# Sternberg Women's Board-a-Match Teams

The Sternberg Women's Board-a-Match Teams bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC) and is a four session board-a-match event, two qualifying sessions and two final sessions. The event typically starts on the first Sunday of the NABC and is restricted to female players.

## History

The event was introduced in 1933 and was originally held at the winter NABC (there were only two NABCs - summer and winter). The original trophy was donated by George Coffin. In 1963, it was moved to the spring NABC. In 1976, the board-a-match format was changed to a knock-out format. The board-a-match format was re-introduced in 1986. The event is now held at the fall NABCs.
Dr. Jim Sternberg donated the current trophy in 2001 in memory of his wife, Marsha May Sternberg, who died in 2001 after a six-week battle with cancer.

## Winners

Five champion teams defended their titles without any change in team personnel, on seven occasions: 1936, 1944–1946, 1961, 1975, and 2010. The four-time winners from 1943 to 1946 were Emily Folline, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar, Sally Young. Folline and Sobel had been runners-up in 1942; Sobel also in 1941.
The 1974–75 champions were the last for the board-a-match tournament as the premier championship for women teams. They won the premier championship again in 1976, its first under knockout conditions. (See Wagar Women's Knockout Teams, for the Wagar Trophy that is named for one of the four-time board-a-match winners.)
Women's Board-a-Match Teams, 1933 to present :
| Year | Winners | Runners-up |
| 1933 | Mrs. Greene Fenley Jr., Mrs. Richard Field, Mrs. John W. Friedlander, Jane Wallace | Mollie Funk, Ethel Gardner, Marguerite Hoffmeier, Marie White |
| 1934 | Gail Hamilton, Marguerite Hoffmeier, Helen Pendelton Rockwell, Anne Rosenfeld | Elizabeth Banfield, Phyllis Gardner, Eva Gross, Dorothy Roberts |
| 1935 | Doris Fuller, Angela Quigley, Florence Stratford, Helen White | Gail Hamilton, Marguerite Hoffmeier, Helen Pendelton Rockwell, Anne Rosenfeld |
| 1936 | Doris Fuller, Angela Quigley, Florence Stratford, Helen White | Marge Anderson, Mrs. J. A. Faulkner, Marjorie Haldeman, Mrs. G. Keedick |
| 1937 | Martha Lemon, Mrs. A. Philip Stockvis, Mrs. Martin West, Sally Young | Doris Fuller, Angela Quigley, Helen Sobel, Florence Stratford |
| 1938 | Mrs. Galloway Morris, Lillian Peck, Olive Peterson, Mrs. Donald B. Tansill | Mariquita Fullerton, Mollie Funk, Ann Rosenfeld, Lucille Schwarz |
| 1939 | Mable Ervin, Doris Fuller, Helen Mitchell, Helen Sobel, Sally Young | Sylvia DeYoung, Margaret Katzen, Catherine W. Samberg, Florence Stratford |
| 1940 | Helen Levy, Adelaide Neuwirth, Margaret Wagar, Lottie Zetosch | Ruth Horn, Olga Hilliard, Marguerite McKenney, Gussie Planco |
| 1941 | Inez Buchannan, Mae Dickens, Mabel Scott, Linda Terry | Doris Fuller, Mrs. Joseph M. Rothschild, Helen Sobel, Sally Young |
| 1942 | Peggy Golder, Olga Hilliard, Olive Peterson, Ruth Sherman | Emily Folline, Doris Fuller, Ethel Gardner, Helen Sobel |
| 1943 | Emily Folline, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar, Sally Young | Eleanor Hirsch, Evelyn Lebhar, Marguerite McKenney, Florence Stratford |
| 1944 | Emily Folline, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar, Sally Young | Mrs. M. Godfrey, Mrs. C. W. Neeld, Dorothy Sullivan, Anne H. Todd |
| 1945 | Emily Folline, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar, Sally Young | Josephine Gutman, Gratian Goldstein, Marjorie Perlmutter, Gretchen Schildmiller |
| 1946 | Emily Folline, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar, Sally Young | Paula Bacher, Marie Basher, Jane Jaeger, Pauline Schmuckler |
| 1947 | 1/2. Marge Anderson, Ruby Lyons, Mimi Roncarelli, Jane Wallace 1/2. Cass Illig, Frances Robinson, Alma Stewart, Carolyn Sondheim | 1/2. Marge Anderson, Ruby Lyons, Mimi Roncarelli, Jane Wallace 1/2. Cass Illig, Frances Robinson, Alma Stewart, Carolyn Sondheim |
| 1948 | Ruth Gordon, Gratian Goldstein, Josephine Gutman, Charlotte Sidway | Ruth Gilbert, Olive Peterson, Edith Seligman, Ruth Sherman, Peggy Solomon |
| 1949 | 1/2. Hortense Evans, Frances Robinson, Mrs. Henry Sabatt, Carolyn Sondheim 1/2. Marianne Boschan, Catherine Cotter, Gertrude Eberson, Katherine McNutt | 1/2. Hortense Evans, Frances Robinson, Mrs. Henry Sabatt, Carolyn Sondheim 1/2. Marianne Boschan, Catherine Cotter, Gertrude Eberson, Katherine McNutt |
| 1950 | Marge Anderson, Mary Bowden, Ruth Gordon, G. Eloise Neil | 2/5. Olive Peterson, Ruth Sherman, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar 2/5. Shirley Fairchild, Mrs. Ezra Feldman, Rose Groves, Luise Mathews, Claire Meyer 2/5. Margaret Byrd, Isabelle Garn, Virginia Ploehn, Billy Traveletti 2/5. Inez Buchanan, Zodie Glover, Sally Herman, Mabel Scott |
| 1951 | Paula Bacher, Anne Burnstein, Dolly Rosenfeld, Edith Seligman, Sally Young | Thelma Hathorn, Mollie Steiner, Agatha Tiernan, Clara Tiernan, Mary Elizabeth Tiernan |
| 1952 | Jackie Begin, Sally Herman, Jessie S. Moore, Norma Matz | 2/3. Peggy Adams, Helen Baker, Marguerite Harris, Ethel Keohane 2/3. Kay Rhodes, Ruth Sherman, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar |
| 1953 | Gretchen Feldstein, Vera Glick, Gratian Goldstein, Lucille Schwarz | 2/3. Mary Jane Kauder, Kay Rhodes, Ruth Sherman, Margaret Wagar 2/3. Elaine Lee, Olive Peterson, Roberta Sheronas, Peggy Solomon |
| 1954 | Wynne Ecker, Doris Fuller, Marguerite Harris, Norma Matz | 2/5. Marguerite Bouldin, Lillian Hassler, Ann Jervis, Dorothy Payne 2/5. Marie Cohn, Olive Peterson, Pauline Schmuckler, Peggy Solomon 2/5. Kay Rhodes, Ruth Sherman, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar 2/5. Margaret Alcorn, Louise Eisenman, Emily Folline, Sue Reith |
| 1955 | Peggy Adams, Carlyn Brall, Louise Eisenman, Shirley Johnson, Juanita Strich | 2/4. Kay Rhodes, Ruth Sherman, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar 2/4. Anne Burnstein, Edith Kemp, Paula Levin, Ruth Steinberg, Sally Young 2/4. Ruth Gordon, Josephine Gutman, Evelyn Engleman, Margaret Katzen, G. Eloise Neil |
| 1956 | Peggy Rotzell, Jan Stone, Charlotte Sidway, Mary Elizabeth Tiernan | Kay Rhodes, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar, Sally Young |
| 1957 | Marie Cohn, Mary Jane Kauder, Stella Rebner, Peggy Solomon | Agnes Gordon, Kay Rhodes, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar |
| 1958 | Carlyn Brall, Bee Gale, Sally Johnson, Peggy Rotzell | Kay Rhodes, Helen Sobel, Margaret Wagar, Sally Young |
| 1959 | Margaret Alcorn, Lee Kasle, Josephine Sharp, Adaline Simon, Garner McDaniel | Kay Dunn, Jane Herb, Malvine Klausner, Helen Portugal, Rose Reif |
| 1960 | Roberta Erde, Sally Johnson, Barbara Kachmar, Bee Schenken | Joan Remey, Helen Shanbrom, Sylvia Stein, Marge Stone |
| 1961 | Roberta Erde, Sally Johnson, Barbara Kachmar, Bee Schenken | Mary Jane Farell, Terry Michaels, Peggy Solomon, Jan Stone |
| 1962 | Anne Burnstein, Edith Kemp, Alicia Kempner, Stella Rebner, Teddie Warner | Muriel Kaplan, Terry Michaels, Garner McDaniel, Jan Stone |
| 1963 | Pat Adler, Terry Michaels, Garner McDaniel, Carol Sanders, Sylvia Stein | Dorothy Hayden, Barbara Kachmar, Agnes Gordon, Helen Portugal, Margaret Wagar |
| 1964 | Hermine Baron, Mary Jane Farell, Peggy Solomon, Bee Schenken | Agnes Gordon, Dorothy Hayden, Helen Portugal, Margaret Wagar |
| 1965 | Virginia Heckel, Betty Kaplan, Edith Kemp, Jacqui Mitchell | Debbie Polak, Joan Remey, Carol Ruther, Sylvia Stein |
| 1966 | 1/2. Freida Arst, June Deutsch, Sylvia Stein, Carol Stoklin 1/2. Nancy Gruver, Garner McDaniel, Terry Michaels, Sue Sachs | 1/2. Freida Arst, June Deutsch, Sylvia Stein, Carol Stoklin 1/2. Nancy Gruver, Garner McDaniel, Terry Michaels, Sue Sachs |
| 1967 | Dorothy Hayden, Emma Jean Hawes, Agnes Gordon, Margaret Wagar | 2/3. Hermine Baron, Mary Jane Farell, Bee Schenken, Peggy Solomon 2/3. Dolores Bick, Jude Ballard, Ruth Needham, Viola Kirkwood |
| 1968 | Hermine Baron, Mary Jane Farell, Sally Johnson, Bee Schenken, Peggy Solomon, Rhoda Walsh | Jean Frankel, Teddy O.Brien, Mary Beth Townsend, Esta Van Zandt |
| 1969 | Karen Allison, Virginia Heckel, Edith Kemp, Alicia Kempner, Helen Portugal, Jan Stone | Nancy Gruver, Barbara Rappaport, Sue Sachs, Barbara Tepper |
| 1970 | Mary Jane Farell, Emma Jean Hawes, Dorothy Hayden, Marilyn Johnson, Jacqui Mitchell, Peggy Solomon | Dorothy Cowger, Diane Hawes, Florence Van Winkle, Freda Van Cleve |
| 1971 | Judi Friedenberg, Gail Moss, Marietta Passell, Helen Utegaard, Kathie Wei | Roberta Epstein, Gretchen Goldstein, Edith Kemp, Barbara Rappaport, Sylvia Stein |
| 1972 | Mary Jane Farell, Emma Jean Hawes, Dorothy Hayden, Sue Picus | Frieda Arst, June Deutsch, Eunice Rosen, Carol Stoklin |
| 1973 | Nancy Gruver, Terry Michaels, Jo Morse, Helen Utegaard | 2/4. Nancy Alpaugh, Fran Beard, Heitie Noland, Betsey Wolff, Esta Van Zandt 2/4. Mary Jane Farell, Marilyn Johnson, Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss, Marietta Passell, Kathie Wei 2/4. Jean Christopher, Muriel Peterson, Beverly Rosenberg, Elaine Sternberg |
| 1974 | Mary Jane Farell, Emma Jean Hawes, Marilyn Johnson, Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss, Dorothy Truscott | Hermine Baron, Carol Greenhut, Trudi Nugit, Kerri Shuman |
| 1975 | Mary Jane Farell, Emma Jean Hawes, Marilyn Johnson, Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss, Dorothy Truscott | Anita Davis, Mildred Freedman, Robin Grantham, Carol Klar |
| After 1975 the premier event for women teams was changed from board-a-match to knockout format, as the Wagar Women's Knockout Teams—and the 1974–75 champions won again in 1976. After ten years a board-a-match for women was restored. (The parallel board-a-match for men continued without break until its conversion to open in 1990. See Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams.) |||
| 1986 | Lisa Berkowitz, Dorothy Truscott, Joyce Lilie, Jan Martel | 2/4. Eunice Portnoy, Halina Jamner, Genevieve Geiger, Madelynn Treitel 2/4. Kathie Wei, Judi Radin, Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Greenberg, Carol Sanders, Betty Ann Kennedy 2/4. Rozanne Pollack, Roberta Epstein, Judy Tucker, Stasha Cohen, Sue Picus, Karen Allison |
| 1987 | Shirley Edelson, Donna Bailey, Lynn Blumenthal, Janice Randles | 2/3. Rozanne Pollack, Randi Montin, Stasha Cohen, Pam Wittes, Judy Tucker 2/3. Lynne Feldman, Ellasue Chaitt, Sharon Osberg, Judi Cody |
| 1988 | Lynne Feldman, Rozanne Pollack, Lisa Berkowitz, Sharon Osberg | 2/3. Mary Jane Farell, Roberta Epstein, Dorothy Truscott, Gail Greenberg, Kitty Bethe, Susan Green 2/3. Elspeth Moore, Andy O. Grady, Nancy Passell, Nell Cahn |
| 1989 | Lynne Schaefer, Suzy Burger, Petra Hamman, Joan Jackson | Beverly Rosenberg, Linda Lewis, Mary Hardy, Carol Pincus |
| 1990 | 1/2. Jacqui Mitchell, Amalya Kearse, Joyce Lilie, Nancy Alpaugh, Pamela Granovetter, Jo Morse 1/2. Judy Randel, Sally Woolsey, Broma Lou Reed, Marcia Masterson | 1/2. Jacqui Mitchell, Amalya Kearse, Joyce Lilie, Nancy Alpaugh, Pamela Granovetter, Jo Morse 1/2. Judy Randel, Sally Woolsey, Broma Lou Reed, Marcia Masterson |
| 1991 | Juanita Chambers, Cheri Bjerkan, Jill Meyers, Kay Schulle | Kathie Wei, Helen Utegaard, Betty Ann Kennedy, Carol Sanders, Lynn Deas, Beth Palmer |
| 1992 | Kathie Wei, Helen Utegaard, Betty Ann Kennedy, Carol Sanders, Beth Palmer, Lynn Deas | Sally Woolsey, Karen Singer, Dori Cohen, Karen Allison |
| 1993 | Juanita Chambers, Jan Cohen, Margie Gwozdzinsky, GerriAnne Klafter, Shawn Womack | Sharon Colson, Judy Pede, Jean Anderson, Carreen Hinds |
| 1994 | Dorothy Truscott, Hjördis Eythorsdottir, Mildred Breed, Tobi Deutsch | June Deutsch, Beverly Rosenberg, Carol Pincus, Lynne Feldman |
| 1995 | Kathie Wei-Sender, Sue Sachs, Carol Sanders, Betty Ann Kennedy, Lynn Deas, Beth Palmer | Judi Radin, Jacqui Mitchell, Lynn Tarnopol, Rhoda Kratenstein |
| 1996 | Sherie Greenberg, Jyme Schmieder, Fran Dickman, Diane Shannon | Joann Glasson, JoAnn Sprung, Sue Picus, JoAnna Stansby |
| 1997 | Sue Picus, Connie Goldberg, Rozanne Pollack, Lisa Berkowitz | Tobi Sokolow, Mildred Breed, Shawn Quinn, Renee Mancuso |
| 1998 | Judi Radin, Sylvia Moss, Mildred Breed, Shawn Quinn, Petra Hamman, Peggy Sutherlin | Margie Gwozdzinsky, Linda Lewis, Karen Barrett, Susan Wexler |
| 1999 | Lynn Baker, Tobi Sokolow, Karen McCallum, Jill Meyers, Randi Montin, Janice Seamon-Molson | Susan Miller, Jo Morse, Barbara Sion, Suzy Burger |
| 2000 | Petra Hamman, Peggy Sutherlin, Joan Jackson, Robin Klar, Shawn Quinn, Mildred Breed | Hjördis Eythorsdottir, Carol Sanders, Libby Fernandez, Judy Wadas, Valerie Westheimer |
| 2001 | Valerie Westheimer, Hjördis Eythorsdottir, Carol Simon, Rozanne Pollack | Lynn Deas, Beth Palmer, Jill Meyers, Irina Levitina, Randi Montin, Kerri Sanborn |
| 2002 | Valerie Westheimer, Hjördis Eythorsdottir, Judi Radin, Mildred Breed, Shawn Quinn | Lynn Baker, Debbie Rosenberg, Karen McCallum, Kerri Sanborn, Daniela von Arnim, Sabine Auken |
| 2003 | Carlyn Steiner, Marinesa Letizia, Jill Meyers, Randi Montin, Janice Seamon-Molson, Tobi Sokolow | Valerie Westheimer, Judi Radin, Mildred Breed, Shawn Quinn |
| 2004 | Hansa Narasimhan, Sue Picus, Irina Levitina, JoAnna Stansby, Jill Levin, Debbie Rosenberg | Kathy Sulgrove, Pam Wittes, JoAnn Sprung, Renee Mancuso, Karen Allison, Peggy Sutherlin |
| 2005 | Lynn Baker, Kay Schulle, Lynn Deas, Beth Palmer, Daniela von Arnim, Sabine Auken | Jean Talbot, Joan Van Geffen, Sylvia S. Caley, Marjorie Michelin |
| 2006 | Kerri Sanborn, Karen McCallum, Lynn Baker, Beth Palmer, Irina Levitina, Lynn Deas | Hansa Narasimhan, Rozanne Pollack, Debbie Rosenberg, JoAnna Stansby, Jill Levin, Jill Meyers |
| 2007 | Ping Zhu, Jian Wang, You Mei Zhou, Ping Wang, Shao Hong Wu | Valerie Weshheimer, Migry Zur Campanile, Hjördis Eythorsdottir, JoAnn Sprung |
| 2008 | Lynn Baker, Kerri Sanborn, Karen McCallum, Irina Levitina, Beth Palmer, Lynn Deas; Sam Dinkin (npc) | Hjördis Eythorsdottir, Valerie Westheimer, Marion Michielsen, Meike Wortel |
| 2009 | Daniela von Arnim, Sabine Auken, Bénédicte Cronier, Joyce Hampton, Sylvie Willard, Jenny Wolpert | Geeske Joel, Jill Levin, Jill Meyers, Debbie Rosenberg, Janice Seamon-Molson, Tobi Sokolow |
| 2010 | Daniela von Arnim, Sabine Auken, Bénédicte Cronier, Joyce Hampton, Sylvie Willard, Jenny Wolpert | Geeske Joel, Jill Levin, Jill Meyers, Debbie Rosenberg, Janice Seamon-Molson, Tobi Sokolow |
| 2011 | Geeske Joel, Jill Levin, Jill Meyers, Debbie Rosenberg, Janice Seamon-Molson, Tobi Sokolow | Marion Michielsen, Lynda Nitabach, Sandra Rimstedt, Emma Sjoberg, Meike Wortel |
| 2012 | Laura Dekkers, Joann Glasson, Marion Michielsen, Sylvia Moss, Cecilia Rimstedt, Meike Wortel | Bénédicte Cronier, Geeske Joel, Jill Meyers, Janice Seamon-Molson, Tobi Sokolow, Sylvie Willard |
| 2013 | Shannon Cappelletti, Bénédicte Cronier, Phyllis Fireman, Marion Michielsen, Sylvie Willard, Meike Wortel | Bernace De Young, Gen Geiger, Bronia Jenkins, Gigi Simpson |