Public admiration bugged Fischer
Saturday, September 11, 2010 02:58 AM
The Columbus Dispatch
September 1972 was a time of chess miracles – orso it seemed.
Bobby Fischer had returned to his native New York to be honored after beating Boris Spassky to win the world championship. He received the symbolic key to the city.
He expressed skepticism. Why did he need it? He could go anywhere he wished without it.
Was he serious, or was this humor? One never knew with Robert James Fischer.
He arrived at Mayor John Lindsay’s reception exuding calm, smiling and looking resplendent in a superbly tailored suit.
By the end of the first hour, however, he was noticeably discomfited. He fidgeted nervously, with perspiration pouring down his face.
It was disturbing to watch the transformation.
He had always been uncomfortable in such situations. His mother had explained, during the early stages of his precocious celebrity, that he intensely disliked being the focus of attention.
During his return to New York, he seemed disturbed and distrustful of many of the approaches being made toward him.
“The creeps are begin- ning to gather,” he later told media types.
After a short stay in New York, he fled to California, where he remained for 20 years in retreat from the world of chess.
For Fischer, the key he had received from Mayor Lindsay became symbolic of doors that were to be closed with uncanny consistency.
Source: Columbus Dispatch
Unfortunately, the USCF treated Fischer like a dog.
What Fischer did was no miracle he knew spassky’s chess was mathematically unsound so Bh2 was just a trick. Its like this T-board horse i gave the top tricksters i already know that Ultramodern Middlegame Novelties is going to smash this “new chess” stuff so being quiet and goin in the backroom is alright but useless, vishy, nige short and da boys r just havin a LOTTA FUN!!!
Bobby was the best! RIP.
A few points: 1. The picture of Bobby demonstrates that Bobby has no elbows and is clearly is disturbed by the board with only white pieces.
Bobby Fischer was my chess hero since I was a little kid. I read in the libraries of NYC about this 14 year old boy who won US Chess Championship. I followed his career until the magical era of 1970-1972 when he was unstoppable by the Soviet Chess Machine! He by himself beat the whole USSR Chess Nation of Chess GM’s and ex World Champions. To this day I do not think we shall ever see such an event or circumstances occur again. Unfortunately as Paul Morphy before him he did not play chess after defeating the World’s best and being acknowledged as the most dominant of Chess Champions in both their times. It is a shame we missed on the many great battles we would have witnessed between Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov! Same happened in Morphy’s era. RIP Bobby you were one of the greatest of all time!