The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-10-26
CHAMPION WAS
EASILY DEFEATED
Illuminating Experience Of the
Crack Checker Player OF
the Hudson
DIDN'T c v A KIND
The strssSsr ceo~soesd -Aiee" Tsef
the -sStssriS' csn -
Times MAKO
Good
Kruu the Ro.ton Herald.

BASEBALL attracts the ~attentisu OF
many thousands OF Americans today
aid a disciple OF the simple life. " but
In my opinion the most popular camel
In the United states IN checkers. II i.I
QUE Of the oldest games I'm the history
ot the world. The vogue of baseball
lasts only Ave or SIX months In the
year. while checkers In played the year
round In the isolated country districis|
u In the chief means OF amusement dur
Ing the long winter evenings. NIL thai
In necessary tn play the game being al
piece OF chalk To mark the squares
GA a piece OF board. and - number Of
white and yellow kernels OF corn To
nal the checkers. Besides. the game
OF checkers affords nm admirable
chance for the study OF human nature.
especially the vanity % egotism Of tho
ordinary human animal.
Viewing the game of checkers from
this standpoint reminds me of the time
when l defeated the champion checker
piayer OF the lower Hudson river sew
eral years ago. This champion was re-
nowned through the Hudson river val
ley. Time and time again he had de-
feated the local champions. He lived
In Iiockiand. where he kept a general
store. He was in the habit or going
up aud down the Hudson ON the steam
er Chrystenah. which piles between
New York and Peekskili. stopping AT
intermediate landings To deliver freight
and passengers. IL was the custom OF
the champions tn sit az the main deck
OF the steamer. between the gangwaya.
aud defeat all corners.
II had a summer residence Mt Peek
skill one summer. and I became deeply
Interested I'm the champion because OF
kla aA1 NhA hlA
manner he assumed when his adver-
saries fell. by one. before his SUI
perior skill. After watching the cham
pion for several weeks began to
scheme to rob him az his glory. / lad
paid some attention to checkers u
played a fair game. I noticed that the
champions knowledge OF the game was
limited to three openings and that he
invariably used one OF these three. I
consulted my cop OF Hoylc aud found
that there were various openings OF
which the champion probably was I'M
aware. picked out one OF h more
obscure md practiccd IL night after
night, until each move Was indelibly
impressed upon my brain.
The following Saturday I
| boarded the steamer l found the ham
pion sitting at the little table with a
cigar between his lips and a cynical
smile on his face as he slowly but sure
~ nfhh HlN ihNEoA aihbkVtttEN tlAp
checker oblivion. A. the game was
nearing AN end. In defiance OF all the
ethics OF checkers. I warned the vic
tim against making n contemplated
move. This. OF course. drew the at
tention OF the champion - myself.
young man, he said. you seem 10
know something about the game.
Would you mind giving me "A lesson
or two?'
II hope you will excuse my buttIng
In said I. 4 know very little about
the anne. or purse you can defeat
me easily. but I'll try you once Just
for fur. will play just n game and
no more
Il shall never forget that scene"
continued the ~storytelicr. The table
was surrounded by "A hundred men
nearly all OF whom had been slaught-
cred by the champion. We were cross
Ing Haverstrnw bay when b game
began. The look Of conscious superior
lily faded from the champions face aft
er three moves had been made. The
opening which I had studied 80 care
fully appeared To be "A complete sur
prise TO him. He did not kno how Ia
meet u. Within five minutes ] had in
vaded his king row and In Ave minutes
more I had defeated him ignominously
He didn't get "A king. A delighted deck
hand jumped i've feet In the air and
exclaimed:
by thunder. the champion II
~skunked!' I arose laxily from my
chair. stretched my arms ms yawned
To the champions request for another
game I replied:
What's the USE" Then | walked
away.
Il am told that my fame has spread
throughout the state and that the
story OF that game has been retold Ia
every village between here and Albany
I understand TINT whenever they want
To take the conceit u OF the champion
they make some reference to my won
derful play"