Senior KO Teams – A Look Back

In the wee early morning hours of November 24, 1994, the six-man squad captained by Richard Hunt (Russ Arnold, Zeke Jabbour, Dan Morse, Chuck Said, John Sutherlin) fought off a halftime deficit to pull even in regulation, then won an eight-board playoff to capture the inaugural Senior Knockout Teams. This was the first North American title for three members of the team (Hunt, Jabbour and Said). Jabbour and Said also became Grand Life Masters with the victory. This win helped Hunt to claim the Top 500 title that year with 3146 masterpoints, breaking the record held by Grant Baze for 10 years.

Jabbour and Arnold were also members of the winning squad in 1995 and 1996. However, in the fourth year of the contest, they had to settle for the runner-up position after being defeated 132-106 in the final by the Bob Carteaux squad (Al Childs, Ralph Cohen, Chuck Said, David Adams). Adams and Childs became Grand LMs as a result of the victory.

Jabbour was back on top in 1998 and claimed the title again in 2001 and 2002 making him the player with the most wins in this event. Though no players are close to overtaking Jabbour’s six wins, a number of players have tallied three wins in the event (Dan Morse, Billy Eisenberg, Arnie Fisher, P.O. Sundelin and Tommy Sanders).

In 2009, the Senior Knockout Teams was renamed in honor of the late Grant Baze. Baze (1943-2009) was one of the all-time top masterpoints earners in the history of the ACBL. At the time of his death, he had accumulated more than 41,000 points, a feat only nine others have surpassed.

Baze won seven NABC titles over the course of his career and had seven second-place finishes as well. He was also a three-time winner of the World Senior Teams and notched one victory in the Transnational Teams.

A three-time winner of the Barry Crane Top 500 masterpoint race, Baze was also the first player to record more than 3000 points in a calendar year.

Baze may be best known, however, for his sartorial style (he was always attired in a suit and tie when he was at the table) and his strong ethical and professional approach to bridge. Baze was posthumously inducted into the ACBL Hall of Fame in 2012.

Play in this year’s Baze Senior Knockout Teams begins Friday, Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. Vugraph coverage will begin on BBO (www.bridgebase.com) on Dec. 1 and continue until the conclusion of the event.

The Baze Senior Knockout Teams is limited to players 55 and older. Defending champions are: Gaylor Kasle, Larry Kozlove, Peter Boyd, Steve Robinson, Fred Stewart and Kit Woolsey.

2012 1 Peter Boyd, Gaylor Kasle, Larry Kozlove, Steve Robinson, Fred Stewart, Kit Woolsey
2 Bart Bramley, Vinita Gupta, Bob Hamman, Jeff Meckstroth, Billy Miller, Lew Stansby

2011 1 Neil Chambers, Mark Feldman, Kyle Larsen, Bill Pollack, Rose Meltzer, John Schermer
2 Roger Bates, Drew Casen, Marc Jacobus, Jim Krekorian, Lou Ann O’Rourke, Eddie Wold

2010 1 Roger Bates, Drew Casen, Marc Jacobus, Jim Krekorian, Eddie Wold
2 Dan Gerstman, Steve Landen, Dan Morse, Fred Stewart, John Sutherlin, Kit Woolsey

2009 1 Garey Hayden, Mark Lair, Carolyn Lynch, Melih Ozdil, Mike Passell
2 Arnie Fisher, Allan Graves, Fred Hamilton, Amos Kaminski, George Mittelman

2008 1 John Carruthers, Fred Chang, Matt Granovetter, Sam Lev, Reese Milner, P.O. Sundelin
2 Geof Brod, Richard DeMartino, Pat McDevitt, John Stiefel

2007 1 Dennis Clerkin, Jerry Clerkin, Bruce Ferguson, Robert Hollman, Brenda Keller
2 Zeke Jabbour, Mike Levine, Dan Morse, Chuck Said, Allan Siebert, Bobby Wolff

2006 1 Amos Kaminski, Yeshayahu Levit, George Mittelman, Melih Ozdil, Pinhas Romik
2 Arnie Fisher, Gene Freed, Fred Hamilton, Paul Ivaska, Tony Kasday, Jim Tritt

2005 1 Neil Chambers, Morris Chang, John Schermer, Bobby Wolff
2 Pierre Flatowicz, James Nash, Randy Pettit, Allan Siebert, Don Stack, Alan Stout

2004 1 Tony Ames, Rod Beery, Mary Egan, John Koch
2 Hamish Bennett, Frances Dickman, Chris Larsen, Bruce Noda, Mike Shuman, Gene Simpson

2003 1 Dennis Dawson, Clement Jackson, John Mohan, Dan Morse, John Sutherlin, Bobby Wolff
2 Daniel Colatosti, Mel Colchamiro, Richard DeMartino, John Malley, Pat McDevitt, John Stiefel

2002 1 Arnie Fisher, Zeke Jabbour, Mike Levine, Dan Morse, P.O. Sundelin, Bobby Wolff
2 Daniel Colatosti, Mel Colchamiro, Lewis Finkel, John Malley, Bernie Miller, John Stiefel

2001 1 Arnie Fisher, Zeke Jabbour, Mike Levine, Randy Pettit, Allan Siebert, P.O. Sundelin
2 Hamish Bennett, Billy Eisenberg, Joe Kivel, Chris Larsen, Jim Robison, Gene Simpson

2000 1 Richard Budd, Richard DeMartino, William Hunter, Pat McDevitt, Shome Mukherjee, Robert Ryder
2 Chuck Burger, Bernie Chazen, Allan Cokin, Robert H. Lipsitz, Richard Reisig, Jim Sternberg

1999 1 Bernie Chazen, Allan Cokin, Billy Eisenberg, Robert H. Lipsitz, Richard Reisig, Jim Sternberg
2 Richard Budd, William Hunter, Shome Mukherjee, Robert Ryder

1998 1 Arnie Fisher, Fred Hamilton, Zeke Jabbour, Mike Levine, Chuck Said, Thomas K. Sanders
2 Gene Freed, Simon Kantor, James Koley, Syd Levey, Gene Simpson

1997 1 David Adams, Bob Carteaux, Al Childs, Ralph Cohen, Chuck Said
2 Russ Arnold, Arnie Fisher, Zeke Jabbour, Mike Levine, Jim Linhart, P.O. Sundelin

1996 1 Russ Arnold, Mary Chilcote, Billy Eisenberg, Fred Hamilton, Zeke Jabbour, Thomas K. Sanders
2 Marty Baff, William Esberg, Howard Hertzberg, Simon Kantor, Robert Ryder

1995 1 Russ Arnold, Billy Eisenberg, Benito Garozzo, Zeke Jabbour, Thomas K. Sanders
2 Don Brock, Norm Coombs, Leonard Ernst, Richard Hart, Loren Hawkins, Michael Slaven

1994 1 Russ Arnold, Richard Hunt, Zeke Jabbour, Dan Morse, Chuck Said, John Sutherlin
2 Hamish Bennett, William Esberg, Howard Hertzberg, Joan Remey Moore, Duncan Phillips, Robert Ryder