I can no longer recall what began my immersion in 1927 but it’s sure a hard place to leave. The Roaring Twenties were really interesting, even at the little old Institute. The fads of the 1920s in particular were everything you hope for in a pointless craze. There was, of course, the great overalls fad of 1920, followed by the flopping galoshes a few years later. In 1927 bridge mania took over campus:
This is particularly interesting because unlike the short-lived rages for odd fashions the passion for bridge seems to have lasted, although in less virulent form, for many years. I can recall off the top of my head many photographs in the Woodson of students huddled around bridge tables, in the dorms, in the RMC, even in the library. Here’s one from the days when Sammy’s was in the basement of Fondren:
This one is even later, a familiar looking guy who seems to have drawn a bad hand:
I haven’t seen anyone playing bridge on campus for a long time but I really have no idea of what goes on inside the colleges. Maybe there are still holdouts somewhere.
I’d hope there’d be photos of Doc C at the bridge table with students.
I certainly recall seeing a few bridge players during my era.
There were lots of “holdouts” in the late 1950s. That photo taken in the basement of Fondren shows women from the Class of 1958. That means it was taken in the Fall of 1954. I was in the Class of 1960 but do not recognize the students; perhaps some 58ers will.
As soon as I read this I thought of Doc C.
Dale Grounds and I played a lot of bridge in the late 60’s and early 70’s. We didn’t win all the time, but we won at least 90% of the time. It gave me great satisfaction to beat the weenies that were flabbergasted to lose to a couple of jocks!
Lots of bridge playing in Will Rice in the 60’s, undoubtedly influenced by Doc C !
I truly hope that there are students still playing bridge!!! It is a wonderful mind exercise and is never boring. Yes, that’s what I said, never boring!
Let us not forget Eddie Wold, degree in early 70s, who has been one of the world’s top bridge players from that time to the present. I was fortunate to play with him a few times. We had bidding conventions ensuring that he always played the hand!
I hadn’t heard of him before. Absolutely fascinating story–I’ll dig a bit more. Thanks so much!
In my day there were bridge games in the Weiss Commons every night. It seemed to me to be an addictive behavior.