1973 World Championship Trophy
The first MONOPOLY World Championship took place in 1973 at the Grossinger's Resort in the Catskills in New York. Three competitors from around the US and the British Champion took part, and Californian Lee Bayrd won the championships. This World Championship also served as the first US Championship. Bayrd's prize was the Darrow Cup, a trophy named after the popularized "inventor" of the game, which has an oversized Car token on the top.
The day before the World Championship, a game for the media was held inside a bank where they played with actual US currency instead of the MONOPOLY money.
Other preliminary games were held in the days leading up to the World Championship to determine who would be the Eastern Regional Champion. Lee Weisenthal of Detroit, MI, who was then head of the US Monopoly Association, served as the Judge.
Participating Players
| Region | Winner |
|---|---|
| US West Region | Lee Bayrd - World Champion |
| US East Region | George Tatz - 2nd Place |
| US Midwest Region | Don Lifton - 4th Place |
| United Kingdom | Brian Nuttall - 3rd Place |
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