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	(1897-04-18)April 18, 1897 Manhattan, New York City
Died	February 19, 1976(1976-02-19) (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]