1893
1893, Dana children, family portrait, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England; Delia, Edmund, Allston, Frances, Harry and Richard Dana
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Edmund Trowbridge Dana, 1912
April 14 1912
The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, Sunday, April 14, 1912
GRANDSON OF LONGFELLOW
Edmund T. Dana, Whose Other Grandfather Wrote “Two Years Before the Mast,” Is a Keen Socialist.
HIS ENGAGING IDEAS OF SOCIALISM.
SEVERAL of the professors at Wellesley College are Socialists, and at Harvard University the grandson of Charles W. Eliot, president emeritus, and Edmund T. Dana, grandson of the poet Longfellow and of Richard H. Dana, the author of “Two Years Before the Mast,” are among the more prominent of the converts to that party.
Edmund T. Dana is widely known as a former Harvard athlete and in the recent election in Cambridge, as a candidate for assessor, he received the largest vote cast for any Socialist candidate, and the largest probably ever cast in that city for a man of the Socialist party.
He is the son of Richard H. Dana, prominent in reform movements and especially in civil service reform affairs. He was graduated from Harvard University with the class of 1909 with the degree of AB and the following year secured the degree of AM. This year it is expected he will receive his degree of doctor of philosophy.
During his career at Harvard University he played outfield in the Varsity baseball team for three seasons, he played on the Varsity tennis team for one year, in his class football team for three seasons, and for the same period was a member of his class basketball team. He captained his class relay team for three years and also captained his class chess team for one year.
He is a member of the Institute of 1770, the D. K. E.. Digamma Club, Hasty Pudding Club, and the Round Table. He was president of the Boston Chapter of the Intercollegiate Socialist Society this year, but was compelled to resign that office because of his college work. He is engaged and is to wed Miss Jessie Holliday, an English artist, this coming June.
When a Globe reporter called upon Mr. Dana at his home, 113 Brattle st. Cambridge, and asked him to tell Globe readers why he became a Socialist, the young scholar smiled gleefully and answered. “Why, I could write a whole book, several of them, on that subject! It would take time to tell you all my reasons.”
When asked to give at least a few of his reasons, he settled back comfortably in a chair and said: “The reason why I became a Socialist is very simple. I became a Socialist because I learned from unprejudiced study what Socialism really meant. There are thousands and thousands in America today who would likewise be Socialists if they understood.
“But the mass of the people are ‘dead ones’ and accept the popular notions based on antiquated misunderstandings as sufficient knowledge of Socialism. There are a surprising number who still think that Socialism means ‘dividing up,’ ‘free love,’ ‘breaking up the home,’ and a lot of other nonsense. Those who are not ‘up’ on Socialism are ‘down’ on it.
“In the first place I studied Socialism because I thought that every one ought to understand the movements of their own time. Even such a conservative as President Taft says that Socialism is the next great issue before the American people.
“Only the few wide-awake people really understand what Socialism means. The mass of the people have never understood the big movement of their own times. The Romans had just as crude misconceptions of the teachings of the early Christians as the people of today have of the Socialists. Before the French Revolution the educated Frenchmen were utterly asleep as to what was happening. Wanting to be awake as to what is actually going on in the world of our age, I went to Socialist lectures, read such books, and discussed with Socialists.
Studied With Open Mind.
“Having studied physiology, I realized the enormous extent to which our thoughts are determined by the accident of birth and environment and the assumptions of those around us. Having studied history I saw that every new idea in the world had been scoffed at as ridiculous at its first appearance. I could see no reason why the same thing was not in all probability going on today!
“It occurred to me that the same type of man who condemned Socialism today might he the same type who condemned Christianity in the first century, who scoffed at the notion that the earth, moved around the sun in the 16th century, and was ridiculed, the antislavery movement in the first half of the 19th century. In short, when I started to study Socialism, I did so with an open mind.
“I was always one of those who believe that the world is not yet finished! Why, civilization—real civilization has not yet begun! The conservatives of every age have thought that their age was final. To the cannibal, cannibalism seems the natural thing. To the feudal baron it was evident that feudalism would last forever. The slave owners thought slavery was the final form of civilization. Today capitalists of the conservative class, believe that capitalism is the ultimate form of society. Every great step forward in civilization or science has been called impossible.
“I became a radical because I saw that the conservatives failed to learn from the past experience of the race failed to understand that the present is of evolution. Many of the men whom I today we regard as heroes and to whom we build statues, were ridiculed and scoffed at by the majority of their time as wild radicals and Utopian dreamers.
“In my studies I learned that the begetting and upbringing of future citizens of the world, and the production and distribution of wealth are the two chief aspects of social life, and of the utmost importance to humanity. The Socialist says that these two things should therefore be controlled by humanity for the welfare of the race, instead of being left in a planless, wasteful way to individual caprice, as at present. This sounded to me like plain common sense.
“It seemed utterly absurd to me that millions of children should be brought up under frightful unhygienic and immoral conditions when, we have enough scientific knowledge to prevent enormous quantities of the resulting diseases and immoralities, if we would only apply it.
“In regard to the production and distribution of wealth. I found the Socialists believed that these should be controlled by the people for public service, instead of by conflicting individuals for private gain. This would mean the public ownership of land and the chief means of production. The heart of the question is, are the trusts and business interests going to control the people through the Government, or are the people going to control the trusts and business interests through the Government? The latter is what the Socialists desire.
“I became a Socialist because I became convinced that the enormous amount of ignorance, suffering, vice, injustice and squalor, that exists at present, is not an unavoidable curse; but is largely due to the defects of the social system built up by man.
Organized Team Play.
“I have played enough football.” said Mr. Dana with his engaging smile, “to understand the incomparable superiority of organized team-play over haphazard individual effort. I realized that the success of society as of a football team depends on team-play or organized cooperation! There is wanting in society today a sufficiency of constructive design. We have as a social system today the most aimless and wasteful plutocracy that ever encumbered the destinies of mankind.
“We have a state in which the mass of the population is growing up under conditions physically, mentally and morally deteriorating; a state in which not one-half of the potential human beings reach the mature age of 5 years; a state in which almost three-quarters of the National income is given up to expenses connected with that wholesale murder, called war. Such a state the Socialist hardly looks upon as a social system at all, but regards as a mere preliminary. higgledy-piggledy aggregation of human beings, out of which a really civilized society must be developed! The Socialist finds the world now planless and drifting and earnestly propounds a scheme of better order, more constructive design, more organized cooperation.
“I became a Socialist when 1 understood how the present system of capitalism works. By capitalism I mean the economic system in which land and the other chief means of production are owned by individuals and not by the people as a whole.
“Men who had profited by capitalism told me that Socialism worked well in theory, but wouldn't work in practice. Even at that I thought it 'had it over' capitalism, for I saw that capitalism worked well neither in theory nor practice.
“Society is divided into two classes, those who own land and capital (the means of production, and those who work for land and capital to produce wealth. The chief income of the first class is rent and interest, which they take from the wealth produced by the workers in return for letting them use their land and capital. The workers produce all the wealth and their chief income is wages, which is that part of the wealth they have produced which is given back to them, so as to induce them to go on working.
“The result of this is that competition, both among the workers and among the capitalists, forces wages down as far as possible. I disapproved of this system, because I disapprove of slavery. What essential difference does it make whether you give a man enough money to buy himself food and clothing and shelter for producing wealth for you, or whether you give him food, clothing and shelter for doing the same thing? In the first place you have capitalism or wage slavery;in the second chattel slavery. The former is better in many ways, but it does not mean real freedom.
“Whether the force of chains and whips makes men produce wealth which is taken by those who own the bodies with which they work; or whether the force of hunger and cold makes them produce wealth which is taken by those who own the tools with which they work, makes no essential difference. The first is a cruder, the second a more subtle form of slavery.
“Interest is earned, I grant that. But this in no way proves that capitalism is better system than Socialism. I fail to see that it would not be better to have the people collectively own the means of production so that they can work for themselves and not for a group of capitalists.
For Private Profit.
“Is it not utterly absurd to have masses of people looking for work, in dire need of coal, and quantities of coal waiting to be mined: and yet the unemployed can't be put to work mining coal for the needy! Why? Because the coal mines are owned by private individuals and run for private profit and not for public service! The owners of coal mines can make more profit by selling a less quantity of coal at a higher price than by selling a greater quantity at a lower price.
“Another thing which turned me to Socialism was the desire to get rid of the class war between labor and capital. It can't be good for humanity to be split up into these two antagonistic classes: it makes a real democracy, a real brotherhood of man impossible. In this struggle, I must say that I sympathize with the working class because they are suffering from enormous injustice.
“I became a Socialist because when I had learned what it was the objections brought against it seemed to me to be absolutely childish and futile. I remember reading an article by Roosevelt against Socialism two or three years ago. This was the finishing touch in my conversion. For of all the complete failures to grasp the meaning of a movement, and of all the absurd misunderstandings and petty misrepresentations, by a man of experience and intelligence, that article takes the biscuit. From beginning to end he did not quote a single recognized Socialist leader.
“Present social conditions are the result of two factors, namely, the present social system and human nature. To better conditions you must change one of these two factors. If you can't change human nature you must evidently change the social system, which is precisely what the Socialists advocate. It seems to me that every other proposed remedy, except Socialism, relies entirely on a change in human nature.
“I became a Socialist because the chief argument against Socialism struck me as utter rot. It is that under Socialism there would be no incentive for productive labor. I could not see why paying people in proportion to the amount of useful work they did would destroy the incentive to do useful work. Why should there be less incentive where no one would get paid who did not work?
“I became a Socialist when I saw the great danger of the so-called 'conservative' policy. It is the conservatives in all ages who are the cause of bloody revolutions and violent upheavals, by not being awake to the conditions of their times, and so allowing the discontent to increase beyond all human endurance. The best remedy for discontent is justice. The frightful French Revolution was brought about by the conservatives and half-hearted reforms of the statesmen of the aristocracy.
“That Socialism must come step by step. I realize, but I hope we can make those steps come as quickly as possible, so as to avoid violence which threatens if they come too slowly.
“ is claimed that under Socialism it would be very hard to get anyone to do the dirty work. That shows up capitalist philosophy so splendidly that it is delicious. Of course it would be difficult under Socialism to get anyone to do the dirty work. It would have to be highly paid. Instead of being an objection against Socialism, however, this is one of the best arguments in its favor, to all right-thinking persons.
“I became a Socialist because I understood that Socialism is more than a mere economic theory or political program that it is a great moral and intellectual movement. It presents an opportunity for society to arise and achieve; to find itself, and develop an organized cooperation, which shall enable mankind to really fulfill itself.
“Only to the solid-ivory heads of those that think the world is finished does Socialism seem ridiculous. That Socialism is coming there is no doubt. The only question is how soon, how successfully, and in what manner.
“After studying the movement I became convinced that Socialism is without exception the most significant and hopeful movement the world has ever known. It has developed from its crude Utopian beginnings to a scientific and practical form. It is an inspiring movement, but it is not infallible. Many Socialists are fools and none—can you believe it—make no mistakes. This simply means that it is a practical human movement and not merely a Utopian dream.”
June 18 1912
The Democratic Banner, Mount Vernon, Ohio, Tuesday, June 18, 1912
WEDDING ON SOCIALIST LINES
Cambridge, Mass., June 15—A simple ceremony befitting the Socialist views of the contracting parties today united Edmund T. Dana, a grandson of the poet Longfellow, and Miss Jessie Holliday, a well known English portrait painter. A Justice of the peace officiated at the wedding, which took place at the home of the bridegroom's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Henry Dana.
Edmund Trowbridge Dana, 1913
April 06 1913
The Leavenworth Times, Leavenworth, Kansas, Sunday, April 06, 1913
POET'S GRANDSON RINGING UP FARES
Jessie Holliday Dana (top) and Edmund Trowbridge Dana.
Edmund Trowbridge Dana, Harvard graduate and grandson of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is a conductor on a Boston street car line. He admits that shortness of funds forces him to it. He denies that he has become estranged from his wife, formerly Jessie Holliday, English portrait painter, who attracted attention by writing the ritual for their marriage. He says that she is planning to come from England in April and rejoin him.
Young Dana's father is one of the wealthiest citizens of Cambridge.
Edmund Trowbridge Dana, 1915
June 20 1915
Lincoln Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, Nebraska, Sunday, June 20, 1915
GLORIES IN HIS WIFE'S ACT
Minnesota Professor Deplores Death, But Calls It Heroic.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 19.—In a statement tonight Edmund T. Dana, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, described the suicide of his young wife by drowning at Nantucket Thursday as a “tremendously tragic, but beautiful end.”
“Mrs. Dana,” her husband said, “had always held the stoical idea that it is more dignified to die of one's own will than to leave the hour and manner to circumstances. Personally, I am glad it was an act of my wife's own choosing and not a horrible accident, though it was a pathetic mistake that made her feel the world would be better without her.”
Continuing Mr. Dana explained that his wife's health became run down after the birth of her child.
“She believed she never would be able to take care of the baby properly,” he said, “and would handicap her husband in his life work. Her artistic sense made her feel that a thing should be perfect or not at all.”
Mrs. Dana was the daughter of Henry Holliday, a wealthy steel manufacturer of Wales. Her husband is a grandson of Longfellow, the poet.
July 21 1915
Boston Evening Transcript, Boston, Massachusetts, Wednesday, July 21, 1915
MRS. RICHARD H. DANA DEAD
Wife of Boston Lawyer, Resident of Cambridge, Was a Daughter of the Poet Henry W. Longfellow
Edith Longfellow Dana, wife of Richard Henry Dana, the Boston lawyer, who resides in Brattle street, Cambridge, died today in the historic old town of Lancaster. She was a daughter of the poet, Henry W. Longfellow, and her mother was his second wife, Frances Elisabeth Appleton, who in 1861 met with an accident in which she was so severely burned that she died from the effects of her injuries. Mrs. Dana was one of the three daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Longfellow, of whom the poet wrote in his poem: “The Childrens Hour,” as follows:
From my study I see the lamplight,
Descending the broad hall stair,
Grave Alice and laughing Allegra
And Edith with golden hair.
Mrs. Dana's sisters who by these lines became so widely known are Miss Alice Longfellow, who still resides in her father's historic home, Craigie House, Cambridge, and Mrs. James G. Thorpe, formerly Annie Allegra Longfellow, whose home adjoins that of the Dana family in Cambridge.
Mrs. Dana had been in ill-health for some time, and last fall underwent a surgical operation from which she had not recovered. She was married Jan. 10, 1878, to Richard Henry Dana, who, like herself, came of notable ancestry, and ever since their marriage they have lived in Cambridge, with a summer residence for many years at Manchester-by-the-Sea, where their place overlooks what is known as Dana's Beach.
In addition to her husband and her sisters, Miss Longfellow and Mrs. Thorpe, Mrs. Dana is survived by four sons and two daughters, as follows: Richard Henry Dana, Jr., of New York, Harvard 1901, who married Miss Ethel N. Smith; Henry W. Longfellow Dana, Harvard 1903, Cambridge; Allston Dana, Harvard 1906, who married Miss Dorothy H. Goodale and who now lives in White Plains, N. Y., and Edmund Trowbridge Dana, who married Miss Jessie Holliday of England (whose death by drowning was a recent occurrence), and the two daughters are Mrs. Henry C. De Rham, 2d, of New York, who formerly was Miss Frances A. Dana, and Mrs. Robert H. Hutchinson of Philadelphia, who before her marriage was Miss Delia F. Dana.
Ernest Wadsworth Longfellow, the New York architect, formerly of Boston, is a brother of Mrs. Dana. Another brother, Charles Appleton Longfellow, was a soldier in the Civil War and lost his life in his services for his country.
Edmund Trowbridge Dana, 1917
June 05 1917
Edmund Trowbridge Dana, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Edmund Trowbridge Dana, 1940
March 31 1940
Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, Sunday, March 31, 1940
Tucson may become the winter chess capital of the west in another year or so. More and more visitors are showing up at the Tucson Chess club. Among Californian chess players seen at the Y. M. C. A. chess clubroom last week were Edmund T. Dana. H. Hokensen and Miss Jennie Gada. We should like to remind some of the club members who have been backsliding lately that the meetings are still being held Thursdays at 7:30 p. m.
Edmund Trowbridge Dana, 1947
March 25 1947
The Peninsula Times Tribune, Palo Alto, California, Tuesday, March 25, 1947
Plays To A Draw
Edmund T. Dana, 2340 Cowper St., local chess player, played to a draw the country's fourth ranking expert. Olaf Ulvestad, in a San Jose exhibition match during the week end.
September 19 1947
The Peninsula Times Tribune, Palo Alto, California, Friday, September 19, 1947
Noted chess wizard to play all comers here Monday night
George Koltanowski, noted chess wizard, will put on another local exhibition when he takes on all comers at the Community Center Monday night, according to Edmund T. Dana, president of the Palo Alto Chess Club.
The club will not meet the San Jose chess group, as previously reported. The two chess clubs met last Monday with San Jose the victor by a score of 15½ to 9½.
Edmund Trowbridge Dana, 1949
December 05 1949
The Peninsula Times Tribune, Palo Alto, California, Monday, December 05, 1949
Palo Altans Get Stalemate
Koltanowski sets new record for chess games in 12 hours
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 5 (AP)—Chess Expert George Koltanowski claimed a new world record today for the number of chess games played in 12 hours but was tied by two Palo Altans and beaten by a San Jose State College student.
In 12 hours he completed 257 games in a mass exhibition and had started a total of 271. He finished them all before quitting. He wound up last night with a record of 251 games won three lost and 17 drawn. The previous 12 hour record was 226.
Koltanowski took on his opponents 37 at a time. They ranged in age from 9-year-old Alto Lu Townes of Santa Rosa to 70-year-old Henry Strob, retired Stockton businessman.
In the grueling exhibition Koltanowski was on his feet constantly walking from chess board to chess board except for short rest periods and a brief whirl in a wheel chair. The occasion was a chess festival staged by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Santa Rosa master lost to Les Talcott, 21-year-old San Jose State College student; Andy Buschine, San Jose waterworks maintenance operator and Robert Wilson, San Francisco letter carrier.
Those getting a draw included Strob;
Francis Mills, Pacific Grove;
Robert Holton, Santa Rosa Junior College student;
M. E. Mattingly, Stockton contractor;
George B. Oakes, Salinas lettuce worker;
Frank S. Morsman, Palo Alto junior college student;
Edmund T. Dana, 63 Palo Alto; Lionel Wolfson, Sebastol, secretary of the Petaluma Chess Club.
William Allen Ruth, 1930
July 03 1930
Well-Matched Pair 03 Jul 1930, Thu The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) Newspapers.com
A well-matched pair in the inter-city contest between New York and Philadelphia were I. Horowitz of the Manhattan Chess Club and W. A. Ruth of the Franklin Chess Club. It was entirely fitting that their encounter should go down in history as a draw.
William Allen Ruth (white) vs. Israel Albert Horowitz (black)
Bishop's Opening: Vienna Hybrid
William Allen Ruth, 1937
February 21 1937
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sunday, February 21, 1937
When Chess Champions Meet
Two of the favorites to win the State Chess Tournament at the Benjamin Franklin met yesterday, while Harry Morris, a former State champion, looks on. Left is William A. Ruth, Doylestown, five times State champion, and right, Sydney T. Sharp, Philadelphia, who held the crown nine times.
William Allen Ruth, 1953
September 05 1953
The Gazette and Daily, York, Pennsylvania, Saturday, September 05, 1953
State Chess Tourney Starts Here
Photo by The Gazette and Daily
Registration, Round Robin Competition Held
Thirty persons warmed up for the 15th annual Pennsylvania State Chess tournament with a round robin rapid transit tourney last night at Hotel Yorktowne. The seven-round tournament to name a state chess champion will begin today and will continue until Monday.
Above, W. M. Byland, seated left, Pittsburgh, 1949 state champion, registers for the tournament with local chairman, Attorney Jeffrey C. Bortner, also seated. Standing from left are E. A. Coons, Sewickley, secretary-treasurer of the state federation; D. A. Giangiulio, state president; William A. Ruth, Collingswood, N. J., chess master emeritus, winner of six state titles and chess columnist for Philadelphia Inquirer; and Attilio Di Camillo, Philadelphia, a chess master and two-time state champ.
Di Camillo was winner in the transit tourney by a 7½ to ½ score. Second was Saul Wachs, Philadelphia, 7 to 1. Tied for third were Robert Sobel and 13-year-old Charles Kalme, both of Philadelphia, with 5½ to 2½ scores. Only member of the sponsoring Y chess club to make the finals was Fred Block, Abbottstown. Participants moved every 10 seconds at the ring of a bell.
Participation in last night's play was the highest in any rapid transit tourney in the history of the federation, and state officers predicted at least 50 contestants in the championship sessions. Tourney awards will be made Monday at 6 p.m. State officers will be elected at 1 p.m. today.
Youngest player last night was John Yeagley, nine-year-old son of City Treasurer William B. Yeagley, president of Y Chess club.
William Allen Ruth, 1955
September 03 1955
Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Saturday, September 03, 1955
William Allen Ruth, 1962
April 04 1962
Courier-Post, Camden, New Jersey, Wednesday, April 04, 1962
1962, William Allen Ruth, Chess Champion
William Allen Ruth, 1975
February 04 1975
Courier-Post, Camden, New Jersey, Tuesday, February 04, 1975
William Ruth, 87, Ex-Grand Master
William A. Ruth, 87, formerly of 15 Gorman Ave, Collingswood, died Monday in Garden State Memorial Hospital, Marlton.
Mr. Ruth was a United States chess grand master and was honored with a merit award by the U. S. Chess Federation last year for outstanding service to chess.
Mr. Ruth had won, among other prizes, state chess titles in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Surviving is a daughter, Mrs. Ottilie Reel of Germany, a sister, Mrs. Mildred Hughes of Philadelphia, and a granddaughter.
Funeral services and burial will be private.
Herman Hahlbohm, 1907
1907
Hahlbohm Family Portrait in their parlor. The family buisness was a livery service. Oscar drove the hearst. 1907 in Chicago, Illinois
Herman Hahlbohm, 1914
August 16 1914
The Commercial Appeal, Sunday, August 16, 1914
LEFT TO RIGHT STANDING–
E. F. Schrader, Syracuse, New York.;
B. B. Jefferson,, Memphis, Tennessee;
J. W. Fry, Charleston, West Virginia;
Nestor Hernandez, Tampa, Florida;
Dr. A. E. Crew, Marion, Iowa;
Herman Hahlbohm, Chicago, Illinois;
Victor Alderson, Warren, Ohio;
Prof. James McClure, Nashville, Tennessee;
J. S. Morrison, Toronto, Canada; and
R. S. Scriviner, Memphis, Tennessee.
SITTING–
J. Daniels, Kansas City, Missouri;
W. G. Hine, Savannah, Missouri;
L. L. Labatt, New Orleans, Louisiana;
J. T. Becker, Winchester, Kentucky;
W. L. Moorman, Lynchburg, Virginia;
H. F. Lee, Chicago, Illinois, Referee,
F. B. Hill, Cleveland, Mississippi;
G. H. Wolbrecht, St. Louis, and
W. N. Woodbury, Roanoke, Virginia
Expert Chess Players From All Over America Meet Here to Compete for Western Championship Trophy
Twelve rounds have been completed in the championship tourney of the Western Chess Association in progress at the Business Men's Club. Nineteen players, most of them champions, entered the tourney on Monday morning and for six days have been engaged in “strenuous head-to-head” struggles across the board.
Never before in the history of the Western Chess Association has such a strong set of players assembled to compete for the honored title.
We have experts from 13 states and Canada.
Judge J. J. Labatt, long recognized for his prowess in southern chess, is representing the Chess, Checkers and Whist club of New Orleans.
J. Daniels of Kansas City, among his chess honors can boast of having served for some years as the “chess spirit” of the automation located at the Eden Museum in New York City.
Herman Hahlbohm of Chicago, representing the Kenwood Chess Club, may be regarded as one of the rising stars in the chess firmament. He won the championship of Chicago last season, defeating a large field of strong players. By strong and brilliant play Hahlbohm has held the lead in this tourney and stands an excellent chance to win top place.
B. B. Jefferson, the local expert and present champion of the association, holds a place at the top of the list with Hohlbohm and Wolbrecht.
If Jefferson wins the cup again this year it will become his permanent possession. It is a rule of the association that in case the cup is won two years in succession by the same player it then becomes his property.
Something of the Players
Wilbur Moorman of Lynchburg, Va.; is a chess enthusiast, a strong, brilliant player of the old school.
Dr. Crew of Marion, Iowa, is champion of the Iowa Chess Association.
Judge W. G. Hine of Savannah, Mo., can always be depended on for good strong play.
Robert S. Scrivener has made an enviable record in local chess and is a fit opponent for any of the experts.
Canada has sent Morrison, whose game has already attracted widespread interest.
E. E. Schrader is representing Syracuse, N. Y. Schrader is an ex-champion of the Western Chess Association.
George H. Wolbrecht of St. Louis is also and ex-champion of the W. C. A., so both Schrader and Woldbrecht have well earned the high place which they hold in the chess world.
J. W. Fry, the noted expert on the Evans gambit, is the only player in the tourney who has ventured that historic opening. He was rewarded by a victory in each case.
J. T. Beckner of Winchester, Ky. has been unable, on account of ill health, to exhibit the great strength and flashing brilliancy which usually characterize his game. At the beginning of the tourney he was expected to be a contender for the highest honor.
Ed Hill, champion of the Mississippi Chess Association, has thus far been erratic in his play, and has not always displayed the high-class chess he is capable of producing.
Nestor Hernandez, the gentle young Cuban, at times shows flashes of the genius that has made Capablanca famous.
Hernandez is representing the Tampa, Fla. Chess Club.
Victor Alderson of Warren, Ohio is a well known player of correspondence chess. He essayed over the board chess experts for the first time on this occasion.
Standing of the Players.
Seven more rounds will have to be finished to determine the champion. Harry F. Lee, the able referee and chess editor of the Chicago Tribune, has stuck to his “text” this week. Mr. Lee has conducted the tourney in splendid style. He is systematic and thorough in his work and has kept the “knights” under strict military discipline.
The standing of the players after eleven rounds is as follows:
Won Lost Hahlbohm 9 2 Jefferson 8 2 Wolbrecht 8 2 Moorman 8 3 Hine 7½ 3½ McClure 6½ 3½ Schrader 6½ 3½ Woodbury 6½ 3½ Morrison 5½ 4½ Hernandez 5½ 4½ Hill 5½ 5½ Labatt 5 5 Scrivener 4 4 Beckner 5 6 Alderson 1½ 8½ Crew 1 8 Jamison 0 11
Herman Hahlbohm, 1957
June 06 1957
Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, Thursday, June 06, 1957
“Sisterly Consolation,” an oil painting by the late Chicago artist, Karl A. Buehr, will be presented by his widow at 3 p.m. today to the Mary Pomeroy Green center, 1149 N. La Salle st. Mrs. Buehr (seated), discusses painting with Mrs. Ida Sheehan as Adolph E. Kretzer (left) and Tyko Hahlbohm enjoy game of checkers.
Isaac Ash, 1908
1908
March 22 1908
Americans In Lead In Chess Cable Match 22 Mar 1908, Sun The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) Newspapers.com
Americans In Lead In Chess Cable Match.
Have One Point Advantage in Intercollegiate Contest With England.
TWO GAMES STILL UNDECIDED
Louis J. Wolff of Columbia Plays Brilliantly Against Cambridge Opponent—Play by Boards.
Philadelphia, March 21—Bent on winning back the laurels lost by the British chess players in the match of a week ago, the team representing Oxford and Cambridge in London faced the sextet representing Columbia, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Brown and Pennsylvania, in the eighth of the series of intercollegiate contests by cable for the Rice trophy to-day. When play ceased, at 6:30 o'clock this evening, the Americans had the advantage, with a score of 2½ points to 1½, two games remaining unfinished. Thereupon draws were offered to the Britons on the two boards, but the latter declined, preferring that they be adjudicated upon by Referee Walter Penn Shipley of this city. Mr. Shipley would not give his decision on the spot, and stated it might be a week before his opinion was given. The opinion is freely expressed by experts in attendance here to-night that the Americans will retain their lead after the adjudication, and in that way win the match and the trophy.
Louis J. Wolff, captain of the Columbia varsity team, pulled his game out of a very complicated situation, and scored for America, as did C. Williams of Princeton, who found a flaw in the combination of his opponent. W. H. Hughes of Pennsylvania was beaten at the top board by N. J. Roughton of Oxford, K. S. Johnson of Harvard drew his game with B. H. R. Stower of Cambridge, the draw being agreed to at the close of the match.
The match was played from the hall of the Houston Club and the Inns of Court Hotel, the two places being connected by direct commercial cables. Not a hitch occurred the entire day. It was the first time that play on this side has taken place on the campus of a university.
Play began shortly after 8 o'clock in the morning, with the two sextets paired in the following order:
Board 1—W. H. Hughes, Pennsylvania, vs. N. J. Broughton, New College, Oxford.
Board 2—L. J. Wolff, Columbia, vs. L. Illingworth, Trinity College, Cambridge.
Board 3—K. S. Johnson, Harvard, vs. B. H. R. Stower, Queens College, Cambridge.
Board 4—N. Blumberg, Columbia, vs. H. Lob, King's College, Oxford.
Board 5—I. Ash, Pennsylvania, vs. C. G. Woodhouse, Pembroke College, Cambridge.
Board 6—C. Williams, Princeton, vs. R. Petrie, Balliol College, Oxford.
Walter Penn Shipley of this city, umpire for the British collegians, won the toss for move, and elected that Oxford and Cambridge play the white pieces on the odd numbered boards. The Americans, therefore, had the choice of openings on boards 2, 4 and 6. The Ruy Lopez, or Spanish attack, was chosen by the players at the five top boards, but the variations followed were not at all monotonous. At the sixth board, the Englishman resorted to the Petroff defense.
Owing the absence of R. T. Black of Cornell, I. Ash of the University of Pennsylvania, who played in the recent state tournament, was called upon to fill the vacancy.
Wolff of Columbia was pitted against the same player whom he defeated in the match a year ago, and the first seven moves made to-day were identical with those of their game of a year ago. Then it was Illingworth who varied.
Of the Americans who defended the Ruy Lopez, Hughes and Ash both chose the Berlin defense. The former lost some time with his queen's bishop, which retarded his development somewhat, but Ash obtained a satisfactory position from a book line of play. Johnson defended with 5. … P-QR3 defense, and his opponent continued with the steady attack initiated by the advance of the queen's pawn one square. Wolff was met by the 3. … P-QR3 defense, and opened the queen's rook file, but otherwise his adversary established a good position. Blumberg faced the interesting counter attack of 3. … P-B4, from which Lob built up an excellent game. In the Petroff defense at the sixth board, Williams neglected an opportunity of advancing his king's rook pawn on the tenth move with effect, and, as a result, a black knight was entrenched strongly in the Princeton player's field.
Hughes' position went from bad to worse, until finally on the twenty-fifth move Boughton sacrificed a knight in brilliant fashion. The Englishman's rooks and queen obtained access to the black king, and Hughes was forced to resign after twenty-nine moves.
Wolff succeeded in winning his opponent's weak queen's knight's pawn, but, in the end, had to give his king's pawn in return. While Wolff was left with a passed pawn on the queen's wing, Illingworth had a formidable center.
Stower had a passed pawn at K6 against Johnson of Harvard, and the latter did not get a very promising game.
Blumberg castled on the queen's side, exchanging queens on the seventeenth move. He had slightly the better position.
Lively play was witnessed between Woodhouse and Ash, but equality was maintained, although Ash's queen's bishop was out of play.
The misfortunes which befell Hughes was offset at the sixth board, where Williams of Princeton won a piece on the seventeenth move in consequence of an unsound combination made by Petrie.
Isaac Ash, 1942
May 15 1942
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Friday, May 15, 1942
Chess Column
To the Editor of The Inquirer:
As one of the many chess enthusiasts in and about the city of Philadelphia, permit me to thank you for the excellence of the chess column now being conducted by Mr. Isaac Ash.
Mr. Ash is well known to all chess players of this city. Nearly 35 years ago he represented the University of Pennsylvania in the match of the American colleges (by cable) against Oxford and Cambridge. Since that time he has not only been one of the leading experts of this city ranking among the first 10 but his home has been the rendezvous of the outstanding masters of the country, whenever they have visited here.
This chess column is of vital importance to chess, for it forms the centre of all activities, and in the last few weeks there has been favorable comment on the manner in which it has been conducted.
The recent revival of the Franklin Chess Club, which will also co-ordinate the activities of many other clubs of the city, indicates an increasing interest in chess, and for that reason there is general satisfaction that the column is in such able hands.
BARNIE F. WINKELMAN
Philadelphia, May 12.
Isaac Ash, 1949
May 18 1949
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, May 18, 1949
ONE WORLD IN CHESS
To the Editor of The Inquirer:
Now we have it! The Russians not only discovered and invented everything, but there is also a bourgeois and a Soviet game of chess with different meanings and aims. What nonsense! I am referring to Isaac Ash's chess column in The Sunday Inquirer about the Russian master's utterances on chess.
I used to play that wonderful game and can tell you this: One world may stay a dream forever in most things, but we have reached it already in the field of chess. There are not only correspondence games between say, Capetown and Canton or Harrisburg and Vienna, but there are also international tournaments that are attended by people of the whole earth: Americans, Germans, Russians, English, Dutch and what not who have only one aim: to play a good game, nothing else. I call that international friendship.
My old experience teaches me that chess is half a game and half a science that sharpens the brain notwithstanding whether that brain is located in a capitalistic or in a Soviet skull. That's all. The Russians are very good chess players—but good players are also to be found in countries without the Soviet dogma.
DR. JULIUS HEINE
Philadelphia, May 15.
Isaac Ash, 1986
June 23 1986
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Monday, June 23, 1986
Isaac Ash, 98, a lawyer, amateur painter and chess enthusiast, died Saturday at his home in Center City.
He graduated from Central High School at 16 and the University of Pennsylvania law school in 1908. He was the oldest living graduate of Penn's law school.
He practiced law in Philadelphia all his life and also was active in real estate development in the city.
He retired more than 20 years ago.
Mr. Ash's interests were art and chess. He was the Pennsylvania state chess champion in the 1940s and played in international chess matches with Oxford University by cable for many years.
He was the chess editor of The Inquirer 30 years ago.
As an amateur painter, he had several one-man art shows and received second prize in the National Amateur Painter's contest held in 1954 at the Parke Bernet Gallery.
He is survived by a daughter, Marjorie Weinberg; a son, William, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
His wife was the late Margarite Gruenberg.
Services will be at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Rosenberg's Raphael Sacks, 4720 N. Broad St. Interment will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Philadelphia.
Henry Blumberg, 1908
March 22 1908
Americans In Lead In Chess Cable Match 22 Mar 1908, Sun The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) Newspapers.com
Americans In Lead In Chess Cable Match.
Have One Point Advantage in Intercollegiate Contest With England.
TWO GAMES STILL UNDECIDED
Louis J. Wolff of Columbia Plays Brilliantly Against Cambridge Opponent—Play by Boards.
Philadelphia, March 21—Bent on winning back the laurels lost by the British chess players in the match of a week ago, the team representing Oxford and Cambridge in London faced the sextet representing Columbia, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Brown and Pennsylvania, in the eighth of the series of intercollegiate contests by cable for the Rice trophy to-day. When play ceased, at 6:30 o'clock this evening, the Americans had the advantage, with a score of 2½ points to 1½, two games remaining unfinished. Thereupon draws were offered to the Britons on the two boards, but the latter declined, preferring that they be adjudicated upon by Referee Walter Penn Shipley of this city. Mr. Shipley would not give his decision on the spot, and stated it might be a week before his opinion was given. The opinion is freely expressed by experts in attendance here to-night that the Americans will retain their lead after the adjudication, and in that way win the match and the trophy.
Louis J. Wolff, captain of the Columbia varsity team, pulled his game out of a very complicated situation, and scored for America, as did C. Williams of Princeton, who found a flaw in the combination of his opponent. W. H. Hughes of Pennsylvania was beaten at the top board by N. J. Roughton of Oxford, K. S. Johnson of Harvard drew his game with B. H. R. Stower of Cambridge, the draw being agreed to at the close of the match.
The match was played from the hall of the Houston Club and the Inns of Court Hotel, the two places being connected by direct commercial cables. Not a hitch occurred the entire day. It was the first time that play on this side has taken place on the campus of a university.
Play began shortly after 8 o'clock in the morning, with the two sextets paired in the following order:
Board 1—W. H. Hughes, Pennsylvania, vs. N. J. Broughton, New College, Oxford.
Board 2—L. J. Wolff, Columbia, vs. L. Illingworth, Trinity College, Cambridge.
Board 3—K. S. Johnson, Harvard, vs. B. H. R. Stower, Queens College, Cambridge.
Board 4—N. Blumberg, Columbia, vs. H. Lob, King's College, Oxford.
Board 5—I. Ash, Pennsylvania, vs. C. G. Woodhouse, Pembroke College, Cambridge.
Board 6—C. Williams, Princeton, vs. R. Petrie, Balliol College, Oxford.
Walter Penn Shipley of this city, umpire for the British collegians, won the toss for move, and elected that Oxford and Cambridge play the white pieces on the odd numbered boards. The Americans, therefore, had the choice of openings on boards 2, 4 and 6. The Ruy Lopez, or Spanish attack, was chosen by the players at the five top boards, but the variations followed were not at all monotonous. At the sixth board, the Englishman resorted to the Petroff defense.
Owing the absence of R. T. Black of Cornell, I. Ash of the University of Pennsylvania, who played in the recent state tournament, was called upon to fill the vacancy.
Wolff of Columbia was pitted against the same player whom he defeated in the match a year ago, and the first seven moves made to-day were identical with those of their game of a year ago. Then it was Illingworth who varied.
Of the Americans who defended the Ruy Lopez, Hughes and Ash both chose the Berlin defense. The former lost some time with his queen's bishop, which retarded his development somewhat, but Ash obtained a satisfactory position from a book line of play. Johnson defended with 5. … P-QR3 defense, and his opponent continued with the steady attack initiated by the advance of the queen's pawn one square. Wolff was met by the 3. … P-QR3 defense, and opened the queen's rook file, but otherwise his adversary established a good position. Blumberg faced the interesting counter attack of 3. … P-B4, from which Lob built up an excellent game. In the Petroff defense at the sixth board, Williams neglected an opportunity of advancing his king's rook pawn on the tenth move with effect, and, as a result, a black knight was entrenched strongly in the Princeton player's field.
Hughes' position went from bad to worse, until finally on the twenty-fifth move Boughton sacrificed a knight in brilliant fashion. The Englishman's rooks and queen obtained access to the black king, and Hughes was forced to resign after twenty-nine moves.
Wolff succeeded in winning his opponent's weak queen's knight's pawn, but, in the end, had to give his king's pawn in return. While Wolff was left with a passed pawn on the queen's wing, Illingworth had a formidable center.
Stower had a passed pawn at K6 against Johnson of Harvard, and the latter did not get a very promising game.
Blumberg castled on the queen's side, exchanging queens on the seventeenth move. He had slightly the better position.
Lively play was witnessed between Woodhouse and Ash, but equality was maintained, although Ash's queen's bishop was out of play.
The misfortunes which befell Hughes was offset at the sixth board, where Williams of Princeton won a piece on the seventeenth move in consequence of an unsound combination made by Petrie.
Henry Blumberg, 1909
January 03 1909
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York, Sunday, January 03, 1909
Three Brooklyn Boys Prominent in College Chess
L. Walter Stephens, Captain Princeton team. Louis Tolins, Captain Cornell team. Henry Blumberg, Columbia's star player.
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York, Sunday, January 03, 1909
Brooklyn Boys Lead In College Chess
Have Been Tournament Leaders During the Past Two Years.
STEPHENS WON FOR TIGERS.
Blumberg Prominent at Columbia. Tolins, Promising Cornell Player. Russell at N.Y.U.
Wherever the Brooklyn student chess player goes when entering upon the broader sphere of college life, he naturally assumes the lead just as though it were his due by right of inheritance. At least, this summary of the actual situation today is applicable to the past two years and it would appear that the local training is most conducive to pre-eminence in the world of Caissa. As to what contributes most to this state of affairs, it is not necessary at this time to dwell upon at length, except to say that it is largely due to the activity of the school teams, their constant participation in the interscholastic series with schools in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island, and to the generous encouragement of the older clubs and players of Brooklyn. But the fact is that, at this writing, Columbia, Cornell, Princeton and the New York University acknowledge as leaders young men who owe their talents for the game to education and development derived from association with the very active chess element in this borough. Yale, too, has honored with leadership young chess players nurtured on Long Island.
Last year, Columbia, through the efforts of Louis J. Wolff and H. Blumberg, both of Brooklyn, and Cornell, thanks to the good work of Roy T. Black and Ernest H. Riedel, won the championships for their respective universities in the annual tournaments of the two intercollegiate leagues. This year, champion-chip honors in the major league were transferred to Princeton, and upon L. Walter Stephens, bred and born in Brooklyn, fell the distinction, not alone of captaining the victorious team, but winning all his games against the best players of Columbia, Harvard and Yale. Stephens also played for Princeton in 1906 and 1907, but it was not until he assumed the helm that Old Nassau scored her first triumph at chess in seventeen years. In Brooklyn, the Tiger skipper was well known as the captain and champion of the Boys High School, an institution which has contributed most of the players from this borough who have made their mark in intercollegiate chess.
Blumberg of Columbia was a member of the champion Blue and White teams for 1906 and 1907, and this year was placed at the top board, but lost his game to Stephens. He is another product of the chess at Boys' High. His game in the last cable chess match with Oxford and Cambridge holds the record for the time required to arrive at a satisfactory adjudication of the unfinished position. It was finally declared a draw by Referee Shipley of Philadelphia, his opponent being H. Lob of Oxford.
Louis Tolins appears in intercollegiate chess for the first time this year. He was born twenty-three years ago In Alliance, Salem County, N. J., and attended the public schools of Philadelphia and Brooklyn. He prepared for college at Heffley School in this borough and is now attending the State Agricultural College at Cornell University. Tolins has played chess for about eight years. At one time he held the Junior championship of the Kings and Queens Chess League, and subsequently joined the Brooklyn Chess Club, where he was rated as 1A. The benefit of his experience has been placed at the disposal of the Brooklyn Boys' High School teams as coach, and this year be is the captain of the Cornell varsity team.
There is probably no finer chess player attending college to-day than F. F. Russell, former champion of Boys' High and now studying at the New York University. While his strength is recognized, his talents have been hid under a bushel as it were, because the N. Y. U. team does not belong to either of the big leagues. He would add strength to the student cable team, did the “C. H. Y. P.” committee in control see fit to avail itself of his services.
Yale has had the support for the past four years of E. B. Burgess, a son of Bishop Frederick Burgess of Long Island. This year he is the captain. His brother, G. Burgess, has also been a member of the Yale team in the tournaments of 1907 and 1908.
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'til the world understands why Robert J. Fischer criticised the U.S./British and Russian military industry imperial alliance and their own Israeli Apartheid. Sarah Wilkinson explains: Tweets by swilkinsonbc |
 “What a sad story Fischer was,” typed a racist, pro-imperialist colonial troll who supports mega-corporation entities over human rights, police state policies & white supremacy. |
To which I replied: “Really? I think he [Bob Fischer] stood up to the broken system of corruption and raised awareness! Whether on the Palestinian/Israel-British-U.S. Imperial Apartheid scam, the Bush wars of ‘7 countries in 5 years,’ illegally, unconstitutionally which constituted mass xenocide or his run in with police brutality in Pasadena, California-- right here in the U.S., police run rampant over the Constitution of the U.S., on oath they swore to uphold, but when Americans don't know the law, and the cops either don't know or worse, “don't care” -- then I think that's pretty darn “sad”. I think Mr. Fischer held out and fought the good fight, steadfast til the day he died, and may he Rest In Peace. Educate yourself about U.S./State Laws -- https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit/videos After which the troll posted a string of profanities, confirming there was never any genuine sentiment of “compassion” for Mr. Fischer, rather an intent to inflict further defamatory remarks. |
This ongoing work is a tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert “Bobby” Fischer who passionately loved and studied chess history. May his life continue to inspire many other future generations of chess enthusiasts and kibitzers, alike.
March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008The photograph of Bobby Fischer (above) from the March 02, 1956 The Tampa Times was discovered by Sharon Mooney (Bobby Fischer Newspaper Archive editor) on February 01, 2018 while gathering research materials for this ongoing newspaper archive project. Along with lost games now being translated into Algebraic notation and extractions from over two centuries of newspapers, it is but one of the many lost treasures to be found in the pages of old newspapers since our social media presence was first established November 11, 2017.
