The Whitehead Women's Pairs bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League

American Contract Bridge League

The American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation...

 (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship

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...

 (NABC).

The Whitehead Women's Pairs is a four-session matchpoint (MP) pairs event with two qualifying and two final sessions. The event typically starts on the second Thursday of the NABC and is restricted to female players.

History

The Whitehead Women’s Pairs is an event for partnerships consisting of two female players. There are two qualifying sessions, followed by two final sessions. The contest was held annually at the Summer North American Bridge Championship until 1962. That was changed the following year and subsequently contested at the Spring North American Bridge Championship.

At stake is the Whitehead Trophy, donated in 1930 by Wilbur C. Whitehead of New York, a great bridge authority and a member of the team that won the Vanderbilt Cup

Vanderbilt Trophy

The trophy is awarded for the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams national bridge championship held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....

 in 1928, the first year it was in play. Whitehead (1866–1931) was president of the Simplex Automobile Company, but bridge held such a fascination for him that he retired from business in 1910 to devote his life to bridge. He was the inventor of many bidding and play conventions, the quick-trick table of card values, the Whitehead system of requirements for original bids and responses and the Whitehead table of preferential leads. Whitehead was instrumental in standardizing procedures in auction bridge and later in contract bridge.

Winners

Winners of Whitehead Women's Pairs, Summer NABCs, 1930–1962

Year	Winners	Runners-up
1930	Olive Peterson, Maud Zontlein	Josephine Culbertson, Elinor Murdoch
1931	Vivi Hanson, Elinor Murdoch	Mary Clement, Olga Hilliard
1932	Mrs. Jay S. Jones, Olive Peterson	Florence Fitch, Maud S. Zontlein
1933	Doris Fuller, Mrs. Courtand Smith	Marie Black, Mary Clement
1934	Helen Bonwit, Helen White Helen Sobel Smith Helen Sobel Smith was an American bridge player. She is said to have been the "greatest woman bridge player of all time". She won 35 North American Bridge Championships, and was the first woman to play in the Bermuda Bowl...	Ruth Sherman, Mrs. Thomas Stern
1935	Bertine Teichman, Mable Ulbrich	Doris Fuller, Olive Peterson
1936	Mrs. Jay S. Jones, Sally Young	Mable Ervin, Doris Fuller
1937	Mable Ervin, Doris Fuller	Martha Lemon, Mrs. Martin R. West
1938	Helen Sobel Helen Sobel Smith Helen Sobel Smith was an American bridge player. She is said to have been the "greatest woman bridge player of all time". She won 35 North American Bridge Championships, and was the first woman to play in the Bermuda Bowl... , Sally Young	Phyllis Gardner, Dorothy Roberts
1939	Helen Sobel Helen Sobel Smith Helen Sobel Smith was an American bridge player. She is said to have been the "greatest woman bridge player of all time". She won 35 North American Bridge Championships, and was the first woman to play in the Bermuda Bowl... , Sally Young	Doris Fuller, Millicent Tansill
1940	Edith Atkinson, Mrs. John Waidlich	Estelle Drescher, Gussie Planco
1941	Mae P. Rosen, Edith Seligman	Ruth Horn, Gussie Planco
1942	Mae P. Rosen, Edith Seligman	Helen Bonwit, Mrs. D. P. Hanson
1943	Mae P. Rosen, Edith Seligman	Olga Hilliard, Evelyn Lebhar
1944	Ruth Sherman, Margaret Wagar	Paula Bacher, Kay Rhodes
1945	Peggy Golder, Olive Peterson	Ruth Sherman, Margaret Wagar
1946	Edith Seligman, Sally Young	Anne Burnstein, Mrs. G. Rosenbaum
1947	Gratian Goldstein, Josephine Gutman	Ruth Sherman, Helen Sobel Helen Sobel Smith Helen Sobel Smith was an American bridge player. She is said to have been the "greatest woman bridge player of all time". She won 35 North American Bridge Championships, and was the first woman to play in the Bermuda Bowl...
1948	Gratian Goldstein, Josephine Gutman	Mildred Cunningham, Mrs. Harry Mason Smith
1949	Kay Rhodes, Ruth Sherman	Mildred Cunningham, Mrs. Harry Mason Smith
1950	Mrs. John Kelly, Dorothy Thompson	Reba Buck, Mrs. George P. Ryan
1951	Alwina M. Dunphy, Mrs. Edward Minear	Mrs. Frank Fooshe, Mrs. Henry C. Wolfe
1952	Shirley Fairchild, Elaine Lee	Mildred Betzler, Mrs. Michael Hoffman
1953	Mrs. Harold P. Swearingen, Barbara Weiner	Gretchen Feldstein, Gratian Goldstein
1954	Margaret Alcorn, Sally Neely	Paula Levin, Mrs. Max Ritter
1955	Kay Rhodes, Margaret Wagar	Mrs. Carl I. Conklin, Paula Nevins
1956	Kay Rhodes, Margaret Wagar	Wynne Ecker, Mrs. P. Halbestadt
1957	Kay Rhodes, Margaret Wagar	Edith Kemp, Terry Michaels
1958	Kay Rhodes, Margaret Wagar	Mrs. N.L. Cassibry, Ann Smith
1959	Betty Adler, Dorothy Hayden Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:...	Agnes Gordon, Sylvia Schwartz
1960	Mary Jane Farell, Peggy Solomon	Mabel Mahoney, Betty Ann Welch
1961	Agnes Gordon, Betty Haddad	Mrs. Seymour Keith, Rita Seamon
1962	Clarice Holt, Mrs. Greeley Warner	Kay Carter, Mrs. G.M. Sharum

Winners of Whitehead Women's Pairs, Spring NABCs, 1963–

Year	Winners	Runners-up
1963	Mrs. K. L. Sargent, Mrs. Ray Tobin	Garner McDaniel, Terry Michaels
1964	Margaret Alcorn, Lucille Patterson	Ruth Ballantyne, Mrs. Lloyd Scott
1965	Nancy Gruver, Sue Sachs	Alicia Kempner, Helen Sobel Helen Sobel Smith Helen Sobel Smith was an American bridge player. She is said to have been the "greatest woman bridge player of all time". She won 35 North American Bridge Championships, and was the first woman to play in the Bermuda Bowl...
1966	Virginia Heckel, Edith Kemp	Garner McDaniel, Terry Michaels
1967	Garner McDaniel, Terry Michaels	Hermine Baron Hermine Baron Hermine Baron was a record-making Grand Life Master contract bridge player; a native of Omaha, she moved to southern California in the mid-forties. Having contracted polio at an early age, she played the game from a wheelchair. At her death, she had accumulated 22,654 masterpoints, the most of... , Marilyn Johnson
1968	Hermine Baron Hermine Baron Hermine Baron was a record-making Grand Life Master contract bridge player; a native of Omaha, she moved to southern California in the mid-forties. Having contracted polio at an early age, she played the game from a wheelchair. At her death, she had accumulated 22,654 masterpoints, the most of... , Rhoda Walsh	2/3. Emma Jean Hawes, Dorothy Hayden Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:...   2/3. Gloria Cohen, Belle Kauffman
1969	Gale Clarke, Gloria Noszka	Sallie Johnson, Bee Schenken
1970	Robin Klar, Tina Rockaway	Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss
1971	Amalya Kearse Amalya Lyle Kearse Amalya Lyle Kearse is a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and a world-class bridge player.-Legal career:... , Jacqui Mitchell	Barbara Brier, Betsey Wolff
1972	Kerri Davis, Rhoda Walsh	Gail Moss, Judi Solodar
1973	Ann Economidy, Vivian Williamson	Mary Anderson, Pamela Eckard
1974	Pat Leary, Jan Stansby	Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss
1975	Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss	Hermine Baron Hermine Baron Hermine Baron was a record-making Grand Life Master contract bridge player; a native of Omaha, she moved to southern California in the mid-forties. Having contracted polio at an early age, she played the game from a wheelchair. At her death, she had accumulated 22,654 masterpoints, the most of... , Carol Greenhut
1976	Gail Schaab, Barbara Staton	Emma Jean Hawes, Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:...
1977	Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss	Hermine Baron Hermine Baron Hermine Baron was a record-making Grand Life Master contract bridge player; a native of Omaha, she moved to southern California in the mid-forties. Having contracted polio at an early age, she played the game from a wheelchair. At her death, she had accumulated 22,654 masterpoints, the most of... , Beverly Rosenberg
1978	Babs Charney, Flo Rotman	Edith Kemp, Barbara Rappaport
1979	Anne Burnstein, Edith Kemp	Ann Roberts, Genne Winter
1980	Mildred Boyce, Barbara Norwood	Hermine Baron Hermine Baron Hermine Baron was a record-making Grand Life Master contract bridge player; a native of Omaha, she moved to southern California in the mid-forties. Having contracted polio at an early age, she played the game from a wheelchair. At her death, she had accumulated 22,654 masterpoints, the most of... , Beverly Rosenberg
1981	Emma Jean Hawes, Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:...	Roberta Epstein, Rozanne Marel
1982	Hermine Baron Hermine Baron Hermine Baron was a record-making Grand Life Master contract bridge player; a native of Omaha, she moved to southern California in the mid-forties. Having contracted polio at an early age, she played the game from a wheelchair. At her death, she had accumulated 22,654 masterpoints, the most of... , Beverly Rosenberg	Nancy Alpaugh, Betsey Wolff
1983	Evelyn Levitt, Jo Morse	Lynne Pollenz, Sue Picus
1984	Judy Tucker, Jacqui Mitchell	Mildred Breed, Barbara Norwood
1985	Dale Dermer, JoAnne Caplan	Nadine Wood, Robin Taylor
1986	Edith Freilich, Nancy Gruver	Peggy Sutherlin, Sharon Osberg
1987	Tobi Deutsch Tobi Sokolow Tobi Sokolow is an American bridge player. As of April 2011 she ranks number 15 among Women World Grand Masters.... , Kay Schulle	Carlyn Steiner, Janet Daling
1988	Sally Wheeler, Georgiana Gates	Jan Martel, Dorothy Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:...
1989	Nadine Wood, Jeanne Elkner	Janice Seamon, Rita Seamon
1990	Tobi Deutsch Tobi Sokolow Tobi Sokolow is an American bridge player. As of April 2011 she ranks number 15 among Women World Grand Masters.... , June Deutsch	Carol Sanders, Betty Ann Kennedy
1991	Leslie Paryzer, Nancy Widman	Claire Tornay, Kathie Walvick
1992	Cheri Bjerkan, Janice Seamon	Carol Sanders, Betty Ann Kennedy
1993	Carol Sanders, Betty Ann Kennedy	Shawn Womack, Jan Cohen
1994	Corinne Kirkham, Ann Kluewer	Bernace DeYoung, Ellasue Chaitt
1995	Lila Perlstein, Juanita Chambers	Ayako Amano, Miho Sekizawa
1996	Nancy Widman, Leslie Paryzer	Susan Wexler, Margie Gwozdzinsky
1997	Susan Wexler, Margie Gwozdzinsky	Suzy Burger, Barbara Sion
1998	Judi Radin, Valerie Westheimer	Carol Simon, Kitty Munson
1999	Harriet Eaton, Ellen Crawford	Mildred Breed, Shawn Quinn
2000	Joan Stein, Eunice Rosen Eunice Rosen Eunice Marya Rosen is an American bridge player. She is married to fellow bridge champion William Rosen.In 1958 and in 1966, Eunice and Bill won the Master Mixed Teams, now known as the Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match tournament. In 2000, she won the Whitehead Women's Pairs playing with Joan Stein...	Marilyn Hemenway, Barbara Fellows
2001	Judi Radin, Sylvia Moss	Tobi Sokolow Tobi Sokolow Tobi Sokolow is an American bridge player. As of April 2011 she ranks number 15 among Women World Grand Masters.... , Janice Seamon-Molson
2002	Cheri Bjerkan, Sue Weinstein	Kerri Sanborn, Karen McCallum
2003	Joan Eaton, Candace Griffey	Connie Goldberg, JoAnn Sprung
2004	Jacqui Mitchell, Amalya Kearse Amalya Lyle Kearse Amalya Lyle Kearse is a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and a world-class bridge player.-Legal career:...	Cynthia Balderson, Carole Miner
2005	Gail Greenberg, Laurie Vogel	Helen Abbott, Polly Dunn
2006	Sylvia Moss, Judi Radin	Cathy Strauch, Margie Gwozdzinsky
2007	Irina Ladyzhensky, Kamla Chawla	Valerie Westheimer, Migry Zur Campanile
2008	Lynne Feldman, Chris Benson	Diane Walker, Mickie Kivel
2009	Lisa Berkowitz, Joann Glasson	Hjordis Eythorsdottir, Valerie Westheimer
2010	Suzy Burger, Linda Lewis	Victoria Gromova, Tatiana Ponomareva
2011	Marjorie Michelin, Diana Schuld	Sylvia Moss, Judi Radin

Sources

List of previous winners, Page 8
2009 winners, Page 1