Now this is a great player!

What a pleasure to see the Sidney H. Lazard Jr. Sportsmanship Award for 2014 go to Bob Hamman!  It’s not just that he is the all-time WBF leader in placing points, but rather that, as stated by Steve Weinstein, “He is the best that bridge has to offer. He wins and loses (bold italics mine) with dignity and finesse…. . Bob tends to his business at the table while being an ultra-model for good sportsmanship, goodwill and good behavior. He makes the game more pleasant and more fun”.

The members of the committee tasked with selecting a winner were Sidney Lazard Sr., Steve Weinstein, Steve Beatty and ……Zia Mahmood.

When getting the first of his three “Player Of The Year” awards in 1990, Bob noted that his calm demeanor at the table had a purpose in saying “I have learned that if your partner screws up or the opponents fix you, these things happen when you play bridge. Dwelling on them does no good whatsoever”.  

What a fantastic model for our younger players, or our older ones just starting into bridge!