Norman Kay, 74, a Bridge Champion Sans Title, Is Dead

January 20, 2002
By ALAN TRUSCOTT for the New York Times

Norman Kay, one of the world's great bridge players, died on Thursday at his home in Narberth, Pa. He was 74. The cause was an acute pulmonary embolism, said his wife, Judy.

Mr. Kay had a good claim to be considered the best player who never won a world title. He came close to a world championship title on three occasions in the 1960's, losing each time to the Italian team that dominated international play in that decade. In 1961 he played in Buenos Aires with Sidney Silodor as his partner. In 1967 in Miami Beach and in 1968 in Deauville, France, he played with Edgar Kaplan. In the Deauville final, the Americans trailed by just 11 imps with five deals remaining, but their opponents held on to win. His partnership with Mr. Kaplan, who died in 1997, lasted more than 40 years, the most enduring ever at the highest levels of the game. They had a remarkable record in the major national team championships: In the quarter-century from 1966 to 1990, they won the Vanderbilt Teams five times, the Reisinger Teams seven times and the Spingold Teams twice. They were second 10 times. The five other titles they won together included the Blue Ribbons Pairs.

Mr. Kay was widely regarded as a gentleman in a gentleman's game, never criticizing his partner or his opponents. Unlike most of those he faced in major championship finals, he remained an amateur throughout his career. He made his mark on the national scene at 28, in 1955, when he won the Master's Individual, a test of adaptability, and the McKenney Trophy for the best overall performance in the tournament year.

He won five national titles before he began his partnership with Mr. Kaplan. In 1977 he was named the top-performing player of the previous two decades by the American Contract Bridge League's Bulletin. In 1996 he was elected to the league's Hall of Fame. He was a co-author of "The Complete Book of Duplicate Bridge," published in 1965.

Mr. Kay was an account executive for Merrill Lynch for 38 years, retiring as a vice president in 1987. He operated a sports memorabilia business from 1980 to 1996. He and his wife owned and raced a stable of harness horses from 1980 to 1986.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Robin, and a son, Larry, both of Atlantic City.

FROM THE ACBL WEB SITE

Norman Kay Norman Kay, one of the world's leading bridge players for more than five decades, died Jan. 17 at his home in Narberth PA. He was 74. Kay won his first North American championship in 1955 and -- 26 championships later -- his last in 1997. With Edgar Kaplan, he formed one of the most successful and longest-lating partnerships, spanning more than 40 years. It was ended only by Kaplan's death in 1997.

Kay finished second in the Bermuda Bowl twice and had a second and third in the World Olympiad Teams. He was a WBF Life Master and an ACBL Grand Life Master. Kay was elected to the ACBL Bridge Hall of Fame in 1996 and was ACBL's 2001 Honorary Member of the Year.