Did Oswald Jacoby defeat 14 professional checker players?

[DrCaesar]

I recently read an article on Oswald Jacoby from the 30 April 1950 NYT (title: "'Mr. Canasta' Melds Himself a Fortune") about how he dominated the canasta craze of the early Fifties, when practically every card expert from Albert Morehead to Ely Culbertson was jumping on the bandwagon. (Interesting note: Jacoby said canasta was his second-favorite card game, and that it was the most scientific of all card games apart from skat.)

Anyway, the article gives background information about his facility with games. One statement jumped out at me:

"He once took on fourteen professional checker players on Coney Island, and beat them all."

Anyone ever heard of this remarkable feat?

Considering the fact that Jacoby drew with Tigran Petrosian in blitz chess when the latter was at the peak of his powers and the former hadn't played seriously in decades, I wouldn't say it's out of the realm of possibility.

[George Hay]

"The devil is in the details." 1950 had incredibly strong checker players, but the National Tournament was in Paxton, Illinois that year. Oswald Jacoby probably faced strong amateurs, not "professionals." Still, I am glad that "Mr. Canasta" had an interest in checkers.

--George Hay

[chipschap]

" it was the most scientific of all card games apart from skat"

I play skat and love it, but I play it at least as poorly as I play checkers.

[DrCaesar]

"The devil is in the details." 1950 had incredibly strong checker players, but the National Tournament was in Paxton, Illinois that year. Oswald Jacoby probably faced strong amateurs, not "professionals." Still, I am glad that "Mr. Canasta" had an interest in checkers.

--George Hay

George, I believe he was supposed to have done this in the 1920s. I agree that they were likely strong amateurs, because I can't envision him taking down Gonotsky or Ginsberg, for example. Maybe he could have secured a draw against them (based on his remarkable record with Petrosian in chess), but I don't think he could have defeated them.