Spingold

The Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC).

The Spingold 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 Spingold Master Knockout Teams, first known as the Challenge Knockout Teams, was contested for the Asbury Park Trophy in the early days. The runner-up team in the regularly-scheduled portion of the event had the right to challenge the winners to a playoff. This right was never utilized.

In 1934, 1936 and 1937, the Masters Teams-of-Four and the Asbury Park Trophy were separate events, providing two sets of winners. In 1938 the event became the Spingold Master Knockout Teams and a part of the Summer NABC.At one time, the Spingold was a double elimination event, usually lasting nine or 10 sessions. It was scored by International Match Points and was restricted to players with 100 or more masterpoints.

In 1965, the double elimination method was replaced by three qualifying sessions (subsequently reduced to two), followed by single elimination knockout matches. The preliminary qualifying session were dropped in 1970.The Spingold Trophy, donated by Nathan B. Spingold in 1934, is one of ACBL's most highly prized team trophies.

Spingold (1886-1958), a New York publicist, motion picture executive and patron of the arts, was one of the most influential men in bridge administration from 1937 to 1943.Born in Chicago, he became a reporter on The Chicago Examiner, The Chicago Record Herald and The Chicago Tribune. Spingold's interest in show business brought him to New York City in the Thirties.

In 1932 he joined Columbia Pictures in a public relations capacity. He was named to the board of directors in 1940 and three years later was appointed vice president in charge of advertising, publicity and development. He became a vice president of the company in 1954.Active in bridge from its earliest days, Spingold was named ABL Honorary Member in 1936. He was instrumental in effecting a peaceful merger between the American Bridge League and the United States Bridge Association in 1937 and became president of the newly formed American Contract Bridge League the following year.

Winners

ources

List of previous winners, Pages 10, 11Citation
title = Daily Bulletin
journal =
volume = 80-4
issue = 4
date = Monday, July 21, 2008
year = 2008
url = http://www.acbl.org/nabc/2008/02/bulletins/db4.pdf

2008 winners, Page 1Citation
title = Daily Bulletin
journal =
volume = 80-11
issue = 11
date = Monday, July 28, 2008
year = 2008
url = http://www.acbl.org/nabc/2008/02/bulletins/db11.pdf

External links

* [http://www.acbl.org/ ACBL official website]