Helen Sobel Smith
Encyclopedia
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
player. She is said to have been the "greatest woman bridge player of all time". She won 35 North American Bridge Championships
North American Bridge Championships
North American Bridge Championships are three annual bridge conventions sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League . The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven days. They comprise both championship and side contests of...
, and was the first woman to play in the Bermuda Bowl
Bermuda Bowl
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950...
. She was a long-time partner of Charles Goren
Charles Goren
Charles Henry Goren was a world champion American bridge player and bestselling author who contributed significantly to the development and popularization of the game following upon the heels of Ely Culbertson in the 1940s and rising to prominence in the 1950s to the early 1960s.-Early years:Goren...
.
In a tribute former editor and publisher of The Bridge World Edgar Kaplan
Edgar Kaplan
Edgar Kaplan was an American bridge player and one of the principal contributors to the game. His career spanned six decades and covered every aspect of bridge. He was a teacher, author, editor, administrator, champion player, theorist, expert Vugraph commentator, coach/captain and authority on...
said:
- "Helen's style was frisky and aggressive – so aggressive that some of her male partners were intimidated. These guys felt they were playing in the Mixed Pairs and... they were the girl!"
- "In my lifetime --- said Edgar Kaplan, "she is the only woman bridge player who was considered the best player in the world. She knows how to play a hand."
Biography
Born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Helen was a chorus girl
Chorus line
A chorus line is a substantial group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. Chorus line dancers in Broadway musicals and revues have been referred to by slang terms such as ponies, gypsies and twirlies...
in her youth. She appeared in several stage shows, the best known being Animal Crackers with the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
. Another chorus girl taught her bridge: she took to the game like a duck to water. From that moment on, there was no doubt about her future.
Anecdote
Death
Helen Sobel Smith died in a DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
hospital at the age of 59 after a long battle with cancer. The Bulletin remembered her as a player "without a peer among women and very
few peers among men. Helen played like a man, it was true. But she also played like a lady."
Wins
- North American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge Championships are three annual bridge conventions sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League . The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven days. They comprise both championship and side contests of...
(35)- VanderbiltVanderbilt TrophyThe trophy is awarded for the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams national bridge championship held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1944, 1945 - SpingoldSpingoldThe Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(5) 1944, 1947, 1951, 1956, 1960 - ChicagoReisingerThe Reisinger national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The Reisinger is a board-a-match event.-History:...
(now Reisinger) (4) 1941, 1943, 1950, 1957 - Master Mixed TeamsChicago Mixed Board-a-MatchThe Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The event is a board-a-match team event....
(6) 1941, 1943, 1944, 1948, 1954, 1968 - Women's Board-a-Match TeamsSternberg Women's Board-a-Match TeamsThe Sternberg Women's Board-a-Match Teams bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship and is a four session board-a-match event, two qualifying sessions and two final sessions...
(7) 1935, 1936, 1939, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946 - Life Master PairsVon Zedtwitz Life Master PairsThe Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1942, 1958 - Fall National Open PairsFall National Open PairsThe National Open Pairs national bridge championship was held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship . The National Open Pairs was a four-session matchpoint pairs event.-History:...
(3) 1940, 1947, 1948 - Rockwell Mixed PairsRockwell Mixed PairsThe Rockwell Mixed Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1955, 1956 - Hilliard Mixed PairsHilliard Mixed PairsThe Hilliard Mixed Pairs national bridge championship was last held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .-History:...
(1) 1944 - Women's PairsWhitehead Women's PairsThe Whitehead Women's Pairs bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(3) 1934, 1938, 1939
- Vanderbilt
Runner-ups
- IBL World Championship (1) 1937
- Bermuda BowlBermuda BowlThe Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950...
(1) 1957 - North American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge Championships are three annual bridge conventions sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League . The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven days. They comprise both championship and side contests of...
(31)- VanderbiltVanderbilt TrophyThe trophy is awarded for the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams national bridge championship held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(7) 1942, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1962 - SpingoldSpingoldThe Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1943, 1950 - ChicagoReisingerThe Reisinger national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The Reisinger is a board-a-match event.-History:...
(now Reisinger) (2) 1944, 1951 - Master Mixed TeamsChicago Mixed Board-a-MatchThe Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The event is a board-a-match team event....
(4) 1946, 1949, 1950, 1951 - Women's Board-a-Match TeamsSternberg Women's Board-a-Match TeamsThe Sternberg Women's Board-a-Match Teams bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship and is a four session board-a-match event, two qualifying sessions and two final sessions...
(10) 1937, 1941, 1942, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 - Life Master PairsVon Zedtwitz Life Master PairsThe Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1953 - Fall National Open PairsFall National Open PairsThe National Open Pairs national bridge championship was held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship . The National Open Pairs was a four-session matchpoint pairs event.-History:...
(1) 1938 - Hilliard Mixed PairsHilliard Mixed PairsThe Hilliard Mixed Pairs national bridge championship was last held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .-History:...
(2) 1933, 1940 - Women's PairsWhitehead Women's PairsThe Whitehead Women's Pairs bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1947, 1965
- Vanderbilt