A centennial, 2 years late: Braintree's Puritan Bridge Club, celebrates 102 years

BRAINTREE – Five days a week, members of the Braintree Puritan Bridge Club gather for a morning duplicate bridge game. The room where bridge is played is eerily quiet – save for the shuffling of cards – as about 30 players per day concentrate on the game's complexities.

For these dedicated participants, it's all about the mental challenge, focus, winning and long-time friendships.

"It's a game that you have to keep your mind alert ...  and it's not physical. This is a game you can play for the rest of your life if you keep your brain active," Pat DiSciullo, of Easton, said at a recent group game.

The club, formed in 1920, surpassed its centennial anniversary amid the  pandemic, but the roughly 135 paid members and additional players did not let COVID-19 stand in the way of a celebration. Two years later, they honored their accomplishment with a luncheon earlier this month and celebrated more games to come.

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Good games, dear friends

Duplicate bridge is an intricate card game played with all 52 cards in a deck.

Players have game partners and they rotate around the room about every 15 to 20 minutes with complete games that last about three hours at the club. The game is so complex that a series of lessons is encouraged.

"It takes 10 lessons to understand what's going on. It takes the rest of your life to get good," DiSciullo said.

On Mondays, the club holds a game for beginners, Thursday is the teaching day for novice players and Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are for open games.

The challenge is part of the draw.

"I always compare it to people who don't know anything, like (with) karate," Nancy Mullen, of Braintree, said. "You start with not knowing much and then you raise and you try to get to black belt. And very few people get to black belt, but there's still an enjoyment about working towards a goal."

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Many of the players learned bridge as a child or young adult, and others fell into it following retirement. Maureen Cullen, of Braintree, took a bridge class at Braintree High School in about 2010 and "got totally lost in it." She joined the club soon after.

She said her bridge partners keep her coming back.

One of Cullen's partners, Mullen, said her favorite thing about bridge is the people at the club.

"If you just take the time to ask a person something, they're just so willing to share their knowledge," Mullen said.

The Puritan Bridge Club is home to some of the best players around. Stephen Gladyszak, of Chelsea, who joined in the mid 1970s, has the highest rank of grand life master.

Bob Boyd, of Braintree, who lost his sight 16 years ago, when he was 76 years old, continues to play twice a week. His card hand is recorded on tape recorder before the game, and fellow players communicate what is being played during the game.

"It's a blessing, I'll tell ya," Boyd said.

A century-long history

Bridge clubs were popular at one time, and the closing of other regional groups led to their most dedicated members joining Braintree's Puritan Bridge Club.

Then known has the Puritan Club, it formed in 1920 as an offshoot of the Odd Fellows of Braintree. It was all male. The first mention of bridge found in the club's archives was in 1936. Women were welcomed to play bridge with the club, but it wasn't until 1983 that they could become members. It then became the Puritan Bridge Club.

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Over the years, the club changed locations for various reasons. It now meets in the former East Braintree Methodist Church property at 22 Faxon St., which the club bought in 1972.

Henry Daley, of Braintree, has been involved since the club moved into the building and has held leadership positions over the years.

"It's a thinking game and it's good for the mind. I like the people that I play with here," Daley said.

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The Puritan Bridge Club is part of the American Contract Bridge League, with a total of 165,000 members. They have the opportunity to play in national tournaments.

Most Puritan Bridge Club members donate money to put on events like the 100-year anniversary celebration, a September barbecue, a holiday party and other social gatherings.

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Newcomers welcome

Players cherish the relationships formed in the club and hope a new generation of players join.

"We hope it will last for another 100 (years)," DiSciullo said.

Membership is $25 a year or $15 for a half year, both with an additional $10 game fee charged each day of play. The game fee is $12 for nonmembers. For more information, visit puritanbridge.org or call 781-843-9621.

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Reach Alyssa Fell at afell@patriotledger.com. 

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Braintree bridge club celebrates 102 years of dear friends, good games