Hearts. Spades. Diamonds. Clubs. Eagles.
Eagles?!
Yes, it’s true. Some of us, like yours truly, have enough trouble with a mere four suits. But, bridge history does include a time where some decided that Four Was Not Enough. Enter, the Eagles.
In the 1930’s, bridge enjoyed wide popularity. A gamester in Austria, Walther Marseille, invented the introduction of a fifth suit, the “Greens” or the “invulnerable” suit. In Britain, the fifth suit earned the “Royals” moniker. When Fifth Suit Bridge leaped over the pond, Americans called the new suit “Eagles.” At least six books were written, introducing and explaining how to handle the addition to the rest of the pack.
Alas. Apparently near the end of the ‘30’s, bridge players decided that the old standbys were quite sufficient. The popularity of the Eagles waned – and bridge returned to the deck we know and love so well.
How did I learn about these ancient Eagles? One of my co-workers discovered a pack of “Fifth’s” at his mother’s house. He told me, “I must tell Peggy about this!” (Yes, I am known around the office as “The Bridge Player.”)
This “bridge player” must be honest, however. Much as I am a bird lover – I think thirteen Eagles are for the birds! Nevertheless, always fun to learn about the extended history of our incredible game.
For more details about the era when Eagles were flying high, check out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suit_(cards)
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