RISING IN THE RANKS
JUNIOR MASTERS
Ronald Blue, Fort Wayne; Scott Fenton, Wolcottville; Becky Fenton, Wolcottville;
Marland Myers, New Haven; Franklin Olive, Fort Wayne; Rajalakshmy Sundara, Granger
CLUB MASTERS
Darrell Culley, Auburn; Sharon Massey, Portage; Gerry Wardzinski, South Bend
REGIONAL MASTER
John Mowry, Fremont
NABC MASTER
Laurence Dunford, Dyer
BRONZE LIFE MASTER
OVUNC YILMAZ, South Bend
GOLD LIFE MASTER
DON FERGUSON, Fort Wayne
While in college at age 19, I began playing bridge. I used a Sheinwold bidding summary as a help during play. It also contained the 4-3-2-1 Point Count Summary. During my first year of playing, I achieved possibly my first individual accomplishment. Now, 60 years later, I presented this perceived accomplishment as a challenge to my fellow duplicate players. It consisted of a hand where I had to reduce my seven-card spade suit to five cards, under my right-hand opponent’s 5-card spade suit, in order to make my 6-spade contract.
After my stint in the Army and graduating college, I got my first career job at age 26. I finally had time for a new activity following my hiatus from bridge. A co-worker suggested the Duplicate Bridge Club in Fort Wayne. Thus, I began playing bridge again. It was there, I met my favorite bridge partner, Rosie, who I married at age 35. One the first major events that she and I attend was an Indianapolis Regional and we played in the Saturday Open Pairs. We played well and came in 6 th overall. The following day, Sunday, while at home and reviewing our scores and results, I questioned several scores. For starters, was the score of zero for bidding and making 7 Diamonds. There were at least 4 other scores in question. Rosie called and spoke to Sid Kilshimer, the Tournament Director, and relayed our questioning the accuracy of our scores. Sid expressed doubt of any errors but promised to look into it. Within the hour, we received a return call from Director Kilshimer and were told that all five questionable scores had been reversed and indeed, were wrong. As a result, all scores were corrected; we went from 6 th to 2 nd and acquired all the Gold Points that we needed to make Life Master.
My wife and I had many successful team partnerships with Bob Swindell and Wilson Jarjour. We won 4 or 5 Sunday Regional Swiss Team events in Fort Wayne. After Wilson’s passing, our new teammate was Eleanoir Munson and we continued a winning partnership.
Bridge has provided numerous of hours of entertainment and mental challenges as well as lasting friendships!
GOLD LIFE MASTER
ROSE FERGUSON, Fort Wayne
It has been a long long journey! Who would have thought that back in the Fifties, when three of my high school friends literally forced me to learn Bridge because they needed a 4 th , that I would later become a Bridge addict. Initially, I did not like the game because I had many questions that my friends were unable to answer to my satisfaction. I resorted to taking some formal Bridge Lessons. That did it. I was hooked. I found a good partner. We entered our first Bridge tournament and won 1 st place in the “Under 20” event.
Through the encouragement and partnership of some better players in our local club, I advanced through the ranks. When approached by a fellow church member to teach Bridge to some of his neighbors, I jumped at the opportunity. Before long, I was asked to teach at our YWCA, IPFW, local Country Clubs and neighborhood clubs. At one time, I was teaching five classes per week. My motivation was to instill a love and appreciation of this game to as manypeople as possible.
With the help of my favorite partner who I eventually married, we together, achieved the rank of Life Master at a Regional Tournament in Indianapolis. Traveling to out-of-town tournaments became difficult because of our young daughter so we primarily played in local and area game which limited our ability to earn red and gold points.
After many years of playing as well as having great partners, our patience has paid off! We reach this new plateau, Gold Life Master! What a remarkable journey it has been and what wonderful friends we have met along the way.
SAPPHIRE LIFE MASTER
VIRGINIA STIPP, South Bend
The South Bend Bridge Club is proud to announce the latest achievement by one of our members, Gini Stipp. She just recently became a Sapphire Life Master, which means she has amassed 3500 masterpoints and will be honored next spring at the South Bend Bridge Club.Congratulations, Gini!
DIAMOND LIFE MASTER
LENA HOWARD, Elkhart
The South Bend Bridge club is proud to announce the latest achievement by one of our members, Lena Howard.She has earned 5000 points to become a Diamond Life Master.Lena works very hard to constantly improve her bridge by playing at the club and online.There are very few days that we don’t find her smiling face, a flower in her hair, with an eagerness to figure out this tough game.Sounds like she has conquered most of it!Well done, Lena.She will be honored next spring at the South Bend annual Recognition Lunch.
