APacific Daily News Agana Heights, Guam Thursday, July 06, 1972 - Page 19
Russians Ask Fischer To Apologize
Reykjavik, Iceland (UPI)—In Iceland yesterday U.S. chess champ Bobby Fischer and Soviet world champion Boris Spassky drew lots to see who gets first move in their world chess championship match. Fischer finally agreed to come to Reykjavik, Iceland, for the match, but only after a British banker offered to double the prize money.
The differences between Spassky and Fischer were still unsolved last night after a two and a half hour negotiation session in which Fischer's lawyer Paul Marshall and Father William Lombardy, his official second, met two of Spassky's advisors.
Marshall told a news conference that the Russians had presented two statements; one by Spassky and one by the Soviet Chess Federation.
He said, “the matter is so delicate that I don't want to reveal the contents.”
“The discussions were frank and we will hopefully be able to resume them tomorrow,” Marshall said in a brief statement. “We are hopeful we will solve the problems tomorrow so the match can be played.”
He refused to answer questions and hurriedly left the conference room, followed by Lombardy, a Catholic priest and a chess grand master.
Spassky's note asked Fischer for an apology, according to informed chess sources, but Cramer said “I cannot see Fischer apologizing.”
