The Wichita Eagle Wichita, Kansas Friday, July 31, 1992 - Page 8
Chess Anyone? Fischer, Spassky but not as in 1972
Remember 1972? Richard Nixon was re-elected president. Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law and assumed nearly dictatorial powers. A. Managua, Nicaragua, earthquake killed 10,000. Alabama Gov. George Wallace was shot by would-be assassin Arthur Bremer. District of Columbia police arrested five men inside Democratic National Headquarters in the Watergate complex. The United States resumed bombing of North Vietnam. Tropical storm Agnes hit the eastern United States and created what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers called the worst natural disaster in U.S. History.
And Bobby Fischer beat Boris Spassky for the world chess championship.
It wasn't the biggest event that year. The outcome didn't change the course of history. But it sparked enough interest that the media covered it extensively and school kids wanted to learn how to play the game. Bobby Fischer became a kind of cult hero as Americans with anti-Soviet fervor rooted for the reclusive and socially strange ([Autism Spectrum… now who's being intolerant?]) enfant terrible of world chess.
Now the word comes that there will be yet another Fischer-Spassky match. It's been 20 years since Mr. Fischer became the first American chess champion of the world. Seems appropriate somehow that it would take that long for another match. Chess is, after all, a contemplative game. It doesn't move quickly.
Even in the midst of numerous critical issues in 1972, Americans who couldn't tell a checkmate from a stalemate followed their young chess genius to victory over Soviet Communism. But since Mr. Spassky is no longer part of an evil empire, it is doubtful this nation will get as enthused about this match as it did when beating the Russians at anything was utmost.
To those who don't remember 1972, that may seem pretty silly. To those who do, Bobby Fischer still seems heroic. ([Why shouldn't he? He's counted as likely the greatest in history, and he is American-made.])
