We are highlighting our virtual club directors since there are many players participating who may not know them. This month we are featuring our Sunday and Monday afternoon director, David White. 

Dave White took up bridge after his family refused to let a ten-year-old stay up and play in the Friday night Pinochle game. He earned his high school varsity letter as a freshman on the Bridge team. He got started in directing in 1974 when a regular tournament director got sick and they were desperate for a substitute. 

During his twenty years in the Air Force, he played bridge all over the world and became a Life Master while playing in Portugal and Germany. While overseas he kept busy directing ACBL tournaments in Germany, England, and Italy. David said: “Yes, the Air Force took second place to my bridge career.” 

After the Air Force, Dave finished his formal education. He thinks 29 years some sort of record to get a BS, but we see in the news that there are plenty of people who finish their degrees after retiring from their regular job. He took more classes in Physics and Rocket Engines, with an advisor who was a horrible bridge player. After a couple of successful inventions, he finally had enough money to play some serious bridge. 

Alas, ACBL then hired him to oversee the new scoring program. They fired him when it crashed disastrously. Re-hired him to maintain the current program a little longer; was fired again when they gave up on that project. Another record: ACBL has hired him four times, fired him three. 

Before COVID, Dave usually played with Pat Larin of Rancho Mirage, on the first and last day of any tournament he was working. He also played as often as possible with Bob McBroom in Santa Clarita. He says they are the only two people who can tolerate his peculiarly weird sense of humor and archaic weak notrump system. 

Since COVID, Dave’s 50-year marriage license, to a non-bridge player, has expired. He now commutes from Lancaster to Rancho Mirage. Today he is running more games than he plays in and is still looking for opportunities to play more serious bridge. He also serves as District 23’s webmaster. No grass is growing under his feet.