ASeptember 09 1953
The York Dispatch, York, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, September 09, 1953
Chess Champions Receive Trophies
Robert D. Sobel, a 19-year laboratory technician from Philadelphia, center, receives the state chess traveling trophy from William B. Yeagley, president of the Y Chess Club, after the youth won senior division title of the Fifteenth Annual State Chess Tournament held over the week-end in the Hotel Yorktowne ballroom.
Mrs. Naomi Culberton, shown on the right, of 426 Lincoln street, a member of the local chess club, which sponsored the tournament, holds a $10 check she received for winning the state women's title. Mrs. Culberton also York city and county women's champion, received the undisputed state title when no other women registered in the event. She was later matched with men and won two games.
Young Sobel also won the junior division, but relinquished the title and $10 prize money to Mahlon F. Cleaver, an 18-year old from Allentown, who is a junior at Lafayette College.
In the final matches yesterday afternoon, Sobel outlasted Attilio Di Camillo, Philadelphia, the 1946-47 champion to score six in the seven-round tournament. Besides the trophy which will be returned at the 1954 tournament, he was awarded $60 and Di Camillo won $40.
Other winners in the senior division were: Vladimir Bomanov, Philadelphia, third. $25; Saul Wachs, Philadelphia, fourth $20, and William Byland, Pittsburgh, fifth, $10.
Players who came in sixth, seventh and eighth, were awarded subscriptions to Chess Review, a national publication, while ninth to fifteenth place winners received books on chess.
New officers of the Pennsylvania State Chess Federation were elected Saturday afternoon. They included T. C. Gutekunst, of Allentown, president; Attorney Jeffrey C. Bortner, treasurer of the “Y” Chess Club, vice president in charge of publications; D. A. Giagiulio, Landstowne, executive vice president; W. M. Byland, Pittsburgh, a vice president; William A. Ruth, Collingswood, N. J. a vice president, and E. A. Coons, Sewickley, Pa., secretary-treasurer.
The youngest player in the tournament was D. W. Waight Jr., an 11-year-old from Carlisle, and the oldest man registered was P. B. Driver, of Ridley Park, who is 74 years old. W. S. Harris, of Allentown, a retired minister, who is 88 years old, and an ardent chess enthusiast, appeared at the tournament but did not register to play.
Chess players from York city and county who participated in the competition were Elliot F. Laucks, president of the Log Cabin Chess Club, West Orange, N. J., whose father was founder of York Safe and Lock Company, William B. Yeagley Jr., Joseph Schatanoff, David Schatanoff, Covington A. Miller, Leroy Guthridge, Dimitro Grenda, F. R. Deardorff, Mrs. Culberton, Horst Bottstein, Attorney Bortner and Herman Bottstein.
During the Saturday business meeting the state officials did not name the date or site of the 1954 tournament. This is expected to be announced later.
