1953 Wiswell - Hopper games

[Ingo_Zachos]

I wonder if anyone can provide the games of the second Wiswell - Hopper match that was played in 1953 with the alledged score of 2-2-26 or sometimes also given as 2-2-36.

Is it just an invention of Mr. Hopper, or were these games really played?


Greetinx and many thanks in advance from cold, but sunny Germany,

Ingo Zachos

[Jay H]

Hi Ingo,
I wondered about this myself,as I searched all of my literature to see if I could find them, which I could not.....so I wrote to Al Darrow, who wrote me that contributors to the match received the games in a booklet. When Wiswell was questioned as to whether or not they would be published for the public at large, Wiswell replied that he was not planning to publish the games, as most were published play draws. Apparently, he never did publish these games beyond what was sent to contributors, although IIRC,(and I may be wrong)I believe one of the wins was published in California Checker Chatter a few months later, but I would have to double check on that.....

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Jay H

[liam stephens]

There is a report on the match in both CCC and ECB.
CCC also published Game 15 of the match in Game 1055,
Vol 5, Jan - Feb 1954 issue.

[Jay H]

There is a report on the match in both CCC and ECB.
CCC also published Game 15 of the match in Game 1055,
Vol 5, Jan - Feb 1954 issue.

Great piece 'o search there Liam !!
Ingo, the match did indeed take place, and was not an invention of Hoppers....
The match was heavily promoted by James Mitchell Ellis (among others)...there are many photos of the match taking place, and even the "championship board" on display within "The Ellis Collection" on the OMOCH site.
Check out the link

http://www.online-museum-of-checkers-history.com/id69.html

Regards

Jay H

[Ingo_Zachos]

....
Great piece 'o search there Liam !!
...

Yes, great work. I hope that some of those who paid for the games did keep it and that some copies are still there to be found.

....he was not planning to publish the games, as most were published play draws. Apparently, he never did publish these games beyond what was sent to contributors, ...

One could say that actually that these were cases of "unpulished" draws


Greetinx from sunny, but still cold Germany,

Ingo

[Jay H]

I hope that some of those who paid for the games did keep it and that some copies are still there to be found.

Ain't many of "those" left..........
Perhaps some are tucked away in private collections somewhere.
Al Darrow mentioned to me in his e-mail that he has the copy that he received as a contributor.
It seems that this is an extremely rare piece of the game's literature.....it is not mentioned in Ken Lovell's book.
Let the search begin......

Regards

Jay H

[George Hay]

I found an interesting line in the Timeline at OMOCH.
In 1942 at Miami, Newell Banks beat Tom Wiswell in a match 4-0-16.

As for the 1953 Wiswell vs Hopper GAYP WCM, Millard Hopper himself gives
the score as 2-2-42, with Wiswell retaining the title.
However, the year is listed as 1954, when the match actually took place in 1953.
The location is listed as Glasgow, Kentucky, and that is correct.
This is in Win At Checkers by Millard Hopper on page 105.
--George Hay

[George Hay]

I was just back at OMOCH at the Ellis Collection from the link provided by Jay (above), and I just noticed something!
There is no time clock (duel clocks) for the 1953 Wiswell vs Hopper match. There is one photograph with a timekeeper
holding a pocket watch, or stop watch as the case may be. There is another photograph with the watch on the table. This
is in contrast to the first Wiswell vs Hopper GAYP WCM that took place in 1951, with Wiswell taking the title from Hopper.
The 1951 match was the first Checkers WCM using a time clock. This can be seen in Checker Kings In Action on the unnumbered page right after page 64. But for the Wiswell vs Fraser GAYP WCM matches in 1956 and 1959, time clocks are clearly shown in the Ellis Collection. (Wiswell successfully defended his title in the Fraser matches.)
--George Hay

[Jay H]

However, the year is listed as 1954, when the match actually took place in 1953.....
This is in Win At Checkers by Millard Hopper on page 105.
--George Hay

A typo...the match definately took place in 1953. This was published in several places...
I posted this OMOCH Timeline entry myself, and based the score on info contained within the ACFB , which lists the score as 2-2-36 draws...


Either way, thanx for visiting the site !!! Feel free to send me any corrections and/or additions to the OMOCH Timeline. I would like to see your name on the OMOCH Homepage contributors list !!


BTW, George, keep your eyes on the OMOCH in the coming months....I am working on a Newell Banks exhibit that will include many rare press photos, artifacts, signed books , articles and letters,and an in-depth biography that will correct much of the erroneous info that has been printed, and reprinted, and posted on various internet sites regarding the career of this most incredible individual.....
You will be pleased......I guarentee it !!!

Regards

Jay H

[George Hay]

Jay, thanx for the definitive date and score of the
Wiswell vs Hopper rematch. I look forward to the Newell Banks exhibit!
One thing I notice about OMOCH is its accuracy, and that is much
appreciated!

Merry X-mas, George Hay

[Richard Pask]

Dear All,

I have a copy of the games - actually just a selection - that were released to the subscribers (I received it from RLF). Once TW managed to equalize the score at 2-2, the implication, as I understand it, is that both parties were happy to play routine pp: Mr Hopper had redeemed himself and TW retained his title.

It was MFT who suggested the Montrose Cross to TW, but it proved to be a disaster for him.

[George Hay]

Richard Pask, I can only encourage you to publish this historic find, perhaps as part of 21st Century Checkers?
As we have seen, Ingo has a healthy skepticism of the '53 GAYP WCM. This will give duffers and masters alike
a chance to see for themselves the Checker Kings in action in the rematch! The Montrose Cross is a very interesting
opening, 11-15, 23-18; 15-19, 24-15; 10-19 when the mandatory jumps are included.
--George Hay