APensacola News Journal Pensacola, Florida Tuesday, July 04, 1972 - Page 31
'I Gotta Accept It' -- Bob Fischer
New York (AP) — “It's a stupendous offer! I gotta accept it.”
That is how chess star Bobby Fischer is reported by his lawyer to have reacted to $130,000 offered by a British banker if Fischer would show up in Iceland and play Boris Spassky in a world championship match.
The lawyer, Paul Marshall, said Fischer planned to leave New York for Reykjavik, Iceland, Monday night. The first scheduled match is Tuesday.
The offer of 50,000 pounds—or $130,000 at official parity—came from James D. Slater Monday morning.
Slater put up his own funds because he wanted to solve Fischer's reported money questions and get the match under way.
“What I'm saying to Fischer, now is, ‘Come out and play,’ Slater said in making the offer.
Marshall said he called Fischer as soon as he got word of the offer at 8 a.m. New York time and it took Fischer about six hours to decide, calling Marshall back with his acceptance at about 2 p.m.
“Fischer thought the offer was incredible and generous and brave,” said Marshall. “His only negative comment was that he felt the English were assuming the Icelandic responsibility.”
Fischer accepted after previously requesting and receiving a two-day postponement of the match.
Why did Fischer accept?
“The offer was couched in a way he couldn't refuse. It said ‘If he isn't afraid of Spassky, then I, Jim Slater, have removed the element of money,’ said Marshall. “So Bobby felt he had to accept. His pride … he couldn't go down as a coward.”
Slater, chairman of Slater Walker Securities, proposed several deals. In one, all $130,000 would go to the winner, raising the winner's prize to $208,000.
However, Fischer took the deal to double the original prize money for the match, which stands at $125,000. The winner would get $156,000 and the loser $104,000, splitting the extra prize money in the same percentage as the original purse.
William Lombardy, grandmaster, of New York City, will be Fischer's official second for the match, said Marshall.
All along, the issue hasn't been the money, Marshall said.
“It was the principle. He felt Iceland wasn't treating this match or his countrymen with the dignity that it and they deserved. And he was furious about the press censorship. He was flying around the room,” said Marshall.
Marshall was referring to the three-releases per game limitation which the Icelandic Chess Federation made for reporters covering the match.
“They're trying to stop America from reading about it! That's what they've done all along,” Marshall quoted Fischer as saying.
Fischer himself has shunned newsmen because he feels the press often misrepresents him, Marshall said.
“He's not a trained interview subject, and he's very frank and outspoken … Plus he's in training,” said Marshall.
He added that Fischer has been in good spirits.
“Last night, he was jocular and relaxed,” he said.
Fischer fled from the airport last Thursday to avoid newsmen who were waiting for him, Marshall said. It was not a ploy to make Spassky nervous, said the lawyer.
'I Gotta Accept It' -- Bob Fischer 04 Jul 1972, Tue Pensacola News Journal (Pensacola, Florida) Newspapers.com
Fischer Accepts Offer From British Banker 04 Jul 1972, Tue Pensacola News Journal (Pensacola, Florida) Newspapers.com
