John Lowenthal died Tuesday, Dec 7, 1999.
He was of course a gifted player and writer, but he was also a unique
friend. For those who were deprived of the opportunity to know him, I
would like to share some of the highlights of my friendship with him
here.
John and I met in 1989. At the time we both subscribed to something
called BIX, which was a small network devoted primarily to discussions
among computer professionals of technical issues. John was a
programmer; I had recently left programming as a career but still
followed developments in the field.
"Excuse me," I asked him one day via what passed for e-mail back then.
"Are you *the* John Lowenthal?" He was genuinely surprised by the
question. "I guess so," he wrote back. We were both living in New
York, so he invited me to visit him.
For the next ten years he and I regularly got together. He seemed to
know about every Asian restaurant in New York, and we often drove
downtown or out to Queens to sample some exotic cuisine or another. One
night we shared a particularly elegant meal at a Vietnamese restaurant.
After I had praised his selection, he gave me a conspiratorial look and
said, "You see this body?" (John weighed well over 300 pounds.) "I
didn't get this way by putting junk food into it."
He was a fascinating guy to talk to about almost any subject. Naturally
we talked a lot about bridge. He had an endless supply of problems,
theories, anecdotes. Of all the problems he gave me -- and the number
must have run into the several hundred -- this is perhaps my favorite:
xx
K9x
AKxxx
xxx
KQJxxx
Axx
x
AKx
You have reached the decidedly poor contract of six spades, and LHO
leads the heart queen. While you are wondering how you can possibly
manufacture a twelfth trick, your fairy godmother whispers in your ear,
"RHO has 4-3-3-3 distribution." Well, that's useful to know, but which
is his four-card suit? "Sorry, I can't tell you that," she says, then
disappears. (No complaints about "unauthorized information," please.)
Plan the play.
John was a rabid baseball fan. A few times every year we went to Queens
to see his beloved Mets. Going to a baseball game was a physical
struggle for John. His lack of mobility and the discomfort of sitting
in a small, hard stadium seat for several hours were obstacles, but he
loved going out out to Shea and would not be deterred.
For some reason he thought I knew a lot about baseball. Every personnel
change the Mets made, no matter how trivial, would prompt a phone call
from him. If they traded minor-league backup catchers with another
team, John wanted to discuss the trade in microscopic detail. Several
times today I've caught myself wondering what he thinks about John
Olerud's signing with Seattle.
Bridge was not the only game that intrigued John. He followed top-level
chess assiduously. The two of us learned how to play go together.
On one occasion the two of us went out to Brooklyn for a monthly meeting
of the Brooklyn go club. We were the only two bridge players there, but
John's bridge ability was known to, and respected by, the others. Also
present was Dave Babcock, once one of the US's strongest junior chess
players.
The group conversation turned to the subject of what we all thought were
the appealing features of various games, and why. Naturally bridge,
chess, and go were cited as great games. Somebody suggested that poker
deserved to be considered a great game. Another guest mentioned
backgammon.
John was pretty quiet and attentive throughout the whole discussion, but
after a while he couldn't restrain himself any longer. "Yes, these are
all great games you are describing," he said, very slowly and
thoughtfully.
"But the *best* game is baseball."
Goodbye, big guy. I'll miss you.
Steve Grant
---------------------------------------------------
Kitty Munson asked me to post this --and told me that she should have
mentioned John's other contribution to Bridge; BOREL.
BARRY RIGAL
John Lowenthal passed away at 61 yesterday, dec 7, of liver cancer.
He will be much missed. His most famous contribution to bridge theory was
probably the "stripe tailed ape" double.
He had much success in bridge playing the Canary club invented with
his partner the late Paul Heitner. This was the first relay system ever used
in this country. They represented South Africa in the early 70s, where they
were posted to build a computer system for the railroad and where he met
his present wife Celia.
Younger players may not remember the "Lowenthal on Lead" series in the
Post Mortem of the late 70s, but John was infamous for his unorthodox
views on leads and made some spectacular and successful leads of unsupported
honors. Most famously the K from KJ109xx against 3NT pinning the stiff Q
in dummy.
His health had kept him from attending Nationals in recent years. He
captained my team, which included his former partner Carol Simon,
brilliantly to victory in the women's trials of 1995 but due to health
did not go to China with us.
Condolences can be sent to his wife and daughter
Celia and Lia Lowenthal
1260 Cotter Ave
Duarte, CA 91010
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In lieu of flowers make contributions in John's name to
ACBL Junior Fund
2990 Airways Blvd
Memphis TN
38116-3847
phone 901 332-5586
(ask for Richard Oshlag)
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