Balboa Park-based bridge club in its 65th year

By Dave Fidlin | SDUN Reporter

Not long after he moved to San Diego a year ago, Stuart Showalter was walking down Sixth Avenue and came across a banner advertising a local bridge club. Inquisitive, he decided to check it out.

Fast forward a year later and Showalter, a Hillcrest resident, has reignited his love of a game he began playing in junior high.

The San Diego Redwood Bridge Club has been a staple at Balboa Park for more than 65 years. Today, the venerable organization boasts 150 active members. On average, another 50 people frequent the club on various dates and times on an ad-hoc basis and pay a per-game fee.

At age 66, Showalter was born almost at the same time the club was founded. In jest, he said club members are generally part of a “greying demographic,” though he is one of the younger members. The eldest will celebrate his 100th birthday later this year.

Age aside, club members share a common bond: they are young at heart and as mentally sharp as ever.

“Bridge is a lot like golf,” Showalter said. “It drives your patience, but it’s a great sport. It’s also a challenging mental sport.”

Club members and infrequent drop-ins are at varied states with the game. Some participants hold hundreds of master points – a prestigious designation – through the American Contract Bridge League. Others view it as merely a fun pastime activity.

“For the most part, we’re all just here to have fun,” Showalter said. “Bridge involves a lot of strategy, intrigue and competition.”

Evelyn Lantz-Murphy, also a Hillcrest resident, has been a part of the club since 1998. An avid, longtime bridge player, she had previously played at the Admiral Baker Clubhouse and decided to make a transition when cost became an issue.

“We have a very nice time here,” Lantz-Murphy said. “Redwood is a very nice club. Everyone’s friendly, and it turns out to be an enjoyable outing.”

Lantz-Murphy is among the club’s regulars. She plays on five of the six days the club is open each week.

“Sometimes I’ll come in and substitute for someone else when I’m not normally scheduled to play,” Lantz-Murphy said. “I live just six blocks from [Balboa Park], so it’s pretty easy to do.”

Showalter credits the club’s longevity in part to the strong relationship with the San Diego Park and Recreation Department, which oversees Balboa Park. Showalter said the city charges the club modest rent to use its facility within the venue.

Throughout the day, the club generally has between six and 10 tables set up to accommodate the players participating. Four people are seated at each table.

When the club is not holding games, an associated, offshoot organization, the San Diego Bridge Academy, holds classes in the same facility.

Dave Walters is director of the academy and one of the center’s teachers. Walters began teaching bridge classes about a decade ago when people began expressing interest.

“I have a passion for teaching,” Walters said. “I began holding lessons with private, small groups and was doing this out of people’s homes. After about a year, it became clear I needed a bigger space.”

Walters approached the club about renting the same space at Balboa Park, and the relationship between the two organizations began eight years ago. The academy holds three series of classes based on a person’s skill level.

“You get better over time, but you never quite master the game of bridge,” Walters said. “After a few years of classes, people usually stop and work at their own pace.”

The club plays bridge Mondays through Saturdays at the Balboa Park location, 3111 Sixth Ave. Games begin at 12:15 sharp, organizers said, and there are also regularly scheduled lectures and open games in the evenings. Cost is $2 for members and $5 for guests, with annual memberships at $25.

For information about the San Diego Redwood Bridge Club, call 619-296-4274. For the San Diego Bridge Academy, visit sandiegobridgeacademy.com or call 619-298-5756.