Crib player honoured

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Published on Sunday, March 8, 2015

By Jessie Bell

Shorty Phillips missed cribbage on Thursday, Feb. 26 for the first time in nine years — he and his wife Liz were  busy packing for a move to Brandon. Crib chairman Ken Young had requested Shorty find time to attend before the games started, in order to present a gift card of good wishes from fellow players to him and his wife. In his expression of thanks, Shorty promised they would keep in touch.

Sixteen members present on Thursday were downcast at losing a faithful member, but the atmosphere changed with Ken and Shorty recalled their efforts at serving each other a 19-hand. (Dealing four cards with no points is a 19 hand and the player then has to forfeit a dime into a pot.)

Shorty and Liz have lived in Rivers since 1981, having farmed one mile south of Cardale for the previous 30 years before retiring. Their first town home was in the 800 block of Second Avenue, which had a large garden. When tilling the soil and bending to sow seeds became strenuous, the couple moved into a fourplex in the 500 block of Third Avenue, where they cared for flowers in pots and upside down tomato plants, which became points of interest for visitors and passersby. The Phillipses left Rivers on Monday, March 2 to live at Lions Manor in Brandon. Maybe Shorty will join the cribbage players there with the hope he won’t be dealt a 19 hand!