Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-10-26
The CHAMPION WAS
EASILY DEFEATED.
HumiIiating Experience OF the
Crack Checker Player Of
the Hudson.
SECURE A KING
The Stranger Convinced ALEC" That
the "Butterin' Can at
Times Mako
Good.
SECURE A KING
From the Boston Herald.

From the Boston Herald.
Baseball attracts the attention of
many thousands of Americans today"
said disciple of the simple life, but
In my opinion the most popular game
In the United States is checkers. 1t is
one of the Oldest games in the history
Of the world The vogue of baseball
lasts only five or six months in the
year, while checkers is played the Year
round. In the isolated country districts
1t is the chief means of amusement dur
ing the long winter evenings, all that
is necessary to play the game being
piece of chalk to mark out the squares
on piece of board. and number of
white and yellow kernels of corn to
make the checkers. Besides, the game
of checkers affords an admirable
chance for the study of human nature,
especially the vanity and eSotlSm of the
ordinary human animal.
"Niewing the game of checkers from
this standpoint reminds me of the time
when L defeated the champion checker
player of the lower Hudson river sew
eral years ago. This champion was re-
nowneu through the Hudson river VAL
ley. Time and time again he had de-
feated the local champions. He lived
in Rockland, where he kept a general
store. He Was in the habit OF going
up and down the Hudsor- on the steam
er Chrystenah, which Plies between
New York and Peekskill, stopping at
intermediate landings to deliver freight
and passengers. 1t was the custom of
the champ pns to sit on the main deck
of the steamer, between the SalgWays,
and defeat all corners.
II had u summer residence at Peek
skill one summer, and became deeply
interested in the champion because of
his arrogance and the insufferahle
manner he assumed when his adver-
saries fell, one by one. before his SUI
pcrior skill. After watching the cham-
pion for several weeks began to
scheme 10 rob him of his glory. | had
paid some attention to checkers and
champions knowledge of the game was
limited to three openings and that he
invariably used one of these three. l
consulted my copy of Hoyle and found
that there were various openings of
which the champion probably Was UNI
aware. l picked out one of the more
obscure and practiced il night after
night, until each move was indclibly
Impressed upon my brain.
The following Saturday when
boarded the steamer found the cham
'pion sitting at the little table with a
CiSdI between MS ups ana IL 3CSllcal
smile on his face as he slowly but sure
ly sent his latest antagonist into
checker oblivion. AS he game was
nearing an end, In defiance of an the
ethics of checkers, | warned the VIC
tim against making contemplated
move. This, of course. drew the at
tention of the champion to myself
Young man., he said. you seem to
know something about the game.
Would you mind giving me a lesson
or two?
hope you will excuse my butting
m said ]. ! know very little about
mo easily, but I'll try you once just
for fun. l will play just one game and
no more
II shall never forget that scene"
continued the storytcler The table
was surrounded by hundred men
nearly all of whom had been saught-
ing Haverstraw bay when the game
began. The look of conscious superior
ity faded from the champions face aft
err three moves had been made. The
opening which l had studied so care
fully appeared to be n complete sur
prise to him He did not know how to
meet IT. Within five minutes l had i'm
vaded his king row and in five minutes
more had defeated him ANONYMOUSLY.
He didn't get q king. A delighted deck
hand jumped five feet in the air and
exclaimed:
by thunder. the champion is
skunked! l arose laZily from my
chair stretched my arms and yawncd
To the champions request for another
game / replied:
What's the use?" Then walked
away.
II am told that my fame has spread
throughout the state and that tho
story of that game has been retold in
every village between here and Albany.
to take the conceit out of the champion
theN make some reference TO my WON