September 2006 - 38

Ruling the Game

Mike Flader
Associate National
Tournament Director
rulings@acbl.org
PTDA honors Gorkin,
NABC set-up staff
Each year, the Professional
Tournament Director Association
announces two award recipients in
recognition of outstanding achievement and excellent customer service.
This year, Bernie Gorkin of Syracuse
NY is the recipient of the Tom Weeks
Award. The companion honor, the
Fred Friendly Award, was given to a
group of directors popularly known
as the "set-up crew."
* Gorkin, who
began part-time directing in 1992 and
became a full-time
director in 1999,
received the Tom
Weeks Award, given
in recognition of
exemplary profesBernie Gorkin
sionalism.
Tournament directing has an intellectual attraction for Gorkin. "I love
organization, getting things in place,
the logistics of getting a tournament
together. It appeals to my like of
puzzle-solving and games," he said.
Gorkin credits several directors
for serving as mentors for him in
his career. He praised the late Tom
38

During a club championship
game, a pair called me to the table
at the end of an auction alleging
possible damage. I took the claim
under advisement as play continued. After consideration, I was not
prepared to rule in their favor, but
because the situation was rather
complicated I offered to call a committee if they wished to proceed
further, which they did.
At the end of the game, the other
pair stated that since they didn't
ask for the committee, they would
not attend and departed. Ironically,
in their absence, the committee
ruled in their favor, but it was sug-

gested that there should be some
penalty for their failure to participate. I was somewhat of the
same mind in that their action was
contemptuous of the committee
members who volunteered their
services.
Is their attendance compulsory?
There is no law or regulation
requiring that a member of the
non-appealing side attend an appeals
committee, so they need not be there.
They should be advised, however,
that if they fail to attend, the only evidence available to the committee will
be what is presented by the appealing
side and the director.

Wolstoncroft and Peter Mollemet,
worked with and are the most deboth of the Buffalo NY area, and
pendable." she said.
Burt Garrell, retired, of Rochester NY.
Johnston works with them closely,
"Bernie is one of the best examples starting weeks before every NABC.
of a professional, competent and
He does the preplanning with the
friendly director. He is not only great
hotel to decide where events will be
in the technical aspects of directing,
played and various offices located.
but he's terrific with the players as
He and the setup crew arrive two days
well," said fellow director Peter Marcus. before the NABC starts to unload
* The work of the set‑up crew at the the 42,000 pounds of equipment and
NABCs is largely behind the scenes
supplies.
but is vitally important to the success
During the tournament, the set-up
of the big tournaments.
crew keeps everything running, from
The crew includes Jeff Johnston,
making sure there is plenty of water
NABC operations manager and
in the playing areas to adjusting the
leader of the team; Brian Russell,
temperature when needed.
r
Burnaby BC; Martin Ware, Vernon
BC; Tom Marsh, San
Antonio TX, and David
Cotterman, Kokomo IN.
Ware and Johnston
have worked together
since the 1994 NABC in
San Diego. Marsh joined
in 1996, Russell in 1999
and Cotterman in 2000.
Nancy Foy, ACBL's
meeting planner for 15
years until July, knows
the value of the group.
"They are the most
The set‑up crew: Tom Marsh, David Cotterman,
fun people I have ever
Martin Ware, Jeff Johnston and Brian Russell.
Bridge Bulletin
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2006
