Weinstein/Levin and of course Meckwell are seasoned pairs. It is anyone’s guess and guaranteed to be one helluva show.
The match will start today at 2:00 Orlando time. The teams will play two 15 board segments Sunday and four 15 board segments Monday (starting at 10:00). Thanks one more time to BBO for its brilliant innovation to bring these unbelievable qualifying events into the homes of thousands upon thousands of bridge lovers in every nook and cranny of the world.
June 8th, 2013 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
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If you look closely you can see the passengers about to board a Pan American World Airlines plane. It is obviously bound for an important bridge clash – but the destination and year are a mystery. However, I spotted some familiar faces. On the far left is a very young Alfie Sheinwold. Moving to the right, the fifth individual is easily recognizable as the handsome, debonair Johnny Crawford and after passing over the two gentlemen shaking hands is unquestionably Sidney Silodor. Neither Bobby nor I have a clue as to the others and hopefully one of you veterans out there can identify them for us. Help!!!!
June 8th, 2013 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
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Few in the bridge world actually know the backgrounds and the chance meeting and eventual marriage of these two individuals .. Peggy Mastbaum-Golder-Solomon and Charles J. Solomon (bridge luminaries with quite diverse histories) who found each other and happily spent the remainder of their adult lives together. This photo, unlike the other recent ones from my personal collection, was borrowed from a story I would like to share with you by an unknown author (interspersed with some of my own personal input):
Peggy Solomon was the daughter of movie magnate Jules E. Mastbaum, a Philadelphia philanthropist who donated the Rodin Museum, which was replicated in 1927 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. Her first husband, Colonel Benjamin M. Golder, was a member of the Pennsylvania State Legislature from 1916-1924 and was later elected to the U. S. House of Representatives (1924-1933). He passed away on the last day of his term as the 1946 ACBL President at the age of 52 and was named Honorary Member of the Year in 1947.
Peggy grew up in a bridge environment as both of her parents played. Because Ben was such an active individual, he was always on the go and encouraged Peggy to engulf herself in something to occupy her time. She wanted to join the Women’s Bridge Team at her country club shortly before World War II, but was disappointed that she could only make the Third Flight Team. She was determined to improve and decided to take lessons. Her first teacher was a Mrs. Evans, who was also teaching Nelson Eddy (of “Naughty Marietta” fame) who was then a Philadelphia resident. Peggy’s next teacher was a rising young star named Charles Goren who, at the time, only charged $5 a lesson. (You can’t even play in a duplicate for five bucks these days).
One day as Peggy was walking by the Cavendish Club in Philadelphia, she met Charlie Solomon (a confirmed bachelor at the time), who stopped and introduced himself to the Widow Golder. Following a few minutes of casual conversation, he invited her to play sometime. She was thrilled. After all, she was a novice and he was an established star. As a first-time partnership, they placed 36th out of 36 pairs. However, Peggy was undaunted and undeterred. Charlie Solomon then became her mentor in bridge and as the kibitzers predicted, they married in 1948. After a few years of practice and tutoring, she became one of the nation’s top-ranked female bridge players. Peggy was the third woman to earn the rank of Life Master (after Helen Sobel and Sally Young). She won nine and placed second in eleven North American Championships. In 1960, the Solomons were featured in a newspaper article headlined “The Solomons: Top Married Bridge Team.”
The title they earned brought to mind a funny offshoot I wanted to share with you. Back in San Antonio sometime in the late sixties, in the middle of the night the phone rang. Bobby (who was a World War II history buff) was awakened by a man’s booming voice, shouting excitedly, “We’re advancing on the Solomons!” – “We’re advancing on the Solomons!” The first thought that entered his sleepy mind was that our American Forces were moving toward the Solomon Islands in the Pacific. Suddenly he came to his senses and realized it was Ozzie Jacoby calling him from a distant tournament to share the good news: Ozzie and his wife, Mary Zita, were now the second place wedded couple in the ACBL Masterpoint Race – not far behind the likes of the Solomons!
Charlie died suddenly in 1975 (leaving all his country clubs up for grabs – a situation which I alluded to in an earlier blog). Peggy survived him by twenty years and will always be remembered as one of the loveliest ladies to ever grace the Philadelphia bridge scene. A grand dame – in every sense of the word!
June 7th, 2013 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
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You are looking at (left to right) … Charlie Goren, Helen Sobel, Sidney Silodor and a lesser known expert – Myron Field who captured this much heralded event sixty-two years ago. It is amazing the photo copied above is the original and shows little signs of wear and tear. Earlier this week I zeroed in on Charlie and Sidney but just came upon this picture which included their teammates.
Helen Sobel (Smith) has been long recognized as the best female player ever. Some might dispute that statement, but I am certainly in no position to do so. Helen rocketed from New York chorus girl .. to appear in The Marx Brothers’ Broadway Musical Comedy Animal Crackers .. and then abandoned ship to become a unique bridge legend. She was the frequent partner of Charlie Goren and they enjoyed many triumphs together. I recall (as a newlywed in the early sixties) sitting next to her in a Hospitality Suite at a National. When she charmingly introduced herself and asked my name, I was so bewildered – I had to think a minute before I could come up with an answer.
Myron Field, a New York stockbroker, was thirty nine at the time of this prestigious victory. He garnered three other National titles and represented the United States in 1956 in the Bermuda Bowl, joining Charles Goren, Lee Hazen, Richard Kahn, Charles Solomon and Sam Stayman.
June 6th, 2013 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
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The team celebrating above was one of the most honorable and respectable group of gentlemen with whom Norman had the honor of playing. Even their dress code was exemplary. From left to right (top row): Norman, Al Roth, Edgar Kaplan, Sami Kehela, Captain Julius Rosenblum. The bottom row features Eric Murray on the left and Bill Root on the right. I witnessed the bidding and play of thousands of boards and heard countless post mortems, but never saw a finger pointed or heard a cross word uttered**. A coterie of class personified … they were a breed apart.
**However, allow me to elaborate farther about my observation of their keeping tongues in cheek if they did not necessarily agree with a teammate’s bid or play. I do recall a particular incident (which I consider humorous rather than disrespectful). After Roth was sidelined one time (for perhaps being “off his game”), he defiantly blurted out to his captain: “They never benched BABE RUTH once when HE struck out.” Confidence was not one of Al’s short suits. From that day on, Bobby tells me he was known as “Babe Roth.”
NORMAN partnered Sidney Silodor until Silodor’s death in 1963. He then resumed playing with Edgar Kaplan (after a three year hiatus) which resulted in one of the most successful and longest-lasting partnerships in organized bridge. It spanned more than 40 years. Norman was arguably the greatest bridge player who never became a world champion. He was known for both the remarkable accuracy of his card play and for his even temperament at the table. Away from the pasteboards, he was widely respected as an exceptionally kind and humble gentleman.
AL was considered one of the greatest players of his day. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five card majors, negative doubles, forcing no trump and the unusual no trump. Roth was viewed as a fascinating theorist but "he was very tough to sit opposite—unless you were so thick-skinned that no insult was severe enough to hurt, or you were willing to make extreme sacrifices to get on a winning side” said the late Dickie Freeman (who earlier gained national prominence appearing on one of America’s favorite radio shows – ”The Quiz Kids”).
EDGAR was an incredible principal contributor to the game. His career spanned six decades and covered every aspect of bridge. He was a teacher, author, editor, administrator, champion player, theorist, expert vugraph commentator, coach/captain and authority on the laws of the game. He was the editor and publisher of The Bridge World magazine for more than 30 years (1967–1997). His partnership with Norman was one of the strongest and longest-lasting expert pairings ever. Edgar was stricken with cancer and passed away in September of 1997 at the age of seventy-two.
SAMI (sometimes spelled Sammy) was born in 1934 in Bagdad, lived in England and eventually became a Canadian citizen and presently resides in Toronto with his wife. He is a revered member of the Hall of Fame of both the American Contract Bridge League and of the Canadian Bridge Federation. He enjoyed much time while living in England at the knee of Terrence Reese, his mentor. Sami is a semi-retired journalist and teacher. He was the former Editor of the Ontario Kibitzer, bridge columnist for Toronto Life, a contributing editor to both the ACBL Bulletin and ACBL Bridge Encyclopedia and is recognized for his enjoyment of fine wine and films.
JULIUS, their team captain, was born in Memphis and migrated to New Orleans in 1935. His active life in the bridge arena included playing, captaining many international teams and of greater import — serving a major role in the continuing development of the World Bridge Federation — as Secretary-Treasurer in 1966 and as a voting member of the WBF Executive Committee, replacing Waldemar von Zedtwitz who retired. In 1968 he was elected to an unprecedented third term as President of the WBF and was elected to the WBF Committee of Honour (it’s highest distinction). He was also named 1970 ACBL Honorary Member of the year. Julius held the team together and was respected by all.
ERIC, a retired barrister by profession, enjoyed a successful and enduring partnership with Sami for over thirty years. Eric, too, was elected to both the American and Canadian Halls of Fame. As a partnership, Murray-Kehela represented their country in every one of the first six World Team Olympiads from Turin in 1960 to Valkenburg in 1980. Murray’s quips are known universally, but this one goes to the head of the list: During the 1975 Bermuda Bowl when two Italian players were caught passing information by tapping toes, Murray sent a telegram to the USA team saying he was available to play as an expert. And, he noted, “I wear a size 13 shoe.”
BILL was perhaps the best known bridge teacher in the world at one time – probably teaching the game to more people than anyone in history. A former resident of Boca Raton, Root at one time conducted classes in Florida and New York. After quitting his regular job, he began moving in elite bridge circles and played for some time with Alvin Roth. Root’s last partner was the young and extremely talented Richard Pavlicek. Bill met him on a trip to Florida and they formed a partnership lasting more than 20 years. “Richard is my all-time favorite partner,” said Root. After they won the Vanderbilt in 1995, Pavlicek said: “Bill may be 71, but you have to wait a long time for him to touch a wrong card.”
There you have it – the 1967 Bal Harbour United States Team.
(In the event, any of you have the time, check out a blog written by me on this site dated August 23, 2009 entitled “When Less Than the Best Represent US – Bridge has lost its Elegance”. It is four years later – and little has changed for the better).
June 5th, 2013 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
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All my childhood and adult life, I have been a movie buff. Sometimes I can’t remember what I had for breakfast yesterday, but I have been fortunate enough to have a fantastic recall for old movies, stars, co-stars, wedded Hollywood couples as well as divorced ones, songs from the flicks and so on. Perhaps that combination of failure and success run hand and hand with dementia or the beginning of Alzheimer’s (which on occasion surfaces at the table). Whatever!
Even before I became actively involved in bridge, I frequented the cinema and had certain undisputable favorites. One of them was Omar Sharif .. not so much for his good looks, but more so for his charming demeanor. I still savor many of his flicks – particularly Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, The Tamerind Seed and the light-hearted musical “Funny Girl” with Barbara Streisand. It is worthy of note that Omar received some flack back home, angering government officials, when he co-starred with the unmistakably Jewish Ms. Streisand. To add to my fascination, I later learned he was one of our bridge flock and was addicted by the same passion we all share. Some years afterwards I got wind of the Omar Sharif Tour and excitedly noted that Philadelphia was one of the stops on the roster of cities where the Circus would visit. Little did I envision what was about to happen.
As you remember, it was a three-cornered contest (The Dallas Aces, the Local City’s superstars and of course, Omar’s team) which consisted of several prominent European bridge celebrities, including the top players from the Italian Blue Team (Belladonna, Garozzo and Forquet). They would be arriving at The Drake Hotel for a several day stay (playing afternoon duplicates against the local players) and at night would have the three-way-match which the public would kibitz. Due to previous commitments, Bob Jordan (who was asked to oversee the Philadelphia appearance) realized he would be in Australia for a bridge outing but would return home just before the Circus came to town so he asked me (as Norman’s wife and his best friend) to make the arrangements and tend to the “little” details with the hotel, press, etc. Naively, I accepted – not knowing what was in store for me. I luckily had an unprecedented support group from equally fascinated bridge lovers and when Bob arrived home ready for the Circus’ arrival – we were good to go. In retrospect, if I knew all the responsibility I was undertaking when I accepted Bob’s request, I probably would have refused. But – as fate had it, the Circus was in town and we were ready! Due to the exuberant Philadelphia cast of hundreds, the rooms were flooded daily with duplicate players and nightly kibitzers. In all due modesty (but mainly because of my eager workers who physically threw themselves into the task heart and soul) – we drew more visitors than any city on the tour. You may wonder why all the background .. so I will put your suffering to an end.
Sunday evening, after the last session, Omar stood up before a wildly cheering house and was utterly overwhelmed by the reception the Circus received. He had learned that I was the substituted power behind the throne and, though it was fun, worked my butt off preparing for this momentous occasion which ended the seven or eight city-tour. Omar summoned me to the podium and before I knew it, the picture above was snapped. It was over forty years ago and the number forty rings a bell as it was just as many pounds that I had gained since then. Ah, to be young and thin again.
June 5th, 2013 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
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In the late eighties, Omar Sharif, an Egyptian by birth, was the focal point of the King Tut Exhibition which was held in downtown Dallas. The City converged upon the site and his bridge cronies joined the entourage. Dressed in their Sunday finery are (from left to right) … Jim Hooker, Bob Hamman, Jim Jacoby, Charlie Weed, (Omar in the middle), Dr. John Fisher and Bobby.
June 5th, 2013 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
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GOREN AND SILODOR
The person seated on the left is known universally as Mr. Bridge .. Charlie Goren. Leaning over him is Sidney Silodor (the first celebrated partner of my late husband) who discovered Norman while in his twenties There is no way to positively identify the year the picture was taken. An educated guess would be the early fifties.
I only knew Charlie casually (although he attended our wedding in Philadelphia in August of 1963 but it was rumored he had become a shell of his former robust self ). By the time I came upon the serious glitz and glitter of the bridge scene in 1960, his mind was starting to go downhill and the problem surfaced as the onset of dementia caused by pressure on the optic nerve. No one will ever replace him as it is unchallenged that Goren was the person who put bridge on the map. Who knows if any of us would be here today savoring the game and making countless friends the world over had it not been for his charm and mesmerizing talent for promoting our fascinating pastime (which in some cases resulted in very lucrative livelihoods as is witnessed by the professionalism that exists today).
The gentleman to the right was especially dear to me. Sidney Silodor, who was also a Philadelphian (though born in Bayonne, NJ), spotted Norman while he was playing with some prominent New Yorkers (Edgar Kaplan, Lenny Harmon, Ivar Stakgold, et al.) and it took some convincing (after having Norman travel to New York to be interviewed and "tested" by B. J. Becker) before he was welcomed aboard their team. It was initially disappointing that B. J. didn’t think Norman, though admittedly talented, was quite ready and not ‘seasoned’ enough for the big time at the moment — but six months later was overruled as Norman was successfully added to Sidney’s illustrious group and a year or so later got to represent the country with them in South America. I grew very close to Sidney and Bessie Silodor while I was dating Norman, but our friendship was too short lived as Sidney sadly died of cancer at 57 — exactly two weeks before our wedding. However, I shall always treasure my brief period of intimacy with the Silodors.
June 2nd, 2013 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
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Believe it or not, this was from a world championship in 1982 in Biarritz, France and the photograph was taken by an enthralled kibitzer – moi! Most of you will recognize the participants – top row was Norman Kay, B. J. Becker (who had just reached the tender age of 78 and passed away five years later) and Ronnie Rubin. Seated below are Michael Becker and Edgar Kaplan. Absent from the picture is their sixth — Michael Rosenberg. There is no accounting for the things one remembers. It was my first visit to France – and besides the daily excitement of the bridge competition, I indulged myself at a nearby blackjack table and together with the late Joan Gerard, visited and patronized a fantastic handbag boutique on a daily basis. You can’t take it with you!
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