Bertram Lebhar Jr.

Bertram Lebhar Jr. (1907–1972) was an American bridge player, sportscaster, and radio executive who won the Spingold in 1940 and the Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match in 1946.

Early life Lebhar was born in New York City to magazine editor Bertam Lebhar Sr. and his wife Rose. In 1923 he was awarded a state scholarship to Cornell University. After graduating from Cornell, Lebhar attended New York University Law School, but chose to pass on a legal career in favor of going to radio advertising sales. In 1939, the Blue Ribbon Team of Lebhar, Katz, Oscar Brotman, and Louis Newman made it to the semifinals of the Vanderbilt Trophy tournament, losing to a team led by the trophy's donor, Harold Stirling Vanderbilt. In 1940, Lebhar's team won the Spingold by upsetting a team led by Waldemar von Zedtwitz. In 1941, the Blue Ribbon Team made it to the finals of the Eastern Bridge Tournament, but lost to the Oswald Jacoby-led Regency Club. In 1943, Lebhar was part of the runner-up team at the Reisinger. In 1945, Lebhar and Rossant were runners up in the Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs. In 1946, Lebhar, his wife, Katz, and Alicia Kempner won the Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match competition. In 1946 and 1947, Lebhar was a member of the team that was the runner-up for the Vanderbilt Trophy.

From 1945 to 1947, Lebhar served as treasurer of the American Contract Bridge League. As treasurer, he introduced the practice of charging clubs for the right to issue master points and supported expansion of the league. That same year, Lebhar became the founding president of the Greater New York Bridge Association.