AStatesman Journal Salem, Oregon Saturday, October 23, 1971 - Page 4
Fischer Grows Up
For 15 years or more, Bobby Fischer has been the “child prodigy” of chess, a lonely boy huddled over a chess table opposite gray haired men.
Fischer is a Brooklyn-born genius with an ego to match his capabilities. He went through an “adolescent” period for a number of years during which he would abruptly leave in mid-tournament if he felt offended in any way.
But in the last year or so, he has settled down, concentrating his great talent and daring style of play on proving he is the champion he believes himself to be.
Currently, he holds an unassailable lead over Tigran Petrosian in the “semi-finals” of the world championship of chess. A win sends him against World Champion Boris Spassky.
Russia dominates chess. Russians have held the world crown for 25 years. For an American to win the title would be comparable to a Russian baseball team winning the world series. But a determined, lonely American named Bobby Fischer just might do it.
