Category: 75thanniversary

The first week of October 1937, the American Bridge League merged with another leading bridge organization, the United States Bridge Association. Their merger saw the creation of a newly named organization – the American Contract Bridge League – whose 75th Anniversary we celebrate this year.

On June 9, 1937, the American Bridge League’s permanent secretary, Mr. William E. McKenney married the past president of the Women’s Auxiliary of the ABL, Mrs. Marguerite Hoffmeier. The marriage took place at Broadway Tabernacle Congregational Church. Many officers and directors of the ABL attended the wedding reception. Photo from The Bridge World

One of the first school bridge programs was documented in January 1937. Helen Berry Baker began teaching contract bridge to seventh through ninth grade students at Marina Junior High School in San Francisco CA. Over eighty students signed up to participate in her class. At the time, a San Francisco welfare worker gave her opinion
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Founded by Ely Culbertson in 1932 and named after the English club of the same name, Crockford’s was a popular bridge club located at 14 East 42nd Street in New York, NY.  Membership in Crockford’s was by election only, and a very high standard was maintained in determining membership. Only the most socially prominent of
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In the 1930s, National Championship tournaments were held twice a year, summer and winter. A spring tournament was added in 1958. Today, three NABCs (North American Bridge Championships) are held annually in the spring, summer and fall. Each 11-day tournament averages 10,000 tables of bridge play.

In 1931, the masterpoint award system was first introduced at the World Masters Individual Championship event. All new players today celebrate their first fraction of a point with enthusiasm. Could you imagine the American Contract Bridge League today without the masterpoint?

In 1931, contract bridge started booming thanks to one of its greatest promoters, Ely Culbertson. Culbertson and his partner, wife Josephine, were gaining popularity with their Culbertson bidding system.  This resulted in a systemic war with the leading authorities in bridge, one of whom was Sidney Lenz.  The Culbertson-Lenz bridge match became known as the
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September 1929, Kansas City, MO: Bridge makes headlines when Myrtle Bennett shoots and kills her husband, John, after he is unable to make a four spades contract. After the play of the hand goes horribly wrong, the alleged conversation between the husband and wife was as follows: “You overbid,” said John Bennett. “You’re a bum
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In the fall of 1929, the American Auction Bridge League held its first National Championship tournament. Auction bridge’s claim to fame was that it was the son of whist and the father of contract bridge. With the growing popularity of contract bridge, the League dropped the word “Auction” from their title and they became the
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In 1929, two of the first national contract trophies were placed into competition at the American Auction Bridge League’s annual tournament: The Cavendish Club Trophy for the open pairs event and the Vanderbilt Trophy for the knockout teams event.

Shortly after the meeting in Hanover in 1927, Ralph R. “Dick” Richards’ proposed organization “to sponsor, promote and develop the game of bridge” materialized in Chicago. The American Auction Bridge League was incorporated and Richards was elected its first president.

The year was 1927. . . The New York Yankees defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in four games straight to win the World Series. An unknown kid named Lindbergh stunned the world by flying from New York to Paris. Bobby Jones regained the National Amateur golf crown. U.S. Marines landed in Nicaragua. And in Hanover, New
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