 
ONCE UPON A TIME
BIRTHING A BRIDGE CLUB
In the 1980s, a consortium of dedicated Cape Coral bridge players had grown from “grab a game”
devotees to an impressive number of serious players of the game.
More than 50 regulars were meeting in homes and rooms,
their numbers creating a force to be reckoned with.
Several within the group, which included Joe and Betty Rotino, began to talk about a “place”, and “regular schedules.”
While several within the bridge group were scouting for a suitable location for regular games,
Grant Carman took on the role of ACBL contact.
He applied, and received, sanctioned status. He then applied to the IRS as a non-profit.
Instead, the Club was given a Not for Profit status.
The new Club was named The Lee County Bridge Association.
A building on 47thTerrace was available during the day
and games began in earnest at the Sportsman’s Club in November, 1986.
Games were Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, at 1 p.m.
The cost: $2.25. (Members were told the 25 cents was to keep the Club solvent.)
Early directors at LCBA were qualified, not ten-point certified, by the ACBL.
Qualified directors cost players one point in the scoring system.
Players were given their master points by the directors and were required to send their results to the ACBL.
Lee County Bridge Association was up and running, new players showing up.
The Sportsman’s Club was a comfortable fit.
While the Club was primarily Cape Coral residents, a few Ft. Myers players braved the bridge and joined the fun.
The primary challenge at The Sportsman’s Club was moving large, round dining tables to set up the bridge tables,
then moving large round tables back in time for the bar crowd.
A Saturday night game was undertaken, partly to celebrate birthdays. And, during all games, there were two 15 minute breaks.
“Everybody smoked back then,” Joe said.
Joe was doing most of the work during the early days and, in 1989, Betty started the ACBL computer scoring system.
For 12 years, bridge at The Sportsman’s Club hummed along.
Then, in 2004, a Hurricane named Charley came through and took The Sportsman’s Club with it.
LCBA members scrambled to pick up the pieces. A place was secured with the Cape Elks Club, just down the street.
That lasted two years, Joe said. “Their members didn’t like us taking up their space.”
Undaunted, Club members put out inquiries around the County.
George Krejci soon found the Elks Club on Park Meadow.
The new facility was not only available but a very good fit as the room was empty except for occasional week-ends.
Playing costs at the Club went from $2.25 to $3. Soon afterward, another dollar raise was required.
At this time, Dennis Riddick was president and Sharon Pierce club manager.
“The Club was broke,” Dennis said. “We couldn’t even buy pencils.”
But going from $3 to $4 was controversial. Players weren’t happy.
A few members left. “Actually,” Dennis said, “the Club only needed $3.25 but – who’s going to show up with 75 pounds of quarters?”
But the extra funds allowed the Club to invest in Bridge Mates and a dealing machine.
Other challenges at The Park Meadow Elks were two bathroom stalls for women.
“And we had 60 tables,” Dennis said. There were extra stalls, accessed only through the lounge -- a long trek from the bridge area.
Dennis proposed reconfiguring the bathroom so the four stalls could be accessed from the bridge playing room.
Although they balked, the Elks eventually relented and Dennis brought in his own handyman to reconfigure
and reconstruct the women’s bathroom. Less complaints and greater comfort were the result.
So the Club was again humming along and most of the players got along well. But not always.
There were a few near-fisticuffs and it is believed that under Dennis and Sharon’s watch, a Zero Tolerance Policy was adopted.
When the Park Meadow Elks was put on the market, LCBA had to find another location.
This happened during Allen Frees' presidency when Marilyn Barker was treasurer.
All of the board members, as well as several others, were looking for another location without much success.
Dennis found two possibilities, but one was too far away and the other too expensive.
Eventually, Allen Frees canvassed the churches along Cypress Lake, with the Greek Church expressing interest.
A lease agreement was signed.
Soon after moving to the Greek Church, Carol Suydam took over as president.
Carol states, "Besides, the Greek Church really wanted us. We were lots of income for them.”
Further, Carol said, Club members are so efficient, “an hour after our game, nobody knows we’ve been there.”
During Carol’s tenure, the Saturday game was halted. “It was costing us at least $100,” she said.
Pixie Peterson served as president following Carol.
Then,Frank Hacker, an expert bridge player by any measure, became the Club’s “Greek” leader.
Frank was re-elected to a second term and currently serves as president.
Many challenges have faced the Club at this new location, not the least of which is the church’s schedule
which requires bridge members to meet in other, lesser rooms or – not at all.
Frank’s priorities have been to make himself available as the expert he is recognized to be – offering printed bidding and playing advice.
LCBA members, apparently more social than scholar, have not embraced his expert offerings.
But he has other concerns, which he outlines in his weekly presentations to members before each game.
Jo Sheraw and Al Kimbrough have taken over as managers/workers for the LCBA.
These are younger, energetic workers who take the time and make the effort to run the Club efficiently.
Further, they both have the personality to encourage people to return again and again.
As for LCBA’s evolution . . . stay tuned. We’ll update.
And you’re welcome to weigh in with memories to add to this history.
As you can see from this brief report, LCBA is a very resilient Club.
And we expect the future direction to reflect that resiliency.
Written and compiled by Patty Duncan
LCBA Director
February 2019
|