Richard Freeman of Atlanta was a child prodigy.
He started reading the newspaper at age 2. At age 11, he appeared on the "Quiz Kids" NBC radio show in the 1940s, solving mathematical problems in his head faster than adult mathematicians could on paper.
He graduated from high school at 12 and college at 15. Then he earned an MBA and a law degree by 21.
In college he learned to play bridge and quickly became a star. In 1952, at age 18, he became the youngest Life Master of the American Contract Bridge League. He won his first North American championship in 1955 and went on to win more than 30 North American championships and three world championships.
Mr. Freeman, 75, died Monday from complications of pancreatitis. The funeral will be noon Monday at H.M. Patterson & Son, Spring Hill Chapel.
Donations may be made to the Center for the Visually Impaired at 730 W. Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30309.
Mr. Freeman was born in Washington, but moved to Chicago to live with an aunt and uncle after his father died in an auto accident, said his wife, Louise Kuker Freeman.
Bob Hammand, a bridge team member from Dallas, said that the legend has the 11-year-old Mr. Freeman getting lost while looking for the testing room for an advanced public school in Chicago.
Instead, he wandered into the entrance exam room for the University of Chicago. He aced the test, but didn't enter college for two more years.
Mr. Freeman earned a spot on "Quiz Kids," the radio show in which smart children were pitted against adult experts. Mr. Freeman wowed the listening audience with his math skills.
Mr. Freeman earned degrees from the University of Chicago and George Washington University. He met his wife at a bridge tournament in Richmond.
"Someone said that's the best bridge player anywhere around," she said. "I had just started playing bridge. A novice is always interested in meeting experts. ... He made me a pretty good bridge player."
Playing together, they won the Mixed Teams national championship in 1961.
Mrs. Freeman said she lost interest in bridge after that, but Mr. Freeman continued playing and winning.
The family moved to Atlanta in 1963 and Mr. Freeman worked at Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. as an account executive and financial adviser. He didn't show off his photographic memory.
"He was always the answer man," said Will Lobb, managing director of Oppenheimer's Atlanta office. Mr. Lobb said Mr. Freeman could remember details about the Hundred Years War or Chicago Cubs games from the 1940s.
"He remembered hands we played 30 years ago," said his bridge partner and team leader, Nick Nickell of New York. "He'd remember down to the spot cards, the sixes and the threes, who we played the hands against, what day we played."
Mr. Freeman last played bridge in June at the nationals in White Plains, N.Y., but fell ill at the tournament after playing a few rounds. Team Nickell went on to qualify for the World Championships.
"He left on Sunday and got to Atlanta and check- ed into the hospital and that's when they diagnosed the pancreatitis," Nickell said. "He went out a winner."
Survivors include two daughters, Nell Kuker Robinson of Smyrna and Elizabeth Freeman Goetz of Atlanta; a sister, Barbara Steinman Elliot of Delray Beach, Fla.; and two grandchildren.
