70% + GAMES

Judy Nelsen, Fort Wayne and Gary Chaney, Sherwood, OH — 70.50%  February 15

Charlene Millard, Gary and Edgar Lucas, Gary (49er game) — 70.00%  February 25

Michael and Mary Lou Clegg, Fort Wayne — 72.32%  February 25

Lou Nimnicht, Crown Point and Barbara Graegin, Dyer — 73.51%  March 3

Joe Chin, Highland and Al Simmons, Chicago — 70.83%  March 12

Manuel Silverman, Fort Wayne and Judy Nelsen, Fort Wayne — 74.09%  March 27

Elaine Delaney, South Bend and Frank Yoder, Goshen — 73.50%  March 27

Marian and Dennis David, South Bend — 70.31%  March 28

Richard Rhoad, Westerville OH and Gary Chaney, Sherwood OH — 71.06%  March 28

RISING IN THE RANKINGS

Junior Master: Beverly Peters, Fort Wayne; Ruth Swint, Fort Wayne; Karyl Amstutz. Hamilton; Kathy Bear, Fort Wayne; Phyllis Brooks, Michigan City; Rebecca Fastero, South Bend; Geri Maenhout, Mishawaka; Sandra Trass, Gary

Club Master: Madge Kollar, Chesterton; Jill Ross, Granger; Charles Spiher, South Bend; Donna Beach, Valparaiso; Loren Jackemeyer, Fremont; Mark Lee, Fort Wayne

Sectional Master: Ivye Benson, Michigan City; Judi Bishop, Marion; Alan Geller, Munster; Arnold Kiefer, Fort Wayne; Sharon Kolski, Elkhart; Barbara Nelson, South Bend

Regional Master: Charlotte Abernethy, Griffith; Barbara Adams, Auburn; Indra Gupta, Munster; Robert Hannah, Fort Wayne; Bonnie Merriman, Fort Wayne

Bronze Life Master: Jack Meyers, Fort Wayne

Gold Life Master: Donna Simon, South Bend

IN MEMORIAM

The bridge world lost a star on March 5 when Michael Slaven passed away.

Born on May 9, 1937, Mike spent his early years in Detroit, but the majority of his life was in Chicago. His career was as a manufacturing representative in the swimming pool business. Mike, already a life master, met his wife Lou Ann in 1972 at a bridge tournament in De Kalb IL.

He was pursuing a dream of being a grand life master — 9455 points and a national championship win had put him within close reach of this milestone. Another highlight of his bridge career included walking Mary Warden down the aisle when she married Phil Warden of Madison WI at a bridge tournament. Lou Ann and Mike were very involved with the running of CCBA, and she recalls one time when he hit her in the mouth with the microphone (accidentally, of course).

Mike's good friend, Jimmy Cordas, wrote the following letter, which we would like to share with you:

Hi Mike,

No one wonders how you are getting this letter. You are at the ultimate wireless place. I would prefer the more conventional method of sending it, but, as you recall, you weren't the most adept with computers. Good thing Marina was around to help. . .

Anyway I am sorry, truly sorry, that we didn't have more time to reminisce. Remember when you walked into the South Bend Bridge Club and we saw each other. Don't tell anybody, but Suzanne (Watson) and I felt like two exiles, or refugees, meeting on strange soil. We were both glad you were there.

We go back a long way — you and I. We met at the Cavendish Club, 22 W. Madison in Chicago, 6th floor, at least 30 years ago. I remember because it was the same floor that Patricia Stevens' Modeling Agency was located. I am sure you remember how we lingered by the elevators to watch the girls. . .

We talked about it not so long ago. . . it was one Friday night at the Cavendish when a big guy walked in with a gun in his hand and dark glasses. He made us all lie down — you remember that. He asked us to empty our pockets and put the money on the tables, then took all the money from the drawer and left. The next day we had to spend a couple of hours with a police artist sketching his face.

I remember when one of the players took you for 1100 on a hand and, later in the coffee room, asked you for a loan of $200. You gave it to him (he was a bridge teacher of sorts), and I recall that you did that more than once. Your home was the Slaven Inn where everybody and anybody could sack out, feast, and swim in the pool (even without clothes, poor people).

We even did some business together. It was when I was engaged in international trade and helped broker a deal for some Christmas lights from Taiwan. I was amazed at the amount of knowledge you had about details of world trade.

All of the bridge players in Chicago owe you and Lou Ann a big debt — at least, of gratitude. When you took over the effective directorship of the CCBA, it was a sclerotic, old organization and you gave it life. I still remember the parties in the hospitality suites during the tourneys.

One incident I won't forget is when this older man jokingly dropped a card on the floor and proceeded to bid 7NT and laughingly announced he only had 12 cards. Some stickler at the game had seen the card on the floor and demanded that the guy play the hand. You prevailed, knowing full well the man was joking.

I am keeping you on my list of friends on OK Bridge. Maybe I'll find a robot, but they don't exhibit the human hand-hoggishness you sometimes showed. Rather, it was courage.

Rest in peace my friend. You are missed, and you'll continue to be missed for a long time until we join you (unless we take the wrong turn at the fork of the road). I've been informed that where you are there are no deadlines or schedules because time is irrelevant. And even if the finesses don't work all the time, it won't bother you — you always liked the thrill of guessing stiff kings.

Good-bye dear friend.

ENJOYING BRIDGE AT 101

Charlie Cairns recently achieved the rank of Junior Master (5-20 mp). Charlie is special for several reasons, and one of them is because he is the oldest player in the Fort Wayne Bridge Club. Last August he celebrated his 101st birthday with us.

After graduating from high school Charlie did many things, including, but not limited to — serving in the US Army in World War II, assembling motors at International Harvester Co. in Fort Wayne, operating machines at Dudlow Manufacturing until the depression caused Dudlow to move to New York, harvesting sugar beets for $100/month, diagnosing machine malfunctions at a mine, building fish traps at a salmon cannery in Alaska, and labeling salmon on the docks in Seattle, WA. He also was a gandy dancer (maintaining railroad tracks manually), as well as a longshoreman (loading and unloading ships).

Charlie led an active life walking 5 miles every day and was an avid downhill skier. He played golf until he couldn’t see the ball anymore. He remembers playing basketball and being the high scorer in one game with the only point his team got.

Charlie started playing bridge when he was 80 years old. He went to the Senior Center in Seattle and learned to play. He had a difficult time getting partners because they didn't think he was good enough to play with them, but Charlie stuck with it and learned to play.

Charlie moved to Fort Wayne in August 2010 just before his 100th birthday to live with his sister, and that began his ACBL duplicate bridge career. He has vision problems and can't even see the big E on the eye chart, but he finds a way to see the cards most of the time. When he has trouble seeing them, we try to help him. His knees have given out, and hearing is difficult for him. But, no matter what, he is always good natured. We’re hoping to see the day when Charlie will become a Life Master.

Charlie was never married. Some at the bridge club think this added to his long life. He lives for bridge — there’s nothing he would rather do.

SPECIAL DAYS

February 20 marked the 90th birthday of Mary Haugseth (center in photo at left). South Bend President Joan Aldrich (left) and Club Manager Tricia Killeen (right) presented Mary with a bouquet of flowers, a cake and best wishes from all the club members.

Cathy Mason (left in photo at right), the oldest player in the Calumet Township Bridge Club, was 93 years old on March 24th. Barbara Stroud brought a beautiful cake to commemorate the occasion. The players signed a special card to express their congratulations and to wish her many more happy birthdays. Cathy is an inspiration to us all!
 
 $6000 DONATION

On behalf of Unit 154 a $6000 ACBL Charity check was presented to the Fort Wayne Community Harvest Food Bank. Gifts last year helped the food bank to distribute over 10,643,000 pounds of nutritious food to people in need throughout northeast Indiana.

In the photo are Richard Ellis, Secretary/Treasurer for Unit 154; Rebecca Aurand, Development Department Manager of Community Harvest Food Bank; and Michael Clegg, Unit 154 Area Representative from Fort Wayne.
 

 WINNERS  --  2011 UNIT 154 RACES

BARRY CRANE TOP 100  --  Unit 154 for 2011

      (Total masterpoints earned in 2011)