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Kansas City & Unit 131 Bridge History History of Rubber Bridge in KC >Back to Home Page >Back to Bridge History Home Page |
Some of the most fun that I have had playing bridge has come about
while playing rubber bridge. At the present time there is no place that runs a rubber bridge game as a business. Indeed there have been none that have been able to do it and break even or make a profit. I will focus on the two rubber bridge clubs that I played at when I was a pup. |
Bridge ala Verne in Brookside Circa late 1960's |
How did Bridge ala Verne get started ? It was financed by Ivan Donaldson who was a stock broker. He wanted a nice place to play his favorite game. Lee and Laverne Magee were the driving forces behind the project. They were the ones that drew people in the front door. I never actually saw the mysterious Ivan in attendance. I heard that at the end of this venture he was no longer a broker and was driving a yellow cab. They should have sold stock in the enterprise and issued an IPO on the NYSE. The origional location was a little south of 63rd street on Brookside where Jalopeno's Mexican is now located. After a period of time it moved a little further south to where the Brooksider Bar and grill is now located. Across the street from the present Price Chopper. I don't think that I ever played there. I was afraid that I would lose. Good Grief ! What a chicken ! Mostly I just kibitzed and watched and tried to learn. What an incredible number of characters played in these games. The stakes were a quarter of a cent to two cents per point with a table fee depending on how much you were playing for. It was a beautiful, elegant, pleasant place to play bridge. There was a black lady named Gladys that came in the afternoon and would fix dinner for about five dollars per plate for the people and for sure all the meals were excellent. Lee was the house boy and filled in if needed to make a table of four. |
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There have been so many characters who have passed |
In memory of it's roots |
Proprietors of Bridge ala Verne |
Brooksider Menu |
LaVerne Magee |
Lee Magee |
LaVerne and Moi |
Bridge at the Orlett's in Brookside Circa 1970's and 1980's |
When Bridge ala Verne folded up the tent, rubber bridge moved just a few blocks. The new club lasted for many years. It seemed to me that the reason it was not a viable enterprise was because of its business model. The winners would collect and far too many losers wanted their losses to be kept on the books. Table fees to my knowledge were seldom if ever, collected up front It was not possible to sustain with so many dead beats (with good intentions ?) on the books. Paul Orlett was a very learned man and kept the accounting books. Paul had a heart of gold and was not a hard nosed business man. |
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Charlie Hoopers Bar and Grill. |
The Toddle House |
This is where I spent the time of my life when I was a bridge bum. |
Picture in KC Star 7-5-1970. |
Paul Orlett |
Doris Orlett |
Bill Crooks |
John Hubbell Rubber Bridge Club Circa pre 1966 for many years |
John Hubbell probably had the greatest tournament result in KC bridge history. He and David Carter won the Von Zedtwitz Life Masters Pairs in 1954. It was held at the summer nationals in Washington DC. |
Hubbell's club was directly above |
Around the corner was Nichol's Lunch. |
John Hubbell was a heavy smoker. Every time that I saw him there was |
John Hubbell picture from KC Star |
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