By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

Leo Chretien knows a thing or two about how to run a cribbage tournament.

For more than 60 years, the 83-year-old Biddeford man has helped organize the annual cribbage tournament between teams from the Saint Jean and Elks clubs. Each winter, nearly 100 players gather at the Elks lodge in Saco for a 10-week tournament with one goal in mind: take home a small gold trophy.

Chretien said he was 21 when he was asked to take over as chairman of the tournament, a position he has held ever since. Standing at the check-in table during week six of the tournament, he greeted players he has known for decades.

As players handed over their entry fees and checked a score chart taped to the wall, Chretien joked about the previous week’s scores. He laughed as he looked at the score of Saint Jean Club President Larry Laverriere and his partner, Danny Donegan.

“They got 14 points in five weeks, that’s terrible,” Chretien said.

Laverriere, who lives in Biddeford, simply laughed along when he heard Chretien’s teasing. Now playing in his 23^rd tournament, he began participating because his father and grandfather played cribbage. He said he looks forward to the camaraderie of the tournament, even when that means a little ribbing.

As Chretien wandered between tables of four players, Laverriere said the lifetime Saint Jean member is “the best thing to happen” to the club.

“Leo is really the heart and soul,” he said.

Chretien said he has seen many changes to the tournament over the years, especially when it comes to the players. When the tournament started in 1947, players paid 25 cents per week; they now pay $5 weekly.

The tournament used to alternate between Saint Jean’s hall in Biddeford (now McArthur Hall) and the Elks Club, Chretien said. Since Saint Jean no longer has a permanent meeting hall, all games are held in Saco.

Chretien said the tournament began with 10 teams of men and grew to accommodate 24 teams. Though there are women who play, most participants still are men.

Harvey Beaulieu, a 74-year-old Elks member from Biddeford, has taken part in the tournament for nearly 20 years. He created a score sheet to replace the old system of yelling out scores, which he said could sometimes lead to confusion. Now, losing pairs must initial the score before giving the sheets back to organizers.

“That way there’s no complications,” he said. “This sheet tells me everything. This is the key.”

John Jariz of Biddeford has played in the tournament for 57 years, first as an Elks member. He said he switched to the Saint Jean team about 40 years ago because he has more friends in that club.

“For 25 years I never won, but then one year my partner and I came in first,” he said. “What a celebration.” 

Jariz said he looks forward to visiting with friends during the tournament, including Paul Viger of Biddeford. Now 79, Viger has been playing “at least 20 years” – long enough, he said, to learn cribbage is 98 percent luck and 2 percent skill.

“You’re at the mercy of the cards,” he said. “But I love it. It’s something to look forward to in the winter. It breaks up the monotony.”

Dick Clark, 80, of Saco, has played for the Elks for 25 years, now sitting down each week with his third partner. He said he won the tournament three years ago, only to come in “dead last” the next.

“It’s fun,” he said. “It makes the winter go by faster and I like cribbage.”

Standing next to the score chart while players circulated the room, Chretien and Beaulieu passed the gold t\rophy back and forth as they looked at the list of winners engraved on the side.

“We don’t play for money, we just play for the fun, just to get your name on the little trophy,” Chretien said.

They also play for bragging rights.

“Right now, you can see we’re getting slaughtered. They’re up 729 to 658,” Beaulieu said. “Tonight we’re going to give them hell.”

Whatever the outcome of the tournament, Chretien said he enjoys greeting friends and watching everyone have fun playing the game.

“My members, they keep me going,” he said. “They call me Mr. Saint Jean.”

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.