Tom STODDARD
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Tom STODDARD |
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Nato il 23 settembre del 1896 nel Missouri Tom era conosciuto come "il padre del Bridge della West Coast" per molte ragioni.
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Pioniere del Bridge, uno dei primi insegnanti americani e gestore di Circoli, fondatore della Pacific Bridge League e più tardi Dirigente della ACBL.
Nel 1935 acquistò un hotel di Los Angeles in un periodo nel quale la maggior parte degli esercizi stava chiudendo e ne fece il centro di un Circolo di Bridge rivitalizzandolo e decretandone il successo.
Sull'onda di questo successo, nel 1933 fondò la PBL a cui aderirono 11 Stati della West Coast, più le Hawai, l'Alaska e le province canadesi della British Columbia e dell'Alberta.
Nel 1940, proponendo l'unificazione del sistema di accreditamento dei master points iniziò la collaborazione con la ACBL nella quale nel 1948 fece confluire la sua PBL.
Scomparve il 23 novembre del 1976 a Laguna Hills in California dopo essere stato Presidente Emerito della ACBL, Nel 2010 gli è stato conferito il Premio Blackwood ed è stato chiamato a far parte della prestigiosa Hall of Fame.
Tom Stoddard
(1896-1976) of
Laguna Hills, California, was known as the “Father of Bridge on the West Coast”.
And for good reason.
He was one of the outstanding personalities of American bridge, a pioneer in bridge teaching and bridge-club management, founder of the Pacific Bridge League (PBL) and former ACBL executive.
In 1931, at age 35, Stoddard owned a Los Angeles hotel at a time when most hotels were going bankrupt. He conceived the idea of making his hostelry a center for bridge lessons and duplicate games. The project was a sensational success, at its peak employing eleven teachers and conducting games daily from 9:30 a.m. to midnight.
Stoddard founded the PBL in 1933 and was responsible for the wildfire growth of bridge on the West Coast. The PBL included the 11 far western states, the territories of Hawaii and Alaska and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Stoddard also founded the Contract Bridge Forum in the early Thirties and during more than 75 years of publication it has been the voice of the PBL and the Western Conference.
Collaboration between the ACBL and the PBL began in 1940 when they agreed upon a uniform masterpoint system. In 1946 Stoddard turned his bridge business over to his associates and in 1948 he agreed to a merger of the PBL and national organizations, an arrangement that was consummated in 1956. It was at that time he was elected President Emeritus of the ACBL, Western Division and ACBL Board member.
Named the ACBL Honorary Member in 1960, he was also a member of the Goodwill Committee. In May 1976 he was awarded the rare “Certificate of Service” citation by the ACBL’s Board of Directors for his long and devoted service to bridge and to the ACBL.
The Blackwood Award is given to a person for contributions to bridge without necessarily being a top player. Therefore, it is fitting that Tom Stoddard receives the Blackwood Award as part of the Bridge Hall of Fame Class of 2010.
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