Handbook - International Bridge Press Association

THE 1997 IBPA AWARD
FOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Lynn Deas (USA)
The world's top woman player, measured by WBF
master points, is the American star, Lynn Deas. In the
past to years she has won four world titles: The
Venice Cup in Jamaica (1987), in Perth, Australia
(1989), and in Yokohama, Japan (1991), and the
Women's Team Olympiad in Rhodes, 1996. She has
also won countless American National titles.
This has been accomplished in the face of a disabling
health problem, which has become progressively
worse during her decade of success. She suffers
from myasthenia gravis, a muscular disorder for
which there is no cure. For the last year she has been
confined to a wheelchair, and has to play bridge, with
all her accustomed brilliance, in a horizontal position.
When she arrived in Hammamet, Tunisia, she was
immediately hospitalised with pneumonia, a far more
serious development than it would be for a person in
normal health. She has been unable to compete so
far, but she and her team-mates hope that she will
soon return to the card-tables and battle for another
possible world title. .
For her dignity and cheerfulness in the face of this
heavy burden, the International Bridge Press Association
has named her as the recipient of its 1997 Sporting
Award. This award has been in abeyance for many
years.
THE 2001 IBPA AWARD
FOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Andrew Robson (GBR)
In January this year Zia Mahmood and Andrew
Robson retained their title in what many rate to be the
world’s toughest Pairs tournament, the Cap Gemini.
Robson, happily married with a young child, a successful
bridge club in London, and a bridge column in
one of the world’s most respected newspapers, the
London Times, was a man to be envied. Less than a
month later fate dealt a cruel blow.
Hill-walking was one of Andrew’s favourite pastimes.
Relaxing in England’s beautiful Lake District, he
left his wife and child at the hotel, and went for a walk
on his own. Slipping on black ice, he fell some thirty
feet down a ravine. He was too badly injured to use
his mobile phone. After some hours, he was fortunately
seen by another walker, who called the Wasdale
Mountain Rescue Team. He was flown by RAF
helicopter to the Lake District hospital. The list of his
injuries was horrific. It would be quicker to name the
bones, which were not broken!
His future was in jeopardy. But the good news was
that the brain was undamaged. To a bridge-player that
meant the other problems had a long-term solution.
After five months of intensive and courageous recuperation,
Robson’s recovery confounded the medics.
He took to the bridge table again at the American
Nationals in July with distinction. He has renewed a
partnership with Tony Forrester that, ten years ago,
was Britain’s best-known. Their team has reached the
last four of the England’s Trials to determine England’s
representatives for next year’s Europeans.
For his spectacular recovery from adversity we
give our Sportsmanship Award to Andrew Robson.
Robson became World Junior Champion in 1989,
and won the McAllen Pairs in 1990 with Tony Forrester.
In 1991 he was European Team champion.
IBPA Handbook 2010 153