Who is ACF Grandmaster ?

[Mac Banks]

Yes Alex, Paul Thompson was one of the greatest mail players ever . By the way , congratulations on your being elected as Player's Rep.

[liam stephens]

There is a biographical sketch of Freyer in Anthony Bishop's Encyclopedia of Checkers,
where he is attributed as "Grandmaster and 11 Man Ballot Champion of the United States".
Bishop also credits him with 3rd place in both the 1939 and 1958 US Nationals.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

There is a biographical sketch of Freyer in Anthony Bishop's Encyclopedia of Checkers, where he is attributed as "Grandmaster and 11 Man Ballot Champion of the United States". Bishop also credits him with 3rd place in both the 1939 and 1958 US Nationals.

H. Freyer was on Fortman list of GM's, along with Yates and few more (which are not on my list).

I will post full complete list soon.

AM

[Jay H]

On the LISTS page of the OMOCH site, there are several lists regarding Mail-Players....
http://www.online-museum-of-checkers-hi ... /id25.html

[George Hay]

Liam, thanx for the information on Harold Freyer, I hope that it bumps him up to undisputed Grandmaster. But that is for Mr. Alex and the committee to determine!
In The 1939 10th ACA National Tournament by Richard Fortman there is a brief biography of H. Freyer stating "Three years after this Flint Tournament, he was drafted into the Army, serving at St. Lu, France. Later given a medical discharge as a result of combat fatigue. This seriously interrupted his checker career, although after six years he came back to play finely, both at Paxton in 1950 and at Bethlehem in 1958, where I first met him." Bethlehem, Pensilvania was the site of the 1958 ACF National Tournament where H. Freyer took 3rd Place behind W. Hellman and N. Banks!

--George Hay

[George Hay]

Jay, thanx for the postal play lists! For one thing, it confirms that Paul Thompson of the USA was the first Mail Play World Champion in 1963. The postal play lists also has much information on potential Grandmasters, although I'll leave that to the newly elected Player Rep! I don't want to stray too much into who deserves Grandmaster status, although Detroit Tigers Pitcher Jack Morris should definitely be in the Baseball Hall Of Fame!

--George Hay

[George Hay]

I edited for spelling, "play finely" not finley! How ironic a spell checker is called a spell checker!

[Bill Salot]

Here is more on Harold Freyer from Ed Atkinson:

"There is a message on The Forum, Thurs. May 21, from Liam Stevens stating that Anthoney Bishop's Encyclopedia of Checkers credits Harold Freyer with being United States 11-man Ballot Champion. Here is some eye witness information on this subject."

"On New Year's week-end 1962/63 there was an 11-man ballot tournament held in Philadelphia. Harold Freyer and Wayne Van Leer tied for first and second places. Freyer might have had a higher tie break score. Elbert Lowder was third, Irwin Altman fourth and I was fifth. This led to the Banks-Van Leer world title match won by Banks. Evidently Freyer did not care to challenge Banks. As far as I know the first 11-man ballot tournament for the American Championship was held in Philadelphia, Nov. 1968. The winner was E. Fuller followed by K. Grover, E. Lowder, A. Long, A Sprangle, R. Burroughs, H. Freyer and then a four way tie between E. Scheidt, V. Montero, L. Dibble and E. Atkinson. Grover beat both Long and Freyer and went on to challange and defeat Banks for the world title. W. Van Leer, J. Ricca, J. Bassett, D. Midler and I. Altman also participated."

"Ed Atkinson"

[George Hay]

Hi Ed and Bill, that is a very interesting eye witness account of the 1962 11-Man U.S. Open. Thank you Ed for sharing that with us, and thank you Bill for relaying that to the ACF Forum.

The annual checkers magazine ICHOF Checkers 2014 gives this account as to when the first 11-Man ACF National Tournament took place. On page 26. American National Tournaments, it lists "1962 11-Man US Open, Philadelphia, PA 11/29-31, US 11-Man Ballot Champion-Harold Freyer." But then it lists
"1968 1st 11-Man Nat, Philadelphia, PA Nov 28-Dec 1, US 11-Man National Champion-Everet Fuller." For the 1962 entry there is a reference to 11-Man Time Line.

So turning to page 252, 11-Man Ballot Champions, reading up the page, it lists "1961 12/29-31 a 11-Man US Open at Philadelphia, PA (considered the 1st ACF 11-Man Ballot Open Tournament), Harold Freyer winner." The parentheses ( ) are theirs, and the year of course should be 1962, not 1961. It also lists "1968 1st 11-Man Ballot National held 11/28-12/1 in Philadelphia, PA , 1. Fuller-$1,000, 2. Grover-$500, 3. Lowder-$300, 4. Long-$150, 5. Sprangle-$150." Reading up the page, the next entry is "1968 Everett Fuller is listed as the 11-Man Ballot Champion in ACFB for this period. Everett Fuller is considered 11-Man National Champion." For the 1961(sic) entry there is a reference to OMOCH Article.

So now going online to the OMOCH Timeline, the last entry of 1962 reads: 12/29 1ST ACF 11 MAN BALLOT OPEN TOURNAMENT at PHILADELPHIA, PA.
HAROLD FREYER WINS TITLE. Below that entry is an article Harold Freyer, US Open Champion at 11-Man Ballot by Wayne Van Leer. It reads in part:
"This Tourney, endorsed by the A.C.F., Started Dec 29 1962, and ended the afternoon before New Year's Day....In the final frame of the Tourney, Harold Freyer,...ended ahead of Wayne Van Leer,...by defeating Gilbert Raich 2 games. Raich missed a draw in the first game, and had he drawn it, Van Leer, who was even on points up to this statge, as the Tourney was conducted on the Swiss Plan, would have been champion, for he had lead Freyer on honour points. Freyer and Van Leer won or drew all their games in the Tourney....Elbert Lowder,...placed 3rd. Irvin Altman,...upset Lowder after losing to Van Leer. Altman was fourth, 5th and 6th. Money was divided by two youngsters barely 21 years of age, Edgar Atkinson, and Tom Icanovig."

The OMOCH Timeline for 1968 has this entry: 11/28-12/1 US 11 MAN BALLOT NATIONAL TOURNAMENT at PHILADELPHIA, PA.
SANCTIONED BY THE INTERNATIONAL 11-MAN BALLOT ASSOCIATION AND AFFILIATED WITH THE AMERICAN CHECKER FEDERATION.
EVERETT FULLER WINS TITLE, HIS SECOND US NATIONAL TOURNAMENT VICTORY IN TWO MONTHS, HAVING PREVIOUSLY WON THE 3-MOVE TOURNEY IN SEPTEMBER.

http://www.online-museum-of-checkers-hi ... /id19.html

It looks to me that the 1962 11-Man US Open is the first ACF National 11-Man Ballot Championship as far as the ACF is concerned!

Ed Atkinson, belated congratulations for being "in the money" at the 1962 11-Man U.S. Open!

--George Hay

[George Hay]

Hi Ed and Bill, that is a very interesting eye witness account of the 1962 11-Man U.S. Open.

...and 1968!

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Back to topic (should we create a separate topic - "11 man ballot" ?)

Here is a full complete list of ACF Grandmaster, including all additions from Richard Fortman list + post-modern additions. All names are given in alphabetical order. Names of alive people are highlighted and underlined.

01. Charles F. Barker
02. William R. Barker
03. Newell W. Banks
04. Richard Beckwith
05. Ed Bruch
06. Hugh Burton
07. Basil Case
08. Maurice Chamblee
09. Paul Davis
10. Jack Francis
11. Clarence Freeman
12. Harold Freyer
13. Eugene Frazier
14. William R. Fraser
15. Everett Fuller
16. Louis Ginsberg
17. Samuel Gonotsky
18. Kenneth Grover
19. Walter Hellman
20. Richard Hallett
21. August J. Heffner
22. Hugh Henderson
23. John F. Horr
24. Edwin F. Hunt
25. Alfred Jordan
26. Ronald King
27. Lubabalo Kondlo
28. Don Lafferty
29. Leo Levitt
30. Mike Lieber
31. Milton Loew
32. Asa Long
33. Elbert Lowder
34. Alex Moiseyev
35. James Morrison
36. Derek Oldbury
37. James P. Reed
38. William F. Ryan
39. Nathan Rubin
40. Marion Tinsley
41. Tom Wiswell
42. Robert Yates

43. Mac Banks
44. Jerry Childer
45. Thomas Canning
46. Richard L. Fortman
47. Paul Thompson

Larry Keen and John Webster will be awarded by one grandmaster norm.

In recognition of Marion Tinsley accomplishments and contribution to game, his registration number will be #1. All other initial registration numbers will be given in alphabetical order.

George and other, there are few people on my list without first names. Can you help me to recover ?

[George Hay]

Mr. Alex, for first names on the list it would be:

1. Charles F. Barker.
2. William R. Barker, middle initial R (not F).
14. William R. Fraser, Fraser spelled with an s (not z) this time.
21. August J. Heffner.
37. James P. Reed.

--G. Hay

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Mr. Alex, for first names on the list it would be:

1. Charles F. Barker.
2. William R. Barker, middle initial R (not F).
14. William R. Fraser, Fraser spelled with an s (not z) this time.
21. August J. Heffner.
37. James P. Reed.

--G. Hay

Thanks, I corrected my initial post.

[George Hay]

2. Willam R. Barker, his middle initial is R, not F.

[George Hay]

Were Melvin Pomeroy and Millard Hopper cut from the list?