By Emory Whitaker
What is duplicate bridge?
The card game traces its origins back to the 16th century with the development of trick-taking games such as whist. In its modern form, Contract Bridge is widely considered one of the most challenging card games, with its complexity and strategic depth making it compelling.
In the 1950s and ’60s, bridge was almost ubiquitous, with estimates that around 45% of households in the U.S. played the game. College campuses were a hotbed, and the game probably caused many students to have lower grades because of their addiction.
Bridge was just as popular in Macon as it was elsewhere. In 1949, a women’s bridge club and a men’s bridge club joined forces to form the Macon Duplicate Bridge Club (MDBC). The form of Contract Bridge known as Duplicate Bridge offers even greater challenges because contestants all play the same hands, and your score is determined by how your result compares with others who played the same hand as you.
The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) is an organization of duplicate bridge players in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. The ACBL awards masterpoints to players who are successful in bridge clubs sanctioned by the organization. It also sanctions tournaments where members can win even more points. Players who win 500 masterpoints are awarded the prestigious title of Life Master.
Macon’s hand is dealt
In 1950, the MDBC applied for and received a sanction from the ACBL. This year, the MDBC celebrates its 75th anniversary as a sanctioned club.
The first president of the MDBC was E.L. Jennings. By 1952, club membership had grown to 55 players. MDBC met every Tuesday night at the YWCA, averaging eight tables a night. The club held its first City Championship Tournament in 1951 at the Hotel Dempsey. The second tournament was in 1953 at the Hotel Lanier. Many out-of-town guests attended, including Margaret Wagar of Atlanta, the third-ranked woman player in the nation.
My wife and I moved to Macon in 1970, and one of the first things we did was join the MDBC. At that time, the club was meeting at the American Legion clubhouse on Riverside Drive. For the next 22 years, MDBC moved to various locations around Macon, including Vineville Christian Towers, St. Paul’s Apartments, St. Paul’s Parish House, the Macon Hilton, and the Pilot House on Rogers Avenue.
Finding a home
In 1992, under the leadership of President Betty Wilcox, MDBC purchased property owned by Southern Natural Gas at 1070 Southshore Place. The purchase included a 2,000-square-foot building and 11 surrounding acres. MDBC had a place of its own.
The purchased building was the former office space for Southern Natural Gas, and much work needed to make it ready. Our club members were equal to the task — cleaning, painting, paneling, and all the other work necessary to convert the space. When completed, the playing area had capacity for about 14 tables. By 1999, membership had reached 108, but the club wanted even more. Club member Gil Bateman offered to teach free bridge lessons to the public and introduce them to Duplicate. This program had more success than we could have imagined. The classes drew about 20 women who were recent empty nesters looking for a new activity. They fell in love with duplicate bridge and became vital members. They were known as “Gil’s Girls,” and their enthusiasm rubbed off on the rest of us.
As the turn of the millennium approached, a group of Gil’s Girls made a beach trip to Amelia Island. While there, they decided to drive down to Jacksonville Beach to play in the new bridge club building there. The Maconites, including Sandy Barrow and Mary May, were extremely impressed by the clubhouse, and the idea of building such a facility in Macon was born.
MDBC had plenty of land for such a project, but funds were another issue. Sandy, Mary, and other club members spearheaded a fundraising drive to come up with the needed money. Dinners were held in members’ homes where the project was explained, and pledges were sought. Enthusiasm was high among the membership.
A major donation was made by the family of Henry Tift IV. Henry, the headmaster of Stratford Academy, had been my bridge partner for many years but died tragically in 1997.
The funds were raised quickly, construction began, and on Sept. 27, 2002, the Henry Tift Bridge Center was officially dedicated. Henry’s family was in attendance for the celebratory opening. Our dream came true. MDBC was now housed in a modern building with a kitchen, restrooms, an office, and 3,000 square feet of playing space.
The ACBL sponsors three types of tournaments: Nationals, Regionals, and Sectionals. Nationals are the largest, running ten days. There are three of these a year, held in major metropolitan areas. Regionals run for a week, and there is at least one regional being held every week in the U.S. Sectionals are the smallest and usually take place over a weekend.
The MDBC had for some time been holding two sectional tournaments a year. These were usually held in a hotel or motel in Macon. After completion of our new bridge house, we were able to hold these sectionals in our own space, even adding a third sectional for non-Life Masters only. Under the leadership of Tom Wight, these tournaments have become some of the favorite sectionals in Georgia. Delicious goodies furnished by the great cooks in our club help this to be the case.
MDBC has also held four regional tournaments since 2013. Two were in the Macon Centreplex and two were at hotels in Callaway Gardens. Len Perkins, Emory Whitaker, and Ray Stalvey were the chairpersons of these events.
Getting involved
The members of MDBC are wonderful in their willingness to volunteer. None of these tournaments would have been possible without the help of the membership.
The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on most areas of our lives that involved social interaction. Duplicate bridge was no exception. Many members of the ACBL began playing online, and attendance at face-to-face games has still not returned to pre-COVID levels. In our 75th year, MDBC has games at 1 p.m. on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. The club offers lessons for those who would like to learn to play.
Looking back on my 55 years as a member of MDBC, I have many fond memories. Most significant are the friendships that have lasted for years, the laughter we have shared, the fun parties with great food, the support of the members for each other, and the celebration when someone has reached a coveted bridge rank.
If you are looking for a new activity or social outlet, give duplicate bridge a try. Our players are friendly and eager to help new players.
Call 478-474-4414 for information on details of how to get started.
Emory Whitaker received a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia and retired in 2020 from Mercer University as Emeritus Professor of Mathematics.While at Mercer he was Head of the Department of Mathematics and Director of The Great Books Program.He has been playing duplicate bridge since 1968, accumulating more than 16,000 masterpoints.He was inducted into the Georgia Bridge Hall of Fame in 2014, and in 2023 he won a National Championship in New Orleans.This win made him a Grand Life Master, the highest rank in the ACBL.Emory and his wife, Genny have been married 55 years, and have a daughter, Beth who lives in New York City.