Post 132 American Legion Club Manager Cindy Loftus, left, participates in the 16th Annual George Sveine Cribbage Tournament Saturday. Also pictured are cribbage players Stella Ulrich and Steve Sveine. Staff photo by Fritz Busch

NEW ULM — Several dozen people participated in the 16th Annual George Sveine Cribbage Tournament at the Post 132 American Legion Club Saturday.

Legion club manager Cindy Loftus said she enjoys all the counting involved in the game that involves playing and grouping cards in combinations to score points.

“It’s just a fun game to play with a bunch of fun folks,” said Loftus. “We’ve got about 30 people here. I began playing cribbage at age six when my parents taught it to me.”

Steve Sveine said the tournament helps the Sveine family and friends celebration George Sveine’s legacy.

All entry fees are repaid to the top finishers.

Terry Sveine of New Ulm said the tournament began years ago by his father George, who was considered a great cribbage player.

A U.S. Navy World War II veteran who served on destroyer and minesweeper ships in 1945 and 1946, George Sveine was a man of many interests.

He worked as a machinist from 1954 to 1992 at New Ulm Manufacturing, Raygo and Caterpillar in New Ulm. He worked at Minnesota Valley Testing Labs from 1994 to 2006 and was a part-time bartender for more than 30 years, an American Legion club volunteer, a beaver trapper, mushroom hunter besides building cars and trucks used in local demolition derbies.

“We keep this going in memory of my late dad. Many people thanked me for keeping it going in my dad’s memory,” said Terry Sveine.

This year had a total of 32 players with Allisa Kretsch coming out as the top winner.

Kretsch said she played cribbage for many years and even remembered George Sveine helping teach her play year ago.

Tournament winners since 2009 are Bobby Lindemann, Dick Wills, Cindy Hillescheim, Bryan Kehren, John McDuffie, Rodney Zimmer, Mike Hillscheim, Eric Nachreiner, Perry Madden, Jimmy Wieland, Jeff Olsen, Derrick Jacobson and Matt Solomonson.