Checkers Mt. Rushmore....

[Jay H]

Perhaps i should go and read up a bit on Mr Heffner

Danny....
Seriously,
If you want to study Heffner...free up a few years of your time............I would not call him one of the greatest names in American Checkers because of my own personal preferences....
This man stands alone as far as his accomplishments, during his time.....
HE (and not just my own opinion, I am sure) should be the first American Checkerist on an American Checkerist MT. Rushmore......

Regards

Jay H

[Danny_Alvarez]

Mister H is there any book or article you would recommend on the subject of Heffner... i have googled him and i have only a few crumbs of information here and there .... from checkers chest, + OMOCH + checkers maven... i would like to read more .... after all as Mr Gober said Checkers might be incurable but i have learnt that ignorance is not

Cheers
Danny

[Alex_Moiseyev]

If we need 4 names only who must be there, although born in America

1. Yates
2. N. Banks
3. T. Wiswell
4. M. Tinsley

Yates represent foundation, Tinsley - play, Banks and Wiswell - promotion.

[liam stephens]

Can't have Mt Rushmore without MT (Did anyone notice that ).

And also A L, of course.

[George Hay]

Jay, I would go with Yates, Freeman, Long, Tinsley. I'm going with strength. I am in awe of those four players! --George

[George Hay]

Gary, I'm curious (George) about your comment "there is Yates who, among other things, played the Red side of my favorite all-time game." Could that be the winning game in the 1876 championship match with Wyllie? --George Hay

[Alex_Moiseyev]

OK, thinking more about this, I want to make one correction.

1. Yates
2. Wiswell
3. Tinsley
4. Fortman

I had a hard time thinking who I should leave and/or remove - Wiswell or Banks, but finally I made not a perfect indeed choice.

Fortman recognition is crucial.

Alex

[jaguar72]

Gary, I'm curious (George) about your comment "there is Yates who, among other things, played the Red side of my favorite all-time game." Could that be the winning game in the 1876 championship match with Wyllie? --George Hay

George (Curious), it was a Bowen-Yates game (and I'm not really sure who had red or white*). I would give it here but there is a discussion about the game and some variations (all very pretty) in the "Mystery Game?" thread under the "Games" topic in the Forum. Take a look; it's a good thread.

I liked the game so much, I memorized it to show people (should they ever ask) the beauty and logic of checkers. It makes an impact. It really is a masterpiece, at least to my somewhat inexperienced eye. I play it over every few days to keep it in my memory and to remind myself of what's possible... . Doesn't get any better than that.

There you have it (and I'm way off topic...again...).

*Ooops! Having just looked at the game again, I think Yates played the White side...so much for depending on my memory.

V/R,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

[liam stephens]

Yes, Yates had the white side. The game between Bowen and Yates was played during the Christmas Tournament held in Boston in 1887.
See Boland's Famous Positions page 60 for history and annotations.

[George Hay]

Gary, thanx, I found it easy by typing Mystery Game in the search box. I consider this on
topic, since we are talking about Yates!

Liam, I hope the mountain will be in OMOCH. As for an "L" that is one more reason for Asa Long,
the Iron Man of Checkers!

[Danny_Alvarez]

Mister H maybe your mount Rushmore should have 6 faces instead of 4 and i think you would still struggle to get consensus
cheers
Danny

[jaguar72]

Yes, Yates had the white side. The game between Bowen and Yates was played during the Christmas Tournament held in Boston in 1887.
See Boland's Famous Positions page 60 for history and annotations.

Thanks, Liam! You always come through with the good stuff!

I don't have Boland's Famous Positions (only Bridges) but really wish I did.

Speaking of which, how about Ben Boland as a mountain candidate? His books are profound and much in demand (and very hard to find).

V/R,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

[George Hay]

Jay, this is a tough one! Even Mr. Alex changed his mind! 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....And of course, the mountain needs a Michigan Man, none other than Newell Banks of Detroit, Michigan....And how could I forget Tom Wiswell?...Gary mentioned Ben Boland, an excellent candidate indeed!....I don't have a final answer, but I look forward to the Checkers Mount Rushmore! --George Hay

P.S. I just have a slight correction, and that is the Bowen vs Yates game was in 1877.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

I am too in good company of checkers players who immigrated to United States: A. Jordan, S. Gonotsky, W. Hellman

[jaguar72]

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