Checkers Mt. Rushmore....

[Ingo_Zachos]

I am not an American,

so my view is that of an observer.
What I think is that Mt.Rushmore is a monument for deceased US presidents.
A Checkers Mt. Rushmore must included deceased US champions (not ACF/ACA,NCA presidents), and in my mind not just that since the 1st US ty in 1907, but also those previous (Heffner, Freemann, Yates) can be taken into consideration.

I would suggest the following:

Marion Tinsley, (the best)
Asa Long, (the youngest and the oldest)
Sam Gonotosky, (only the good die young)
Robert Yates. (only the good die young)

But why stop with 4?
the next in line would be:

1. Walter Hellmann (it took Tinsley to beat him)
2. Clarence Freemann (the most underrated player in history!)
3. Charles Barker (the first and equal to the best)
4. Willie Ryan (nobody tried harder)

Among those eight, only Tinsley was a class higher.
The other seven are about the same extraclass and it is even less then en edge that seperates them.

Others like Heffner, Rubin, Loew, Frazier,Horr, Hunt, Henderson etc. are very good, but not quite in that league.

Tom Wiswell, Richard Fortman, Newell Banks, Alfred Jordan, Melwyn Pomeroy and others were never US champions, though quite important.

Greetinx from sunny Europe,

Ingo Zachos

PS:
In a European Mt.Rushmore I would chose:

Richard Jordan (the best)
Andrew Anderson (the first)
James Wyllie (the Herd Laddie)
Derek Oldbury (it took Tinsley to beat him)

and as runner-ups:
1. James Ferrie (Scotland's pride)
2. Robert Stewart (Scotland's shame)
3. Samuel Levy (only the good die young)
4. Robert Martins (England's pride)
4. Pat McCarthy (Ireland's pride)

[Danny_Alvarez]

I'm leaning towards Willie Ryan, author, promoter, and "undefeated challenger." He played the great Walter Hellman to a draw in their 1949 match, with Hellman retaining the Crown....
--George Hay

Couldn't agree more, George. Especially since in that match (as everybody probably knows, but it won't hurt to reiterate...) Willie was down 3-0-23 and later 4-1-25 and still, against a player as formidable as Hellman, managed to draw the match. Almost, to my mind, miraculous...gotta be the most amazing comeback in all of checkers (or any game, for that matter).

Willie Ryan was an American classic.

There you have it.

V/R,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

Gary the other notable point is just about everyone refused to play Willie after 1949 for a title..... its hard to beat someone if they hide from ya....

cheers
Danny

[Jay H]

Gary the other notable point is just about everyone refused to play Willie after 1949 for a title..... its hard to beat someone if they hide from ya....

cheers
Danny

Hey Danny....
Ryan passed away on the very eve of his departure for a scheduled rematch with Walter Hellman in 1954......it was a very anticipated event, sadly cut-off.
Willie Ryan...RIP

Jay "hope this helps" H

[jaguar72]

Willie Ryan didn't just play checkers, he lived checkers (and I don't mean "lived for" checkers, which is an entirely different proposition...).

He was a true Knight of the game and I'll always give the lad a salute, which he richly deserves.

The Bronx Comet, still shining brightly.

V/R,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

[George Hay]

Hi Jay, I post this on the Forth of July as I reflect on American Checkers. I am thinking William Timothy Call (1856-1917) may be a good candidate for the Checkers Mount Rushmore. WT Call was ahead of his time, and of his several books now on-line he set the standard for modern checker books. His books have understanding in a historical context as well as an analytical context. My one fault with WT Call is that he underestimated the Single Corner opening, but Fortman corrected that in Basic Checkers. Well, that argument is best settled on the checkerboard! Richard Lee Fortman (1915-2008) would be another candidate, as he has the same credentials that WT Call has. That is the understanding, historically and analytically, Fortman brings to the game. Happy Independence Day! --George Hay

[Jay H]

Greetings All !!!!
I counted all of the votes for this project and came up with the four American Checkerists who should be placed upon a Checkers "Mt. Rushmore".....
Marion Tinsley, William Ryan, Robert Yates, and Asa Long......four truly GREAT American Checkerists.
So, I went to work on it.
I began to work on a sketch , and I realized that I could not get the "stone" look that I wanted to with my pencil.....as much as I like to draw, I could not get it done to my satisfaction. I thought I could "get it" with ink over the sketch....and, maybe, with several months of technique trials, I could get it......but, I think I could spend a great deal of time, and not be satisfied..........
So..........I began to do a "photoshop" work on the project, and it was coming along.........and, then, I was contacted by links from the OMOCH for help with several projects, and I put it aside.
There was helping Michael Smith with "THE ELLIS COLLECTION", the great grand daughter of W. C. Parrow asked for some info on him (I found her a photo), and Ms. Anne Ruhr contacted me with a trophy which she has from the 1933 Kansas Free Fair Tournament , which she would like to be put back into circulation as a live trophy.
But, there is an even bigger project that I have been humbly assisting with........one of the biggest ever. It will probably be ready by the end of the year, if not sooner.
It is by one of the game's elder statesmen, and, in true "old school" fashion, he does not want it to be released until after the upcoming 3-Move World Championship Match, so as not to divert any attention................
All I can say right now is....
Prepared to be wowed.......and, I mean..........
WOWED !!!!!!!!!!
I hope all of your appetites have been whetted...........and I GUARANTEE, you will NOT be disappointed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is an unbelievable piece of work, unlike any before.............yes, even in this day and age of everything being done and exhausted, there is the possibility of something, well...........almost undescribable. You will have to see it to believe it

Jay "FOR REAL" H