Robert “Bobby” Abbo, President of the Maryland State Golf Association in 1997, died on Sunday, April 20, after a lengthy struggle with leukemia. Born in Washington, DC on January 31, 1945, Bobby was the son on Anna and Frank Abbo, the founders of the famed Roma Restaurant on Connecticut Avenue in the Cleveland Park area. Abbo was an All-Met football player at Georgetown Prep, where he also played playmaking guard in basketball and catcher in baseball. In 2007, by acclimation, Bobby was voted into the inaugural Georgetown Prep Athletic Hall of Fame.
Later in life Bobby became a successful racehorse owner with Better than Bonds and Immortal Eyes as his two best-known horses. One of his racing friends, writer John Scheinman, remarked that “Bobby didn’t leave anything on the table when he passed.”
For more than 30 years, usually accompanied by his wife Marcia, Abbo oversaw his annual Thanksgiving Turkey giveaway. However, he was better known for his Poor Robert’s Charities. Over the years, this organization provided countless vehicles as well as other support for non-profits in the Washington Area. Craig Shniderman, Executive Director of Food and Friends, a DC-based organization focusing on the needs of those with life-challenging illnesses, observed that “On numerous occasions, Poor Roberts Charities assisted our efforts to secure delivery vehicles that have been essential to the work of Food and Friends.” In April, 2013, Robert Abbo received the Mary McGrory Advocacy Award from St. Ann’s Center for Children, Youth and Families.
Following the efforts of his parents, Bobby and his sister Mirella made the Roma more than a restaurant. For Cleveland Park residents, The Roma was almost a community center. Writing for The Racing Biz, Frank Vespe stated that “For customers, the attraction was part atmospheric – a dark place for sports fans – and part technological, as it was among the city’s first watering holes to have a satellite dish. But mostly it was familial.” Longtime Roma employee Vinnie “Baretta” Emerson added, “When the Roma closed, people were just wandering around looking for a places to go. People couldn’t deal with life without the Roma.”
On the golf side, Abbo loved the game and the special place that was Columbia Country Club. Club-mate and nine-time Maryland Amateur champion Marty West remarked, “Bobby was fully committed to many things, including Poor Robert’s Charities, his friends and the golf course at Columbia Country Club. He was great in his passion and dedication in these areas.” During his time on the Board of the Maryland State Golf Association, Robert Abbo played an invaluable role in the expansion of MSGA competitive opportunities for public course players. He also turned the Maryland State Golf Association newsletter into a high-quality production. Above all, he served as an inspiration to his fellow committee members and the golfers he served.
Donations may be directed to Poor Robert’s Charities, 3900-B Watson Place, NW, #G2A, Washington, DC 20016.
