Doris Fuller
Doris B. Fuller[1] (died early 1962) was an American bridge player and teacher from New York City.[2]
She was the wife of Robert B. "Bob" Fuller.[2]
The veteran New York Times bridge columnist Albert Morehead wrote in tribute, under the subheading "Colorful Player Dies" on February 6, 1962: "The death of Doris Fuller (Mrs. Robert B. Fuller) last week removed from the bridge scene one of the most colorful characters of the times thirty or more years ago when contract bridge was a new game."[2] She had been a bridge teacher and club duplicate director, as well as a champion player. According to Morehead, "many an aspiring young bridge expert" during the Great Depression played bridge for the money to live. "Bob Fuller was making a living and his wife always had a spare dollar for anyone who couldn't eat without it."[2]
Fuller directed both regular bridge games at "several New York clubs"[2] and some special events. Prior to the annual Asbury Park tournament in 1941, for example, she and Al Sobel held in a city hotel "their annual duplicate game" whose prize was payment of tournament entry fees; she and Mrs. E. M. Goddard conducted tournament "warm-up games".[3]
Fuller first won the American Bridge League or "national" championship for women teams-of-four in 1935 with Helen White, Florence Stratford, and Angela Quigley. Fuller and White were partners at least on the deal featured in a Morehead bridge column.[1] The same foursome were champions again in 1936, and runners-up in 1937 when White was newly wed to Al Sobel – or Helen Sobel, as she became world-famous.
Bridge accomplishments
Wins
- North American Bridge Championships (8)
- Whitehead Women's Pairs (2) 1933, 1937 [4]
- Wagar Women's Knockout Teams (4) 1935, 1936, 1939, 1954 [5]
- Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match (2) 1931, 1938 [6]
Runners-up
- North American Bridge Championships
- von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs (1) 1937 [7]
- Whitehead Women's Pairs (3) 1935, 1936, 1939 [4]
- Wagar Women's Knockout Teams (3) 1937, 1941, 1942 [5]
- Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match (2) 1930, 1934 [6]
References
- "Interstate Women Lead in Bridge Tilt". Albert Morehead. The New York Times. December 3, 1935. Page 28.
- "Contract Bridge: Maplewood Team Wins Jersey Masters' Event — Tribute Paid to Doris Fuller". Albert Morehead. The New York Times. February 6, 1962. Page 55. Quote: "The death of Doris Fuller (Mrs. Robert B. Fuller) last week".
- "Bridge: Test of Bidding Systems". Albert Morehead. The New York Times. July 20, 1941. Page XX10.
- "Whitehead Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-03-27. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- "Wagar Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-07-21. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- "Mixed BAM Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-07-24. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- "von Zedtwitz LM Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-06-18. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.