Additional Games
Arthur Crawford Davis
July 17, 1914 - August 30, 2008
First, Middle and Last Name: Arthur Crawford Davis |
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Date of Birth: July 17, 1914 |
Date of Death: August 30, 2008 |
Name of Father: Job Arthur Davis |
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Name of Mother: Elizabeth Crawford McTear |
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Birth: Missouri |
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Education: Boys High School |
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Military Enlistment: |
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Occupation(s): Southern Bell Telephone |
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Residence(s): Atlanta, Fulton, Georgia, USA |
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Spouse(s): Margaret L Davis |
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Siblings: |
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Children: Carolyn Davis Carman; Donald C. Davis |
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Other: George State Championship tournaments, 1948 and 1959. |
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September 02 2008
The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, Tuesday, September 02, 2008
A. C. Davis, 94, chess devotee, supervisor at Southern Bell
By Kay Powell
Chess champion A. C. Davis had six chess boards at any one time, ranging from pocket-sized ones to the board his father brought when he emigrated from England.
His father, a church organist, taught Mr. Davis the game as a child. He played the rest of his life, most recently with his great-grandchildren.
Mr. Davis won the George State Championship tournaments in 1948 and again in 1959, said Thad Rogers, owner of the Atlanta Chess Center.
“He was just real proud of winning the state of Georgia championship,” said his daughter, Carolyn Carman of Bethlehem. Those were treasured among his many chess trophies.
Friday nights were devoted to chess, playing either at the Atlanta Chess Club or with a friend until 2 o'clock in the morning, said his son, Dr. Donald C. Davis of Stone Mountain.
The funeral for Arthur Crawford Davis, 94, of Atlanta is 11 a.m. today at A. S. Turner & Sons. He died Saturday at VistaCare Center at Wesley Woods following a stroke three weeks ago.
Mr. Davis not only perfected his chess strategy in weekly games and tournaments, he played chess through the mail.
“During World War II, he was carrying on chess games with people across the country,” his son said. “He would put 'Move Q to P4' on a postcard and mail his move to them.”
His devotion to chess even had him suspected of being a spy.
Family supper was interrupted one night when two men in suits knocked on their door. The men were government agents who questioned Mr. Davis about his strange postcard messages. The postman thought the messages were some sort of code and had alerted the government. The two agents were trying to determine if Mr. Davis was a spy.
“They laughed when they learned what he was doing,” his son said.
Mr. Davis, a 1932 graduate of Boys High School, retired from Southern Bell Telephone at 63 after 42 years with the company. He began as a craftsman climbing poles and splicing cables and spent his last 21 years with the company as a test desk supervisor, his daughter said.
In that job, he applied his chess strategy skills in devising work schedules, Dr. Davis said, and it may have helped his weekly tennis games, too.
After he retired, Mr. Davis stepped up his volunteer chores at Druid Hills United Methodist Church. He was treasurer of his Sunday school class, helped assemble the weekly bulletins and evolved into the preschool security guard.
As more homeless people slept in the church doorways and other sheltered nooks, Mr. Davis patrolled the grounds to move the vagrants along.
“The kids were afraid of them,” Mrs. Carman said. There were mostly women at the church during the day, and they were uncomfortable with the homeless hanging around. Mr. Davis offered them a sense of protection. He walked the church halls, checked on classes and welcomed the children running up to hug him.
“In our business, we had access to baseball caps, so we gave him a black cap that had ‘Security’ written across it,” his daughter said. “He looked so cute in it.”
Other survivors include five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
CAPTION: A.C. Davis won the George State Championship tournaments in 1948 and 1959. His dedication to playing by mail during World War II led to government suspicion that he might be a spy.
Davis, Arthur Crawford ➦ bio + additional games
July 17, 1914 - August 30, 2008
