Scrap Book Album of Russell Roosen, Bridge Player from Detroit, Michigan, 1927-1945
Russell W. Roosen was born on May 15, 1908 in Detroit, Michigan to Peter (1994-?) and Elsie (1889- ?) Roosen. He had one sister, Gladys Roosen (1907- ?). Russell became an extremely proficient bridge player at a young age, eventually becoming the bridge columnist for the Detroit Free Press for over twelve years. He was a five-time winner of the MBA's (Michigan Bridge Association Stein Trophy, and he managed several local bridge clubs, including Knickerbockers and the Metro for 25 years. He was also a nationally known composer of bridge problems, and he invented the diagrammed deal as a way of illustrating all the cards in a single diagram. When he moved to Connecticut with his wife, Jeanne, in 1985 the MBA named a tournament after him. Russell died in New Haven CT, in March 1995, he was 86 years old and at the time of his death was an Alzheimer's patient.
New York: Educational Press, Inc, 1950. Russell W Roosen was an expert bridge player from Detroit, Michigan. He competed professionally in the game as well as taught classes and gave lectures at the local country clubs. This album is a scrap book, filled with newspaper clippings and other memorabilia. Throughout the late 1920s and 1930s Russell Roosen was a champion bridge player that competed on the national level. The majority of the newspaper clippings are from this time and feature a variety descriptions of the games he played. In addition to the clippings, there are several flyers and promotional materials from when he began teaching bridge classes. Roosen was even sent on a cruise to the the Thousand Islands where he taught bridge on the ship. When the war broke out, Roosen enlisted in the Army. At this point the album shifts to a record of his time as a Private in the Army serving in the Pacific Ocean Theater during WWII. The majority of items included from this time are local Detroit clippings that mention him, photographs from his Army days and a few pieces of correspondence. One of which was sent to him by a a member of the Detroit Free Press which starts off stating, "Your most interesting letter, with perhaps the most interesting section riddled by censor, got in this morning..." Another funny tit bit comes from a newspaper clipping which talks about the trouble Roosen almost got into by describing himself on an Army questionnaire as a "bridge expert". His superior officer, at hearing that he was a "bridge expert" mistakenly thought he meant an expert in bridge construction and he was promptly assigned to guard a bridge. The article ends with "If he is as good a bridge tender as he is a bridge player, the officer made no mistake." A the end of the book is a letter, mechanically signed by President Harry Truman, thanking Roosen for his service.Red covers, with a stamped border design, and the name "Russell Roosen" gilded on the front cover. Approximately 50 pages of the scrap book is filled with ephemera. The materials within the scrap book date from 1927 to the mid 1940s, however the scrap book itself is from 1950 and as such the album must have been assembled after 1950. The book was published by the Educational Press, Inc, from New York and was 'size B' from their "Book Shelf Scrap Book and Album" collection. 11 3/4" x 9 1/2" Great condition. Rubbing on edge of covers. Minor toning on interior pages. There is some discoloration/staining where the newspaper clippings were pasted into the book.
Price: $175.00
Item #28003150