Past History of the Reisinger

Many bridge players participate for the Reisinger Trophy, which is a six-session open team-of-four event scored by board-a-match with two qualifying sessions, two semifinal sessions and two final sessions. It was contested as a four-session championship until 1966.

It was known as the Chicago Trophy until 1965. The event began in 1929 as the North American Open Team Championship and the prize was the Chicago Trophy, donated by the Auction Bridge Club of Chicago.

In 1928, the open team competition was for the Harold S. Vanderbilt Cup. The Chicago Trophy was replaced in 1965 by the Reisinger Memorial Trophy, donated by the Greater New York Bridge Association in memory of Curt H. Reisinger. Mr. Reisinger, born in 1891 and died in 1964, of New York City, was a principal patron of contract bridge and the American Contract Bridge League in the early years of both. Mr. Reisinger was a great-grandson of Anheuser and a grandson of Busch, co-founders of the brewery from which he inherited great wealth. That wealth enabled him to become a stalwart financial supporter of the game, as well as a noted philanthropist on a far larger scale. In the years when it was often a struggle to meet the League's modest payroll, Mr. Reisinger was often called upon and never failed to help with a loan or an outright gift. His support made possible several early contract bridge tournaments, clubs and books. His accomplishments are not all listed here, because that would be an almost impossible feat.

Among the positions in which Mr. Reisinger served were director of the United States Bridge Association, president of the Greater New York Bridge Association and Chairman of the ACBL. In 1953, Mr. Reisinger was named ACBL Honorary Member.

Many well-known bridge players have competed for the Reisinger Trophy, and we would like to mention a few before we list the Winners of the Reisinger Trophy, and the Runner-Ups. We would like to point out several distinguished players and records.

In 1947, Sally Young, Jane Jaeger, Paula Ribner and Kay Rhodes tie with John Crawford, Ted Lightner, George Rapee and Samuel Stayman, and with another team consisting of Robert Appleyard, Simon Rossant, Morris Berlieant and M.A. Lightman. The four ladies were the first ever women's team to win the Reisinger Trophy.

No team has ever won the Reisinger Trophy three consecutive times except for the team of Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Bobby Wolff, Jeff Meckstroth, and Eric Rodwell in the three consecutive years of 1993, 1994, and 1995. The team of John Crawford, Charles Goren, Charles Solomon and Sally Young won the Reisinger consecutively in 1937 and 1938. The only other time this feat has been accomplished was in the year 2004 and year 2005 by the following team: Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Paul Soloway, Jeff Meckstroth, and Eric Rodwell.

In 1955, Mr. Oswald Jacoby won his first Reisinger Trohpy while playing with his son, Mr. James Jacoby, the first ever father and son team. Mr. Oswald Jacoby was also on the winning team in 1983 with Mr. Edgar Kaplan, Mr. Norman Kay, Mr. Richard Pavlicek and Mr. Bill Root.

Mr. John Crawford holds the record for winning the Reisinger Trophy, a number of ten times. His first win was in 1937, and then he won in 1938, 1939, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1953, 1954, 1956 and 1961, all with different teams. Helen Sobel and Sally Young share the record for winning the Reisinger Trophy four times. Helen Sobel became the last woman to win the Reisinger Trophy in 1957.

The teams do not always consist of members from one country. Sometimes the teams are multi-national. For example, in 1987 the winning team consisted of Zia Mahmood, a Muslim from Pakistani, Jaggy Shivdasani, a Hindu from India, Billy Cohen, a Jew from Canada, and Ron Smith, an African-American. Bridge is certainly a game, where religion and nationality are not the important elements at the table.

Another multi-national team won in 1989. Zia Mahmood from Pakistan, Sam Lev from Israel, Michael Rosenberg from USA, and Mark Molson from Canada.

The record margin of victory in the Reisinger, 10 full boards, was set in 1966 by Kaplan, Kay, Robert Jordan and Arthur Robinson.

Several of the ACBL presidents and members of the Board of Directors have won the Reisinger: Charles Solomon, Jeff Glick, Waldemar von Zedtwitz, Bobby Wolff, Lew Mathe, Peter Leventritt, John Gerber, Ira Corn, Don Oakie, and Edgar Kaplan.

 

1929		1. Max Cohen, Louis Haddad, Robert Halpin, Nils Webster
		2. Carlton Drake, James Kelly, Paul Parcells, Charles Rilling
1930		1. William Barrett, James Carpenter, Ely Culbertson, Johnny Rau
		2. Mary Clement, Dorothy Rice Sims, P. Hal Sims, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1931		1. Elizabeth Banfield, Winfield Liggett, Frances Newman, George Unger
		2. David Burnstine, Oswald Jacoby, Willard Karn, P. Hal Sims
1932		1. B. Jay Becker, S. Garton Churchill, George Reith, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
		2. Ely Culbertson, Michael Gottlieb, Oswald Jacoby, Theodore Lightner
1933		1. Charles Hall, Albert Steiner, Philip Steiner, Richard Wildberg
		2. B. Jay Becker, S. Garton Churchill, P. Hal Sims, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1934		1. Henry Dinkelspiel, Lewis Jaeger, Bernard Rabinowitz, Maurice Seile
		2. Theodore Lightner, Merwyn Maier, Jean Matthews, Sherman Stearns
1935		1. Roland Buck, Joseph Cain, Lawrence Welch, Edson Wood
		2. Ely Culbertson, Josephine Culbertson, Richard Frey, Albert Morehead
1936		1. Marge Anderson, Donald Farquharson, Mrs. J.A. Faulkner, Percy Sheardown
		2. Arthur Glatt, Laura Heiner, John Smith, Albert Weiss
1937		1. John Crawford, Charles Goren, Charles Solomon, Sally Young
		2. Oscar Brotman, William Perry, Alvin Roth, S. S. Vorzimer
1938		1. John Crawford, Charles Goren, Charles Solomon, Sally Young
		2. Mitch Barnes, Mary Clement, Benedict Jarmel, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1939		1. B. Jay Becker, John Crawford, Charles Goren, Charles Solomon, Sally Young
		2-4. Jay Cushing, Seymour Kaplan, Al Beibowitz, Edward Marcus
		2-4. Oswald Jacoby, Merwyn Maier, Robert McPherran, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
		2-4. Henry Auslander, Joseph Davis, Jacob Lindy, Catherine Samberg
1940		1. Henry Feinberg, Jeff Glick, Maury Glick, Louis Newman
		2. Alfred Dick, William Potts, James Sheern, Edward Thompson
1941		1. Peter Leventritt, Simon Rossant, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar
		2. Mitch Barnes, S. Garton Churchill, Lee Hazen, Charles Lochridge, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1942		1. B. Jay Becker, Charles Goren, Sidney Silodor, John Crawford
		2. S. Garton Churchill, Harry Fishbein, Lee Hazen, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1943		1. B. Jay Becker, Charles Goren, Sidney Silodor, Helen Sobel
		2. Samuel Katz, Bertram Lebhar, Peter Leventritt, Simon Rossant
1944		1. Lee Hazen, George Rapee, Samuel Stayman, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
		2. Ambrose Casner, Harold Jarkavy, Ralph Hirschbed, Harold Ogust, Jack Shore
1945		1. Lee Hazen, George Rapee, Samuel Stayman, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
		2. Ambrose Casner, Harold Harkavy, Ralph Hirschberg, Harold Ogust, Jack Shore
1946		1. Mitch Barnes, John Crawford, Alvin Roth, Edith Seligman
		2. Simon Becker, Stanley Fenkel, Fred Karpin, Louis Newman
1947		1-3. Paula Bacher, Jane Jaeger, Kay Rhodes, Sally Young
		1-3. John Crawford, Theodore Lightner, George Rapee, Samuel Stayman
		1-3. Robert Appleyard, Morris Berliant, M. A. Lightman, Simon Rossant
1948		1. George Boeckh, Bruce Elliott, Agnes Gordon, Charlotte Sidway
		2. John Crawford, George Rapee, Sidney Silodor, Samuel Stayman
1949		1. Lee Hazen, Larry Hirsch, Richard Kahn, Peter Leventritt, Jack Shore
		2-3. Sidney Aaronson, Emily Folline, Benjamin Johnson, Ludwig Kabakjian, Edward Marcus
		2-3. Jeff Glick, Arthur Goldsmith, Alvin Landy, Sol Mogal, Elmer Schwartz
1950		1. B. Jay Becker, Myron Field, Charles Goren, Sidney Silodor, Helen Sobel
		2.John Crawford, George Rapee, Edward Marcus, Howard Schenken, Samuel Stayman
1951		1. Corti Boland, Bruce Elliott, Micky Miller, Percy Sheardown
		2. B. Jay Becker, Charles Goren, Myron Field, Sidney Silodor, Helen Sobel
1952		1. Harold Harkavy, Edith Kemp, Alvin Roth, Tobias Stone
		2. Edward Cohen, Jeff Glick, Arthur Goldsmith, Elmer Schwartz
1953		1. B. Jay Becker, John Crawford, George Rapee, Samuel Stayman
		2. Harry Fishbein, Peter Leventritt, Ruth Sherman, Charles Solomon, Peggy Solomon
1954		1. B. Jay Becker, John Crawford, George Rapee, Sidney Silodor
		2. Israel Cohen, Paul Kibler, Alvin Roth, Billy Seamon
1955		1. Ben Fain, George Heath, Paul Hodge, James Jacoby, Oswald Jacoby
		2. William Lipton, Victor Mitchell, Miller Nelson, Joseph Ripstra
1956		1. B. Jay Becker, John Crawford, George Rapee, Sidney Silodor
		2. Ben Fain, Paul Hodge, Oswald Jacoby, Dick Sutton
1957		1. Charles Goren, Harold Ogust, Bill Root, Howard Schenken, Helen Sobel
		2. Robert Barrett, Ben Fain, Harry Fishbein, John Gerber, Paul Hodge
1958		1. Leonard Harmon, Ralph Hirschberg, Edgar Kaplan, Alfred Sheinwold, Ivar Stakgold
		2. Arthur Miller, John Moran, David Strasberg, Jay Wendt
1959		1. Lew Mathe, Don Oakie, Meyer Schleifer, Edward Taylor
		2. Harry Fishbein, John Gerber, Paul Hodge, Charles Solomon
1960		1. Ollie Adams, William Hann, Sidney Lazard, Lew Mathe
		2. Oswald Jacoby, Mervin Key, Bobby Nail, Curtis Smith
1961		1. John Crawford, Norman Kay, Alvin Roth, Sidney Silodor, Tobias Stone
		2-3. Charles Coon, Robert Jordan, Eric Murray, Arthur Robinson
		2-3. Harold Guiver, Carol Sanders, Tommy Sanders, Michael Shuman
1962		1-2. Paul Allinger, Harold Guiver, Lew Mathe, Ron Von der Porten, Erik Paulsen, Edward Taylor
		1-2. Bob Hamman, Eddie Kantar, Don Krauss, Marshall Miles, Billy Eisenberg
1963		1. Charles Goren, Peter Leventritt, Harold Ogust, Howard Schenken
		2. Donald Faskow, Bill Flannery, Herbert Sachs, Paul Swanson
1964		1. John Gerber, Paul Hodge, Mervin Key, Harold Rockaway
		2. Harold Harkavy, Edith Kemp, Cliff Russell, Curtis Smith, Bobby Wolff, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1965		1. Eddie Kantar, Michael S. Lawrence, Marshall Miles, Lew Stansby
		2. Michael Engel, Phil Feldsman, Richard Freeman, Ira Rubin
1966		1. Robert Jordan, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Arthur Robinson
		2-3. Gerald Bare, Harold Guiver, Lew Mathe, Mike McMahan, Erik Paulsen, Hugh Ross
		2-3. Bill Root, Alvin Roth, Bee Schenken, Howard Schenken
1967		1. Robert Jordan, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Arthur Robinson, Bill Root, Alvin Roth
		2. Steve Altman, Michael Becker, Charles Peres, Daniel Rotmann
1968		1. Kyle Larsen, Erik Paulsen, Peter Pender, Hugh Ross, Howard Schenken
		2. Billy Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman, Bob Hamman, Eddie Kantar, Sidney Lazard, George Rapee
1969		1. Philip Feldsman, William Grieve, Ira Rubin, Gerald Westheimer
		2. Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Sami Kehela, Sidney Lazard, Eric Murray, George Rapee
1970		1-2. Billy Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman, Bob Hamman, James Jacoby, Michael S. Lawrence, Bobby Wolff
		1-2. Grant Baze, Anthony Dionisi, William Grieve, Harlow Lewis, Peter Pender, George Rapee
1971		1. William Grieve, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Don Krauss, Lew Mathe, George Rapee
		2. Grant Baze, Anthony Dionisi, Harlow Lewis, Peter Pende
1972		1. Lou Bluhm, Steve Goldberg, Steven Parker, Steve Robinson
		2. William Grieve, Sami Kehela, Eric Murray, George Rapee
1973		1. Larry Cohen, Richard Katz, Bud Reinhold, Alan Sontag, Peter Weichsel
		2. Jack Blair, Byron Greenberg, Tommy Sanders, Paul Swanson
1974		1. Fred Hamilton, Erik Paulsen, Hugh Ross, Ira Rubin
		2. Stephen Goldstein, Marc Jacobus, J. Merrill, Steve Sion, John Solodar
1975		1. Fred Hamilton, Erik Paulsen, Hugh Ross, Ira Rubin
		2. Richard Doughty, Frank Hoadley, Jack LaNoue, Sidney Lazard
1976		1. Malcolm Brachman, Billy Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman, Eddie Kantar, Mike Passell, Paul Soloway
		2. Matt Granovetter, Robert Lipsitz, Steven Parker, Samuel Stayman
1977		1. Jimmy Cayne, Alan Greenberg, James Jacoby, Kyle Larsen, Michael S. Lawrence
		2. Matt Granovetter, Robert Lipsitz, Neil Silverman, Samuel Stayman
1978		1. Ira Corn, Fred Hamilton, Bob Hamman, Ira Rubin, Bobby Wolff
		2. Allan Graves, Gaylor Kasle, Mark Lair, George Mittelman, Barney O'Malia, Ron Smith
1979		1-2. Russ Arnold, Robert Levin, Jeff Meckstroth, Bud Reinhold, Eric Rodwell
		1-2. Ira Corn, Fred Hamilton, Bob Hamman, Ira Rubin, Bobby Wolff
1980		1. Ron Andersen, Malcolm Brachman, Bobby Goldman, Eddie Kantar, Michael S. Lawrence, Paul Soloway
		2-3. Mark Lair, Jeff Meckstroth, Mike Passell, Eric Rodwell, George Rosenkranz, Eddie Wold;
		2-3. Roy Fox, Ed Manfield, Paul Swanson, Kit Woolsey
1981		Chip Martel, Peter Pender, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby
		2-3. Roger Bates, Chuck Burger, Jimmy Cayne, Billy Eisenberg, Alan Greenberg;
		2-3. Evan Bailey, Andrew Campbell, Joel Hoersch, David Weiss
1982		1. Bill Root, Richard Pavlicek, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay
		2. Mark Molson, Eric Kokish, Paul Lewis, Robert Lebi, George Mittelman, Drew Cannell
1983		1. Oswald Jacoby, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Bill Root, Richard Pavlicek
		2-3. Ron Rubin, Mike Becker, Billy Eisenberg, Eddie Kantar, Michael S. Lawrence, Peter Weichsel
		2-3. Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Peter Pender, Hugh Ross
1984		1-4. Bill Root, Richard Pavlicek, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay
		1-4. Fred Stewart, Steve Weinstein, Allan Stauber, Mike Smolen
		1-4. Samuel Stayman, Richard Reisig, George Tornay, Saul Bronstein
		1-4. Jim Robison, Jon Wittes, Ross Grabel, Stelio Touchtidis
1985		1-2. Chip Martel, Peter Pender, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby
		1-2. George Rosenkranz, Eddie Wold, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Marty Bergen, Larry Cohen
1986		1. Steve Robinson, Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Peter Boyd, Peter Pender, Lew Stansby
		2. Bud Reinhold, Ron Andersen, Tommy Sanders, Paul Soloway, Bobby Goldman
1987		1. Zia Mahmood, Jaggy Shivdsani, Billy Cohen, Ron Smith
		2. Walter Johnson, Mark Cohen, Ralph Katz, Bill Pollack, David Berkowitz, Howard Weinstein
1988		1. Jimmy Cayne, Bob Hamman, Mike Passell, Mark Lair, Chuck Burger, Bobby Wolff
		2. Tom Fox, Dick Melson, Jim Hall, David Lehman
1989		1. Zia Mahmood, Michael Rosenberg, Sam Lev, Chris Compton, Mark Molson
		2. Jillian Blanchard, Bob Blanchard, Jon Greenspan, Kerri Shuman, Margie Gwozdzinsky, Glenn Eisenstein
1990		1. Richard Pavlicek, Bill Root, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Brian Glubok
		2. Malcolm Brachman, Mike Passell, Paul Soloway, Bobby Goldman, Mark Lair, Eddie Wold
1991		1. Cliff Russell, Sam Lev, Larry Cohen, David Berkowitz, Marty Bergen, Bjorn Fallenius
		2. Mike Cappelletti Jr., Mike Cappelletti, Lawrence Hicks, Rob Crawford
1992		1. Jimmy Cayne, Mike Passell, Mark Lair, Chuck Burger, Gabriel Chagas, Marcelo Branco
		2. Jim Mahaffey, Alan Sontag, Eddie Kantar, Ron Andersen, Tony Forrester
1993		1. Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Bobby Wolff, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell
		2. Jimmy Cayne, Chuck Burger, Mike Passell, Paul Soloway, Bobby Goldman, Mark Lair
1994		1. Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Bobby Wolff, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell
		2. Jimmy Cayne, Chuck Burger, Mike Passell, Paul Soloway, Bobby Goldman, Mark Lair
1995		1. Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Bobby Wolff, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell
		2. Peter Nagy, Bruce Ferguson, Howard Weinstein, Ralph Katz, Fred Stewart, Steve Weinstein
1996		1. Zia Mahmood, Michael Rosenberg, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby
		2. Jimmy Cayne, Chuck Burger, Mark Feldman, Michael Seamon, Alan Sontag, Mike Passell
1997		1. Bart Bramley, Howard Weinstein, Sidney Lazard, Steve Garner
		2. George Rosenkranz, Eddie Wold, Adam Zmudzinski, Marek Szymanowski, Marcin Lesniewski, Cezary Balick
		List of participating Teams: .pdf file format
1998		1. Rita Shugart, Andrew Robson, Geir Helgemo, Tony Forrester
		2. George Jacobs, Ralph Katz, Lorenzo Lauria, Alfredo Versace, Peter Weichsel, Alan Sontag
1999		1. Rita Shugart, Andrew Robson, Geir Helgemo, Tony Forrester
		2. Dano DeFalco, Giorgio Duboin, Guido Ferraro, Norberto Bocchi, Maria Teresa Lavazza (npc)
2000		1. George Jacobs, Alfredo Versace, Lorenzo Lauria, Ralph Katz, Norberto Bocchi, Giorgio Duboin
		2. Mike Cappeletti Jr., Gary Cohler, Richard Finberg, Mark Lair, Jerry Goldfein
		3. Billy Miller, Curtis Cheek, Roger Bates and Ron Smith, Lou Ann O'Rourke (captain)
2001		1. Roy Welland, Bjorn Fallenius, Howard Weinstein, Steve Garner, Brad Moss, Fred Gitelman
		2. George Jacobs, Ralph Katz, Alfredo Versace, Norberto Bocchi, Giorgio Duboin, Lorenzo Lauria
		3.Kyle Larsen, Peter Weichsel, Alan Sontag, Lew Stansby, Chip Martel, Rose Meltzer (npc)
2002		1. Mike Passell, Eric Greco, Geoff Hampson, Eddie Wold, Malcolm Brachman (npc)
		2. Bjorn Fallenius, Zia Mahmood, Michael Rosenberg, Adam Zmudzinski, Cezary Balicki, Roy Welland (captain)
		3. Ralph Katz, Alfredo Versace, Lorenzo Lauria, Norberto Bocchi, Giorgio Duboin, George Jacobs (npc)
		4. Peter Bertheau, James Rosenbloom, Christal Henner-Welland, Claudio Nunes, Fulvio Fantoni, Fredrik Nystrom
2003		1. Malcolm Brachman, Mike Passell, Eddie Wold, Eric Greco, Geoff Hampson
		2. Roy Welland, Bjorn Fallenius, Zia Mahmood, Michael Rosenberg, Cezary Balicki, Adam Zmudzinski
2004		1. Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Paul Soloway, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell
		2. Richard Schwartz, Massimo Lanzarotti, Andrea Buratti, Mike Becker, Larry N. Cohen, David Berkowitz
2005		1. Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Paul Soloway, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell
		2. George Jacobs, Alfredo Versace, Lorenzo Lauria, Ralph Katz, Zia Mahmood, Michael Rosenberg
2006		1. Gary Cohler, Joe Grue, Curtis Cheek, Jacek Pszczola
		2. Russ Ekeblad, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Fred Gitelman, Brad Moss
2007		1. James Cayne, Michael Seamon, Alfredo Versace, Lorenzo Lauria, Fulvio Fantoni, Claudio Nunes, Charlie Weed (npc)
		2. Aubrey Strul, Michael Becker, Larry Cohen, David Berkowitz, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby

 

 

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