Lancaster New Era Lancaster, Pennsylvania Thursday, October 28, 1971 - Page 20
Chess Player a 1971 Hero
Bobby Fischer, of New York, is a new kind of hero in this year of 1971, a chess player who holds as much attraction for many young and old Americans as do stars in the more active games of football and baseball.
Fischer is now on the threshold of the summit in chess—a 24-game match against Boris Spassky, of the Soviet Union, present world champion. If he beats Spassky, he will bring the global chess diadem to the U.S. for the first time ever.
Chess players hold deep respect for Fischer, since he is one of them, but he has caught the imagination of many others who do not know a pawn from a queen. His personal story is fascinating — a grandmaster at 15, youngest to hold that ranking; vowing at 19 to become world champion and failing; a person of brilliance but of hot temper, now trying to keep his temper under control.
At 28, he is closer to the title than at any time prior to this. Will he emerge triumphant in the matches next April-May? Or will he be denied victory? It's a real chess cliffhanger, and as is usually the case with chess, it will take quite a while to find out.
