September 2022 - 15

due to a health issue, accepted the
award via video.
" I would like to believe one of the
things I have made contributions to
in bridge is helping people evaluate
hands, " Bergen said. " Unfortunately,
in a world devoted to counting points,
most of my ideas on hand evaluation
have fallen on deaf ears. Oh, well. "
Though he hasn't played much
recently or since retiring in the
early '90s after a brief playing career,
Bergen said, " My obsession with this
game will never change. "
Lynn Deas was one of the greatest
players in the world, winning
nine gold
medals in
world-level
pairs
and team
events,
along with
27 NABC
titles.
Lynn Deas
Deas, who died in 2020, won many
of her titles with fellow inductee
Beth Palmer. Deas was presented by
friends Sherry Spalding Fardie and
Barb Doran.
Fardie was a friend and early bridge
partner of Deas when they were in
college. She talked about how their
racket hustling backgammon players
put her through graduate school.
" The history of bridge changed with
her partnership with Beth Palmer, "
she said. " I got to watch vicariously as
Lynn and Beth and their team represented
the U.S. in world championship
after world championship.
" When her health became very
precarious, we would play from a hospital
bed. She played from a wheelchair.
She traveled in her scooter all
over the world, independently - never
complaining. Never with self-pity.
She was a champion in bridge and
more importantly in life. "
" She was wonderful, " said Doran. " I
will miss her for the rest of my life. "
" Beth's goal was always to be the
best she can be, whether it was playing
hearts in college, bridge, or her career
as an administrative law judge,
for which she won awards, " Cole said.
" Beth and Lynn dominated women's
bridge for 40 years in the U.S. "
Describing Palmer's careful play,
Cole said, " She guarded against 4-1
With 29 NABC titles and eight
gold medals in world championships,
Beth Palmer, who died in 2019, was
a formidable player. Her partnership
with Deas was one of the most
effective in the
history of the
game, especially
in women's
competitions,
where the duo
were always
among the
favorites in the
Beth Palmer
field.
Palmer was a recipient of the von
Zedtwitz Award, given to individuals
who have achieved prominence in the
game of bridge and have an outstanding
tournament record, but who may
not have been in the limelight for a
significant period of time. Palmer, of
Chevy Chase MD, was presented by
friend and frequent partner Bill Cole.
Getting good at bridge and developing
a strong partnership are things
that take a lot of time, Cole noted.
Palmer, a notoriously slow player,
was always willing to put in as much
time as necessary to achieve her
goals - whether that be taking the
maximum number of tricks on the
hand in front of her or developing the
strongest partnership possible with
Lynn Deas.
" Beth and Lynn dominated
women's bridge for 40 years
in the U.S. "
breaks before she knew they were
there. "
The late John Sutherlin of Dallas
TX was a 13-time NABC champion
and a winner of the World Senior
Team Championship
in 2000.
He had numerous
second-place
finishes, as well,
notably with his
wife, Peggy, the
first of which
occurred before
John Sutherlin
the pair was married. Their work in
bridge administration, primarily in
the role as longtime members of the
National Appeals and Ethical Oversight
Committees, prompted the ACBL
to name them Honorary Members of
the Year in 2008.
Along with Palmer, Sutherlin was a
recipient of the von Zedtwitz Award.
Sutherlin was presented by longtime
friend and partner, Mike Passell, who
recalled being introduced to Sutherlin
in the mid-'80s by Paul Soloway
because of their mutual interest in
wagering on sports. " Little did I know
that this would be the beginning of a
four-decade friendship, " said Passell.
" I was really happy when John asked
me to play bridge and I found out
what an incredible player he was. He
was one of the greatest declarers and
an even better defender. But we won't
talk about the bidding ... "
Passell listed all of Sutherlin's
successes in tournament bridge, but
noted, " He always told me his favorite
thing he ever did was his second-place
finish with his wife, Peggy,
in the World Mixed Pairs. "
When Sutherlin was in the hospital
recovering from a procedure, Passell
visited his friend. Sutherlin grew
tired, and Passell was getting ready
to leave. " He called me over, and he
whispered because he was really
tired, and he says, 'Can you get me
down for $500 on the Cowboys?'
September 2022 | Bridge Bulletin |
15

September 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2022
