Checkers Mt. Rushmore....

[Jay H]

Just looking for some opinions other than my own.......
If a mountainside was going to be carved , with the images of American Checkerists , worthy of representing the game to this point in time, (much the same as those worthy of representing American history were to the creation of Mt. Rushmore at that time......if that makes any sense)....who should be represented ?
I feel.... Marion Tinsley, August Heffner, Newell Banks, Tom Wiswell..............
Any thoughts would be appreciated....I am considering a personal art project............I have a week vacation coming up, and wanna go back to my roots....

Regards,

Jay Hinnershitz

[jaguar72]

I feel.... Marion Tinsley, August Heffner, Newell Banks, Tom Wiswell..............

Regards,

Jay Hinnershitz

Walter F. Hellman.

William Francis Ryan (the one and only).

And, perhaps, Samuel Gonotsky who died far too soon, alas.

Could be a crowded mountain, Jay.

Very Respectfully,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

[Jay H]

I feel.... Marion Tinsley, August Heffner, Newell Banks, Tom Wiswell..............

Regards,

Jay Hinnershitz

Walter F. Hellman.

William Francis Ryan (the one and only).

And, perhaps, Samuel Gonotsky who died far too soon, alas.

Could be a crowded mountain, Jay.

Very Respectfully,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

Lookin' for four, brother......just like on Mt. Rushmore....and, perhaps this will help...born American, just like Mt. Rushmore
...eliminates Gonotsky and Hellman....
Thanx for your suggestions, greatly appreciated .....

Regards

Jay H

[Mac Banks]

Hi Jay,

I agree with the list of names that several have submitted. Also, the great Asa Long definitely needs to be on that list . Also, there are some players from overseas that surely need to be on that list . I am sure that Liam
could probably tell us the best players from Europe.

All the best,
Mac

[Jay H]

Hi Jay,

I agree with the list of names that several have submitted. Also, the great Asa Long definitely needs to be on that list . Also, there are some players from overseas that surely need to be on that list . I am sure that Liam
could probably tell us the best players from Europe.

All the best,
Mac

Hey Mac,
Great to hear from you !
My thoughts were in strictly thinking American Born......as I wrote in my posting. I understand , technically speaking that Washington and Jefferson were not born American...., but, how about,....
Any American Checkerist, born on American soil, that could equal the accomplishments that Washington, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Lincoln made at their moment in time......
I like Gary Jenkins suggestion of William Ryan...but, who would he knock off of the list I had suggested......Tinsley, Heffner, Banks ,or Wiswell.....
Only four on Mt. Rushmore.......

Regards,

Jay H

[tommyc]

Well JH YUR half way there..........with Tinsley and Willie Ryan.....who else ??

[jaguar72]

Hi Jay,

Also, the great Asa Long definitely needs to be on that list .

All the best,
Mac

Oh, Mac, Asa Long!! Good on ya, good catch!

How could I have forgotten him??

How could anyone?

V/R,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

[Jay H]

Hi Jay,

Also, the great Asa Long definitely needs to be on that list .

All the best,
Mac

Oh, Mac, Asa Long!! Good on ya, good catch!

How could I have forgotten him??

How could anyone?

V/R,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

Asa Long.....NEVER forgotten.
I ask you, who should he, OR Willie Ryan, replace on Mt. Rushmore ?? Tinsley, Heffner, Banks, or Wiswell...and why ?
Only four on that mountain.............
My reasoning for these four are...
Tinsley....no explaination necessary.
Heffner.....American Champion, played on the first two US/GB International Matches, problemist, regarded as one of the best anaylysts of the day, a five decade involvement in the game............royalty to the game in America.
Banks...perhaps the greatest name in American Checkers history....touring exhibitionist, Blindfold player, publisher, analyst, promoter, problemist,.........
Wiswell...cross board -player, World GAYP Champion,touring exhibition player, author of more books than any other American, contributor to every publication existant during his lifetime..........
I want serious consideration as to who, other than these named, should be on "MT. RUSHMORE" as I see it...
"think Deep Purple's IN ROCK cover".......that's what I want to do,,,...but in P&I.

Regards

Jay H

[George Hay]

Jay, this is very tough to narrow down, for your consideration how about Robert Yates 1857-1885, and Clarence Freeman 1863-1909. Yates was America's first world champion, beating Wyllie in 1876 and Martins in 1877. Freeman beat Wyllie in a non-title match in 1884, with a score of 4-1-15. Yates did play a young Freeman, with Yates winning. This was at the end of Yates' short checkers career. Yates perceptively called Freeman the best player that he faced in New England!
--George Hay

[jaguar72]

This is a great topic and thread, Jay! Good on ya, Lad!!

Well, if it's Willie Ryan and Newell Banks, it's gonna be a contentious mountain. Here's what Wild Willie says about Mr. Banks in the introduction to It's Your Move (1929):

"When I first completed my manuscript on the openings, I had figured on getting some great checkeristic luminary to write me up a nice inroduction to give the book a good send-off, After a few unsuccessful attempts in that direction, I decided to write my own introduction. (Apologies to Will Rogers).

I nearly succeded in getting Mr. Newell W. Banks to write one for me. He is our match champion, you know. When I approached him on the subject he said: 'Sure, Willie; what are you writing, a novel?' When I told him it was to be for a checker book, he frowned and said that he couldn't write an introduction for a ham checker player like me.

Well, I may be a ham player, but any expert who allows a draw with the winning side of a first position in a match game ought to buy one of my books and keep it under his pillow at night."

There you have it.

Asa Long should get some extra points because he's from Toledo, Ohio.

And, as George pointed out, there is Yates who, among other things, played the Red side of my favorite all-time game. Who was ever better than he was?

Gonna be a tough choice, Mr. H!

V/R,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

[Jay H]

Well, that depends: are you looking for a collection of the top champions, the most important promoters, or the best all-around contributors? Wiswell was a great ambassador for the game and many of his books are classics, but I don't think he ever played on the level of the top grandmasters.

Hey John,
Just looking for who should be represented on a Checkers Mt. Rushmore (American Checkerists)....player, publisher, promoter, problemist
...and any other word that I cannot think of that begins with the letter "P"....think Rushmore.....,once done, finished. Cannot go back.
After completion...DONE.
Only four........

Regards,

Jay H

This is a great topic and thread, Jay! Good on ya, Lad!!
V/R,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

Gary,
If you feel that inclined to do so.....ye mae kal me laddie.....ONCE.....then done ....

Jay, this is very tough to narrow down, for your consideration how about Robert Yates 1857-1885, and Clarence Freeman 1863-1909. --George Hay

Hey George,
Great to hear from you,
Who would you knock off of Mt. Rushmore in favor of Yates or Freeman...Tinsley, Heffner, Banks or Wiswell...?
Looking forword......



Regards

Jay H

[Danny_Alvarez]

I agree totally great topic ....

I think that Banks, Ryan, Tinsley are sureties .... the problem lies in finding a fourth one that most people agree on.
Without disrespecting Mr Long and his great achievements i personally would prefer Wiswell, despite the fact that the points raised by John are valid. I feel that one can also contribute to the game without necessarily being the best player... and i think that is where Wiswell fits... he made a great contribution even if his prowess was overshadowed by a few others.

cheers Mister H as always it is great to be able to discuss these topics with you and our fellow checker brethren
Danny Alvarez

[Jay H]

I agree totally great topic ....

I think that Banks, Ryan, Tinsley are sureties .... the problem lies in finding a fourth one that most people agree on.
Without disrespecting Mr Long and his great achievements i personally would prefer Wiswell, despite the fact that the points raised by John are valid. I feel that one can also contribute to the game without necessarily being the best player... and i think that is where Wiswell fits... he made a great contribution even if his prowess was overshadowed by a few others.

cheers Mister H as always it is great to be able to discuss these topics with you and our fellow checker brethren
Danny Alvarez

What ???....Danny????....no love for A. J. Heffner....????
As an American Checkerist, he is almost without peer..the only who come close are Fortman and Jim Loy.......FOR REAL !!!!

[Jay H]

This is a great topic and thread, Jay! Good on ya, Lad!!

There you have it.
Asa Long should get some extra points because he's from Toledo, Ohio.
V/R,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

Hopefully yer still in a good more, Brother Gary....,....
cause I thought Toledo was the town that God forgot,....... '














Don't forget to call me Bump........

[Danny_Alvarez]

Perhaps i should go and read up a bit on Mr Heffner as to be honest i am ignorant of his whole list of achievements...
no disrespect intended at all Jay... just a mild case of ignorance on my behalf i think.

This is a quite interesting thread...
cheers