You're a good bridge player, Charlie Brown

Charles Schulz was arguably the most famous cartoonist in the world. Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy, Linus,the Red Baron and all the other characters were beloved. The Peanuts cartoon strip ran in newspapers for about 50 years. There were also many books.

Who can forget Charlie Brown trying to kick the football, only to have Lucy pull it back at the last second as he fell on his butt? We can all relate to that.

Schulz was a bridge player. Back in the Forties, Fifties and Sixties, bridge was quite the rage. It's still considered the greatest of card games, and is very popular, but it has more competition these days with poker, video games, wii games, etc.

I'm not positive, but I believe Schulz (notice there's no "T" in his name) learned how to play when he served in WW II. Often he incorporated bridge into his cartoons. Before rushing off to fight the Red Baron, the WW I Flying Ace has to wait for his mechanics to finish playing a bridge contract (see photo above).

In 1997, ACBL CEO Roy Green went to visit Schulz in Santa Rosa CA to present a certificate proclaiming him an Honorary Life Master. In return, Schulz donated a framed copy of one of his strips that had a bridge theme. It's the one in the photo above, and is hanging on the third floor at ACBL Headquarters.

Interesting tidbit: Schulz offered his drawings to be used in his high school yearbook. He was turned down.

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Which is your favorite Peanuts quote? Here are a few of mine:

"I love mankind! It's people I can't stand." - Charlie Brown

"Ugh! I've been kissed by a dog! I have dog germs! Get hot water, get some disinfectant, get some iodine!" - Lucy

"Dear IRS, Please remove me from your mailing list." - Snoopy

"I have a new philosophy in life; I only dread one day at a time." - Charlie Brown

"No problem is so big or so complicated that it can't be run away from!" - Linus

"Yesterday I was a dog. Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement." - Snoopy