Vanderbilt Trophy

The Vanderbilt Knockout Teams national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC).

The Vanderbilt is a knock-out team event. The event typically last 7 days with each day being a round consisting of two sessions of 32 boards. The event is open and seeded.

History

The premier event of the Spring North American Championships is the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams. The history of the prestigious contest stretches back to 1928 when the man who invented contract bridge, Harold S. Vanderbilt, put the trophy bearing his name into play. The winners list is a who’s who of bridge, a parade of the titans of the game.

The Vanderbilt Trophy for the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams was donated in 1928 by Harold S. Vanderbilt, who won the event in 1932 and 1940.

The Vanderbilt was contested annually in New York --- as a separate championship --- until 1958 when it became part of the Spring North American Championships.

Vanderbilt winners receive replicas of the trophy --- a practice initiated by Vanderbilt from the first running of the event and perpetuated by a $100,000 trust fund administered by ACBL under the terms of Vanderbilt’s will.

On display at ACBL Headquarters in Memphis are replicas donated by the families of Caroline Taylor, who won the Vanderbilt in 1928, and Helen Sobel Smith, a Vanderbilt winner in 1944 and 1945.

Winners

Winners of Vanderbilt Trophy

Year	Winners	Runners-Up
1928	1-2. Ralph Richards, Gratz Scott, Edwin Wetzlar, Wilbur Whitehead; 1-2. Abraham Brown, Mrs. Sidney Lovell, Caroline Taylor, Nils Wester
1929	Michael Gottlieb, Lee Langdon, Jean Mattheys, Harry Raffel	Ralph Leibenderfer, Gratz Scott, Edwin Wetzlar, Wilbur Whitehead
1930	Ely Culbertson, Josephine Culbertson, Theodore Lightner, Waldemar von Zedtwitz	2-3. Winfield Liggett, Walter Malowan, George Reith, Howard Schenken; 2-3. Huber Boscowitz, Oswald Jacoby, Willard Karn, P. Hal Sims
1931	David Burnstine, Oswald Jacoby, Willard Karn, P. Hal Sims	Walter Malowan, Jean Mattheys, Howard Schenken, Sherman Stearns
1932	Willard Karn, P. Hal Sims, Harold S. Vanderbilt, Waldemar von Zedtwitz	David Burnstine, Richard Frey, Charles Lochridge, Howard Schenken
1933	Phil Abramsohn, Benjamin Feuer, Francis Rendon, Sydney Rusinow	Mitch Barnes, Richard Frey, Sam Fry Jr., Louis H. Watson
1934	David Burnstine, Richard Frey, Michael Gottlieb, Oswald Jacoby, Howard Schenken	Huber Boscowitz, Charles Goren, Charles Lochridge, Johnny Rau
1935	David Burnstine, Michael Gottlieb, Oswald Jacoby, Howard Schenken, Sherman Stearns	Sam Fry Jr., Edward Hymes Jr., Merwyn Maier, Louis H. Watson
1936	Phil Abramsohn, Irving Epstein, Harry Fishbein, Fred Kaplan	Walter Beinicke, Charles Goren, Lee Langdon, Jean Mattheys
1937	David Burnstine, Oswald Jacoby, Merwyn Maier, Howard Schenken, Sherman Stearns	B. Jay Becker, Theodore Lightner, Charles Lochridge, Harold S. Vanderbilt, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1938	David Burnstine, Oswald Jacoby, Merwyn Maier, Howard Schenken, Sherman Stearns	B. Jay Becker, Edward Hymes Jr., Theodore Lightner, Charles Lochridge, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1939	Melville Alexander, Sigmund Dornbusch, Syl Gintell, Lee Hazen, Harry Raffel	Wingate Bixby, Theodore Lightner, Robert McPherran, Mrs. S. W. Peck
1940	Edward Hymes Jr., Charles Lochridge, Robert McPherran, Harold S. Vanderbilt, Waldemar von Zedtwitz	Al Brodsky, Louis Lipschitz, Herbert Rosenzweig, Alexander Schultz
1941	John Crawford, Myron Fuchs, Robert McPherran, Sherman Stearns	B. Jay Becker, Oswald Jacoby, Theodore Lightner, Merwyn Maier, Howard Schenken
1942	Lester Bachner, Sigmund Dornbusch, Richard Frey, Lee Hazen, Sam Stayman	Sam Fry Jr., Benedict Jarmel, George Rapee, Helen Sobel
1943	Harry Fagin, Harry Fishbein, Fred Kaplan, Alvin Roth, Tobias Stone	Phil Abramsohn, Morrie Elis, E. O. Keller, Charles Van Vleck, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1944	B. Jay Becker, Charles Goren, Sidney Silodor, Helen Sobel	Richard Frey, Lee Hazen, Charles Lochridge, George Rapee, Sam Stayman
1945	B. Jay Becker, Charles Goren, Sidney Silodor, Helen Sobel	Edward Hymes Jr., Theodore Lightner, Howard Schenken, Sam Stayman, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1946	John Crawford, Oswald Jacoby, George Rapee, Howard Schenken, Sam Stayman	Samuel Katz, Bertram Lebhar Jr., Peter Leventritt, Simon Rossant, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1947	David Clarren, Harry Feinberg, Harry Fishbein, Larry Hirsch, Joseph Low	Lee Hazen, Samuel Katz, Bertram Lebhar Jr., Peter Leventritt
1948	Robert Appleyard, Jay T. Feigus, William Lichtenstein, Harry Sonnenblick, Albert Weiss	Ambrose Casner, Herman Goldberg, Fred Hirsch, Mrs. Ira Strasser, Albert Wolfe
1949	Morrie Elis, Harry Fishbein, Lee Hazen, Larry Hirsch, Charles Lochridge	B. Jay Becker, Myron Field, Charles Goren, Oswald Jacoby, Helen Sobel
1950	John Crawford, George Rapee, Howard Schenken, Sidney Silodor, Sam Stayman	B. Jay Becker, Myron Field, Charles Goren, Helen Sobel
1951	B. Jay Becker, John Crawford, George Rapee, Sam Stayman	Barry Cohen, Jack Hancock, Emanuel Hochfeld, Gloria Turner, Hortense Evans
1952	Ned Drucker, Irvin Kass, Sidney Mandell, Milton Moss, Jesse Sloan	B. Jay Becker, John Crawford, George Rapee, Howard Schenken, Sam Stayman
1953	Richard Kahn, Edgar Kaplan, Peter Leventritt, William Lipton, Ruth Sherman	Myron Field, Charles Goren, Alvin Roth, Sidney Silodor, Helen Sobel
1954	Kalman Apfel, Francis Begley, Ned Drucker, Sidney Mandell, Milton Moss	Morrie Elis, Stanley Fenkel, Simon Rossant, Peggy Solomon, Charles Solomon
1955	B. Jay Becker, John Crawford, George Rapee, Howard Schenken, Sidney Silodor	Charles Goren, Boris Koytchou, Peter Leventritt, Harold Ogust, Helen Sobel
1956	B. Jay Becker, John Crawford, George Rapee, Howard Schenken, Sidney Silodor	Leonard Hess, Jane Jaeger, Lewis Jaeger, William M. Lichtenstein, Joseph Low
1957	B. Jay Becker, John Crawford, George Rapee, Howard Schenken, Sidney Silodor	Rudolf Bortstiber, Raoul Lichtenstein, Ozzie Ray, Moe Rubenfeld
1958	Harry Fishbein, Sam Fry Jr., Leonard Harmon, Lee Hazen, Ivar Stakgold	Ralph Hirschberg, Richard Kahn, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Alfred Sheinwold, Charles Solomon
1959	B. Jay Becker, John Crawford, Norman Kay, George Rapee, Sidney Silodor, Tobias Stone	Charles Goren, Paul Hodge, Peter Leventritt, Harold Ogust, Howard Schenken, Helen Sobel
1960	John Crawford, Norman Kay, Sidney Silodor, Tobias Stone	Russell Arnold, Edith Kemp, Robert Reynolds, William Seamon, Albert Weiss, Waldemar von Zedtwitz
1961	Charles Coon, Robert Jordan, Eric Murray, Arthur Robinson	Ollie Adams, Harold Guiver, Eddie Kantar, Marshall Miles, Ron Von der Porten
1962	Larry Kolker, Carolyn Levitt, Jerry Levitt, Garrett Nash, George de Runtz	Charles Goren, Boris Koytchou, Peter Leventritt, Harold Ogust, Howard Schenken, Helen Sobel
1963	Harold Harkavy, Edith Kemp, Alvin Roth, Clifford Russell, William Seamon, Albert Weiss	Harold Guiver, Lew Mathe, Erik Paulsen, Ron Von der Porten, Edward Taylor
1964	Bob Hamman, Eddie Kantar, Don Krauss, Peter Leventritt, Lew Mathe, Howard Schenken	B. Jay Becker, Ivan Erdos, Dorothy Hayden, Kelsey Petterson, Helen Portugal, Morris Portugal
1965	Philip Feldesman, John Fisher, James Jacoby, Oswald Jacoby, Ira Rubin, Albert Weiss	Bobby Jordan, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Boris Koytchou, George Rapee, Arthur Robinson
1966	Philip Feldesman, Bob Hamman, Sami Kehela, Lew Mathe, Ira Rubin	Bill Eisenberg, Ivan Erdos, Bobby Goldman, Leonard Harmon, Tobias Stone
1967	James Jacoby, Mike Lawrence, Lew Mathe, Bobby Nail, Ron Von der Porten, Lew Stansby	Sidney Lazard, Peter Leventritt, Paul Levitt, George Rapee, Howard Schenken
1968	Bobby Jordan, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Arthur Robinson, Bill Root, Alvin Roth	Bob Hamman, Eddie Kantar, Ira Rubin, Gerald Westheimer
1969	Gerald Hallee, Paul Soloway, John Swanson, Richard Walsh	Philip Feldesman, Victor Mitchell, Ira Rubin, Sam Stayman, Tobias Stone, Gerald Westheimer
1970	Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Sami Kehela, Sidney Lazard, Eric Murray, George Rapee	Bill Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman, Bob Hamman, Jim Jacoby, Mike Lawrence, Bobby Wolff
1971	Bill Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman, Bob Hamman, Jim Jacoby, Mike Lawrence, Bobby Wolff	Chuck Burger, Eddie Kantar, Kyle Larsen, Ron Von der Porten, Ira Rubin, Paul Soloway
1972	Steven Altman, Eugene Neiger, Thomas Smith, Alan Sontag, Joel Stuart, Peter Weichsel	Jack Blair, Fred Hamilton, Howard Perlman, Paul Soloway
1973	Mark Blumenthal, Bobby Goldman, Bob Hamman, Mike Lawrence, Bobby Wolff	Larry T. Cohen, Bill Eisenberg, Eddie Kantar, Dr. Richard Katz, Bud Reinhold
1974	David Crossley, Robert Crossley, Eric Kokish, Joey Silver	Ron Andersen, Mark Feldman, Stephen Goldstein, Merle Tom, Kathie Wei
1975	Roger Bates, Larry T. Cohen, Richard Katz, John Mohan, George Rosenkranz	Richard Freeman, Alvin Roth, Cliff Russell, Alan Sontag, Stan Tomchin, Peter Weichsel
1976	Roger Bates, Larry T. Cohen, Richard Katz, John Mohan, George Rosenkranz	Malcolm Brachman, Bill Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman, Eddie Kantar, Mike Passell, Paul Soloway
1977	Mike Becker, Mark Blumenthal, Fred Hamilton, Mike Lawrence, Ron Rubin, John Swanson	Ron Andersen, Gerald Caravelli, Hugh MacLean, Milt Rosenberg, Kathie Wei
1978	Malcolm Brachman, Bobby Goldman, Eddie Kantar, Billy Eisenberg, Mike Passell, Paul Soloway	Mike Becker, Lou Bluhm, George Rosenkranz, Ron Rubin, Tom Sanders
1979	Lou Bluhm, Richard Freeman, Mark Lair, Cliff Russell, Tom Sanders, Eddie Wold	Ron Andersen, Dave Berkowitz, Jeff Meckstroth, Judi Radin, Kathie Wei
1980	Russ Arnold, Bobby Levin, Jeff Meckstroth, Bud Reinhold, Eric Rodwell	Ron Andersen, Mark Feldman, Eric Kokish, Peter Nagy
1981	B. Jay Becker, Michael Becker, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Ron Rubin	Ira Corn, Bob Hamman, Fred Hamilton, Ira Rubin, Alan Sontag, Peter Weischsel, Bobby Wolff
1982	James Jacoby, Jeff Meckstroth, Mike Passell, Eric Rodwell, George Rosenkranz, Eddie Wold	Marty Bergen, Mark Cohen, Jerry Goldfein, Warren Rosner, Luella Slaner
1983	Bill Root, Richard Pavlicek, Norman Kay, Edgar Kaplan	Eddie Kantar, Bill Eisenberg, Fred Hamilton, Jim Cayne, Alan Sontag
1984	Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Hugh Ross, Peter Pender	Cliff Russell, Robert Levin, Curtis Smith, Peter Nagy, Dave Berkowitz, Harold Lilie
1985	Eric Rodwell, Jeff Meckstroth, Ron Rubin, Mike Lawrence, Michael Becker, Peter Weichsel	Barry Crane, Bobby Nail, Dan Morse, Ira Chorush, Tom Sanders, John Sutherlin
1986	Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Bill Root, Richard Pavlicek	Jim Whitaker, Chris Compton, Ira Corush, Bart Bramley, Lou Bluhm
1987	Peter Pender, Peter Boyd, Lew Stansby, Hugh Ross, Steve Robinson, Chip Martel	Jack Schwencke, Drew Casen, Jim Krekorian, Jim Becker, Howard Chandross
1988	Eddie Kantar, Alan Sontag, John Mohan, Roger Bates	Dave Berkowitz, Billy Cohen, Ron Smith, Zia Mahmood
1989	Ron Rubin, Michael Becker, Bart Bramley, Robert Levin, Lou Bluhm, Peter Weichsel	Eddie Kantar, Alan Sontag, Dan Rotman, Bill Eisenberg, Larry T. Cohen, Cliff Russell
1990	Dan Morse, John Sutherlin, Michael Kamil, Ron Gerard, Tom Sanders, Bill Pollack	Zia Mahmood, Michael Rosenberg, Seymon Deutsch, Dave Berkowitz, Larry N. Cohen, Marty Bergen
1991	Steve Robinson, Peter Boyd, Kit Woolsey, Ed Manfield	Zia Mahmood, Mike Rosenberg, Seymon Deutsch, Eric Rodwell, Jeff Meckstroth
1992	Andy Goodman, John Mohan, Roger Bates, John Schermer, Neil Chambers	Steve Robinson, Peter Boyd, Kit Woolsey, Neil Silverman, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby
1993	Howard Weinstein, Peter Nagy, Dan Morse, John Sutherlin, Tom Sanders, Russ Arnold	Cliff Russell, Sam Lev, Dave Berkowitz, Bjorn Fallenius, Mats Nilsland, Larry N. Cohen
1994	Seymon Deutsch, Gaylor Kasle, Michael Rosenberg, Zia Mahmood, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby	Ron Gerard, George Steiner, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Sidney Lazard
1995	Bill Root, Richard Pavlicek, Michael Polowan, Marc Jacobus	Edgar Kaplan (npc), George Steiner, Joey Silver, Ron Gerard, Michael Kamil
1996	Zia Mahmood, Michael Rosenberg, Seymon Deutsch, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby	Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Bobby Wolff, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell
1997	Richard Schwartz, Mark Lair, Steve Robinson, Peter Boyd, Paul Soloway, Bobby Goldman	James Cayne, Mark Feldman, Chuck Burger, Mike Passell, Michael Seamon, Alan Sontag
1998	Richard Schwartz, Mark Lair, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Paul Soloway, Bobby Goldman	James Cayne, Chuck Burger, Mike Passell, Michael Seamon, David Berkowitz, Larry N. Cohen
1999	George Jacobs, Ralph Katz, Peter Weichsel, Alan Sontag, Lorenzo Lauria, Alfredo Versace	Steve Robinson, Peter Boyd, Kit Woolsey, Fred Stewart, Michael Becker, Michael Kamil
2000	Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Paul Soloway, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell	Richard Schwartz, Drew Casen, Zia Mahmood, Michael Rosenberg, Robert Levin, Steve Weinstein
2001	Andrei Gromov, Alexander Petrunin, Cezary Balicki, Adam Żmudziński	George Rosenkranz, John Mohan, Sam Lev, Piotr Gawryś, Jacek Pszczoła
2002	Reese Milner, Marc Jacobus, Sam Lev, John Mohan, Jacek Pszczoła, Piotr Gawryś	Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Paul Soloway, Eric Rodwell, Jeff Meckstroth
2003	Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Paul Soloway, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell	Richard Pavlicek, Lee Rautenberg, Barnet Shenkin, Michael Kamil, Martin Fleisher, Bob Jones
2004	George Jacobs, Ralph Katz, Lorenzo Lauria, Alfredo Versace, Norberto Bocchi, Giorgio Duboin	Richard Schwartz, Michael Becker, Larry N. Cohen, David Berkowitz, Steve Robinson, Peter Boyd
2005	Richard Schwartz, Michael Becker, Larry N. Cohen, David Berkowitz, Massimo Lanzarotti, Andrea Buratti	John Onstott, Jim Robison, Drew Casen, Chris Compton, Samuel Cohen, Jim Krekorian
2006	Fred Chang, Seymon Deutsch, Gunnar Hallberg, Jack Zhao, Fu Zhong	Roy Welland, Bjorn Fallenius, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Adam Żmudziński, Cezary Balicki
2007	Bjorn Fallenius, Antonio Sementa, Christal Henner-Welland, Roy Welland, Adam Żmudziński, Cezary Balicki	Lou Ann O'Rourke, Marc Jacobus, Geoff Hampson, Eric Greco, Giorgio Duboin, Norberto Bocchi
2008	Piotr Walczak (npc), Jerzy Skrzypczak, Boguslaw Gierulski, Krzysztof Martens, Krzysztof Jassem	Ron Rubin, Russell Ekeblad, Peter Weichsel, Marcin Lesniewski, Louk Verhees Jr., Jan Jansma
2009	Ralph Katz, George Jacobs, Robert Levin, Steve Weinstein, Walid Elahmady, Tarek Sadek	John Diamond, Brian Platnick, Fred Gitelman, Brad Moss, Geoff Hampson, Eric Greco

Sources

List of previous winners, Pages 6, 7 Daily Bulletin (PDF), vol. 52–4, March 16, 2009

2009 winners, Page 1 Daily Bulletin (PDF), vol. 52–10, March 22, 2009

External links

• ACBL official website