January 1967 'On the Cover'

After the December 1966 'On the Cover', we open new volumes of our two American chess magazines from 50 years ago.

Left: 'U.S. Championship Committee Chairman Maurice Kasper with Robert J. Fischer, champion for the eighth time, as pairings for the 1966-1967 event were being announced. -- Photo by Beth Cassidy'
Right: 'Armed Forces Champion'

Chess Life

Fischer wins U.S. Championship (Ho-Hum) by Burt Hochberg • By defeating Samuel Reshevsky in the 10th round, Robert J. Fischer was assured of undisputed 1st place in the 1966-67 Unied States Championship. This is the eighth time Fischer has won the title, and he did it comfortably by two full points, not having lost a single game.

Maybe it wasn't so 'Ho-Hum' after all. This was the eighth and last time that Fischer participated in the U.S. Championship.

Chess Review

SP4 CHESTER T. WOZNEY • The new winner of the Thomas Emery Trophy for the Armed Forces Chess Championship also receives President Johnson's congratulations (on color photo) presented by White House Army Aide, Major Hugh G. Robinson (left) at the American Chess Foundation awards dinner in the Sheraton-Carlton Hotel, Washington, D.C. George E. Reedy (seated, and see page 357, December issue), formerly Press Secretary to President Johnson presided at the dinner. The new Champion, actually of Parma, Ohio, came from the Eighth Army, Korea, to compete in the week-long seventh annual title tournament in the American Legion's Hall of Flags in [Washington].

That CR writeup was illustrated by a photo from the previous event. The photo's caption explained,

One year ago, Major Hugh G. Robinson (left: and see "On the Cover" below) presented President Johnson's congratulations to an Air Force man, David M. Lees of Connally AFB, Texas. G. Randle Grimes of Atlantic City, New Jersey, American Chess Foundation Vice-president, presented the sterling silver Air Force trophy.

Going back a year (as in January 1966 'On the Cover', where the CR cover featured Pal Benko), the January 1966 coverage of the Armed Forces event used the same Robinson/Lees photo. As for George E. Reedy, the December 1966 CR showed him in another photo captioned,

GEORGE REEDY • Former press secretary to President Johnson, now President of Struthers Research and Development Corporation, MC-ed the American Chess Foundation's Thomas Emery Awards dinner.

'Thomas Emery Trophy', 'Thomas Emery Awards dinner' -- who was Thomas Emery and what was his connection to the American Chess Foundation?