Harry Fishbein

Harry J. Fishbein (April 18, 1897 – February 19, 1976) was an American bridge player and club owner.[1] He used to be a professional basketball player. In teams-of-four competition, Fishbein was a runner-up for the world championship in the 1959 Bermuda Bowl, playing on the United States team in a three-way round-robin among Europe, North America, and South America representatives.[2] Fishbein was "the presiding genius" of the famous Mayfair club [or Mayfair Bridge Club][3] for more than 20 years"[1] – proprietor of the training ground of experts from 1943 to 1966. As of 1960 he was also ACBL Treasurer.[3]

Harry J. Fishbein
Born	April 18, 1897 Manhattan, New York City
Died	February 19, 1976 (aged 78) Manhattan, New York City
Nationality	American
Known for	bridge player and club owner

He developed the Fishbein convention as a defense against preemptive opening bids.

Biography

He was born on April 18, 1898 in Manhattan, New York City. He died on February 19, 1976 at the New York Infirmary following a heart attack.[1]

Legacy

Fishbein was inducted into the ACBL Hall of Fame in 2000.[4][5]

He was a second cousin of the noted Orthodox Jewish scholar J.D. Eisenstein.

Publications

• —— (1960). The Fishbein Convention. New York: Crown Publishers. LCCN 60008621.

Bridge accomplishments

Honors

• ACBL Hall of Fame, 2000[4]

Wins

• North American Bridge Championships (16)
  • Master Individual (2) 1942, 1952 [6]
  • von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs (2) 1939, 1940 [7]
  • Wernher Open Pairs (1) 1959 [8]
  • Hilliard Mixed Pairs (3) 1937, 1942, 1946 [9]
  • Vanderbilt (5) 1936, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1958 [10]
  • Marcus Cup (1) 1967
  • Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams (1) 1965 [11]
  • Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match (1) 1947 [12]

Runners-up

• Bermuda Bowl (1) 1959
• North American Bridge Championships
  • Master Individual (1) 1938 [13]
  • Silodor Open Pairs (2) 1959, 1968 [14]
  • Wernher Open Pairs (1) 1940 [8]
  • Nail Life Master Open Pairs (1) 1963 [15]
  • Open Pairs (1928-1962) (5) 1934, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1942 [16]
  • Masters Team of 4 (1) 1937 [17]
  • Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams (3) 1952, 1953, 1960 [11]
  • Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match (2) 1945, 1948 [12]
  • Reisinger (4) 1942, 1953, 1957, 1959 [18]
  • Spingold (3) 1943, 1945, 1958 [19]

References

1. "Harry J. Fishbein Is Dead at 78; Won 16 National Bridge Titles". The New York Times. February 21, 1976.
2. "9th World Team Championships" (1959). WBF. Retrieved 2014-11-05.
3. Contract Bridge: Mr. Fishbein Writes a Book to Explain His Convention and Its Corollaries". Albert H. Morehead. The New York Times. April 18, 1960. Page 26.
4. "Induction by Year". Hall of Fame. ACBL. Retrieved 2014-11-14.
5. "Fishbein, Harry". Hall of Fame. ACBL. Retrieved 2014-12-21.
6. "List of Previous Winners". American Contract Bridge League.
7. "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.
8. "Wernher Open Pairs Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-07-22. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
9. "Mixed Pairs Previous Winners". American Contract Bridge League.
10. "Vanderbilt Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-03-24. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
11. "Mitchell BAM Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2013-12-01. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
12. "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.
13. "List of Previous Winners". American Contract Bridge League.
14. "Silodor Open Pairs Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-07-27. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
15. "Life Master Open Pairs Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2013-11-29. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
16. "Open Pairs Previous Winners". American Contract Bridge League.
17. "List of Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-07-21. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
18. "Reisinger Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2013-12-06. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
19. "Spingold Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-07-21. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-17.

External links

• Citation at the ACBL Hall of Fame
• "International record for Harry Fishbein". World Bridge Federation.