Hugh MacLean was a big fixture for many years in the Twin Cities bridge world. Ron DeHarrporte shares his memories of Hugh with us.
UPDATE: In addition to Ron's remembrance, here is Hugh's obituary.
UPDATE: In addition to Ron's remembrance, here is Hugh's obituary.
Hugh was a colorful guy.
On my first day at the University of Minnesota, around the first of October 1956, I walked into the card room in Coffman Memorial Union and Hugh was sitting alone at an empty table shuffling a deck of cards. I walked over and we introduced ourselves and he suggested a game of gin.
That was the beginning, if not a friendship, a very long and, at times, close relationship. We played hundreds of sessions of duplicate bridge both as partners, team members, and opponents. We played thousands of hours of rubber bridge that included some notorious anecdotes. Like the time Hugh and Morrie Frier spotted Roger Seeland, an aggressive if inexperienced player, and I, the Ace of Spades on every deal with a contract to play ten rubbers for the then momentous sum of a penny a point. After they finally realized that an Ace was too big a spot even to an chimpanzee they spotted us the right to look at the dummy before the opening lead was made. That was even worse for them.
I remember many times when, after an evening duplicate, and a stop at Embers or the Rainbow, we would go over to his apartment and he would rouse his new wife, Adeila, who had to get up to go to work in the morning, to make coffee, and we would play rubber bridge until he had to take her to work because they had only one car.
I remember many times when, after an evening duplicate, and a stop at Embers or the Rainbow, we would go over to his apartment and he would rouse his new wife, Adeila, who had to get up to go to work in the morning, to make coffee, and we would play rubber bridge until he had to take her to work because they had only one car.
Another time a couple of self described experts from the Jewish fraternity house on campus came over to the card room issuing a challenge to "two best players in the room". Hugh and I played them several sessions at both our home court, the card room, and at the Sammy House in front of many Kibitzers. We never lost a session. One of them, Lyle Berman, later became famous as a very successful businessman and world champion poker player.
Hugh and I and Dick Dufour enlisted in the Army together trying to avoid the draft. I must say, it was quite a trip watching Mclean struggle to survive Basic Training. But he had a lot of courage, if not much coordination, and he always showed good humor. We ended up in Fort Lee Virginia and spend nearly every weekend traveling to surrounding bridge tournaments.
He always said that he thought he could win enough money to support himself without working and I believe that he is the only person I know who lived his entire life without ever getting a Social Security card.
Hugh and I had our differences but he was absolutely one of the funniest people I have ever known. His humor was almost always at the expense of someone else, often including me, but it was very hard to keep from laughing when you were around him. He had a truly brilliant mind and, while he certainly did not use it in the manner commonly expected, he led the life he wanted to and I am sad that he is gone.
Hugh was my cousin, 7 years older than me. I have not seen him since I was a young girl. My mother was his aunt, his mother's sister. Most of my family, aunts uncles and cousins have passed on. I had been trying to find him off and on for years and this was sad to hear. I have some things that were in my mother's personal possessions that I had wanted to give to him. If anyone can help me find his wife I would really appreciate it. Judy Brokaw [email protected]
Posted by: Judy Brokaw | September 06, 2010 at 11:22 PM