HATS OFF  to players who have reached bridge milestones!

NEW JUNIOR MASTERS

Rosemary Gaertner, Alton 

Terry Lynn Schuchman, Fairview Hgts

NEW CLUB MASTERS

Paulette Simpson, Harrisburg

Sandra Cooper, Edwardsville

Polly Ziegler, O’Fallon

NEW SECTIONAL MASTERS

Tim Bonner

NEW NABC MASTERS

Jane Bright, Paducah

NEW LIFE MASTERS

Janet Jones, Harrisburg

Donna Swick, Newton

NEW BRONZE LIFE MASTERS

Joyce Kirby, Glen Carbon

Donna Murphy, Worden 

NEW SILVER LIFE MASTERS

Douglas Snow, Paducah

CLUB SPOTLIGHT

This issue’s Spotlight is on the Harrisburg IL Monday Bridge Club, which is managed and directed by Janet Jones.

Harrisburg has a long history of duplicate bridge. Years ago, there was a large club held at the Gateway Inn, which was between Harrisburg and Eldorado. The Inn has long since closed and that club is no longer in existence. The duplicate boards were passed to Martha Capel, who was a bridge player from those bygone days. Martha would use the boards to give bridge lessons, so she taught many of the “newer players” in the area.

I was one of those people who took lessons from Martha and I fell in love with the game. For years, a group of us played party bridge using the Saline County Bridge Club boards. Although Martha was not a certified director, she did manage our game. I kept telling the group that when a National ACBL tournament was close, I was going to take the director class and test so that we could become sanctioned. In 2013, I went to St. Louis, took the director class and the test and that’s when our group became sanctioned.

We are a restricted club, since we only have three or four tables and playing is by invitation only. Because of that, we only get .8 of an earned point. Members of the group have come and gone, so we sometimes have to replace players. We only play bi-monthly, but it’s a fun way to play bridge. Although some members of the group were resistant to becoming sanctioned, all enjoy earning the points and I have noticed that everyone works on their game a little more. 
 

McCORD TROPHY STANDINGS 2019

The winner for the 2019 McCord Trophy 2019 is Richard Brummer, Effingham.  Below are the top 20 winners.  Congratulations to all of their hard work.

1.     Richard Brummer, Effingham

2.     Tommy Wynn, Paducah

3.     Maxine Wynn, Paducah

4.     Franklin Coleman, Paducah

5.     Ronald Brockman, Paducah

6.     Dennis Rose, Paducah

7.     Robert Cundall, Collinsville

8.     Joanne Vollmer, St. Libory

9.     Charles Keltner, Highland

10.  Linda Key, O’Fallon

11.  Dan Evers, Mt. Vernon

12.  Janet Brotherson, Paducah

13.  David Whitlock, Cunningham KY

14.  Margie Dyer, Mayfield

15.  Douglas Snow, Paducah

16.  Pamela Ames, Maryville

17.  Ronald Diehl, Effingham

18.  David Sein, Carlyle

19.  Julia Rambo, Paducah

20.  Doug McQuaid, Lebanon 

Membership Report

Since this is the beginning of a new year, I thought you all may enjoy our membership report for the 12-month period ending on 12/31/2019.

Current Active Members = 284
New Member Gains = 7
Member Losses = 29
Average Member Age = 71.87
Average Years of ACBL Membership = 20.58

2020 Tournament Calendar

Feb 22 – 23 -- Winter Swiss Sectional, Collinsville IL

Apr 3 –5 -- Effingham Pioneer Sectional, Effingham IL

May 4 – 10 -- District 8 Spring Sectional-at-Clubs at your local clubs

June 26 – 28 -- Edwardsville IL Sectional

Sep 4 –6 -- Irvin Cobb Sectional, Paducah KY

Sep 21 – 27 -- Crossroads Regional, Effingham IL

Oct 2 – 4 -- Caseyville Sectional, Caseyville IL

Oct 26 – Nov 1 -- District 8 Fall Sectional-at-Clubs at your local clubs