Lansing State Journal, Lansing, Michigan, Wednesday, June 14, 1972 - Page 37
Bobby Fischer Sellout Victim
This report should properly go in the diplomatic pouch. Slug it “For Eyes Only” with one copy to the Secretary of State, one to the President. Burn promptly after reading. Get Henry Kissinger on it at once.
The United States is walking into another Communist trap.
It's going to be the same old story. It's going to be a conflict of their choosing, on their grounds, under their terms. It's going to be the same old crush, a conflict we probably can't win because a stalemate is almost built in.
It's going to have demilitarized zones, sanctuaries, the whole lot. International quicksand. It's the Bay of Pigs, Panmumjom, the sellout all over again. We're playing for a tie, as usual. And, a tie, they win.
We're Ruining Bobby Fischer
The circumstances are these: The United States is probably the world's mightiest chess power. That's because we have Bobby Fischer, the Brooklyn prodigy whose disposition would have to improve to be described as merely “irascible.”
Bobby is about to be sacrificed on the altar of diplomatic expedience, a tragic patriot in the mold of Douglas MacArthur, Gary Powers or the Lafayette Escadrilled. We're sending him into battle handcuffed.
Bobby has won all the skirmishes in this conflict. He routed a collection of Russian shock troops in Argentina a year ago with almost bored ease. Now, he is to meet Russian champion, Boris Spassky.
Immediately, of course, the juggling started. The Russians tried to steer the ultimate conflict to the Tannenberg marshes, or anywhere in the world the terrain would favor them. They usually do. Bobby thought Las Vegas would be fine. The Russians shuddered. They had, after all, seen “The Godfather.” They suggested some venues where they think “moving pictures” are cave drawings in an earthquake. Bobby said, no, thanks, his camel was broke.
So, Iceland It Was
The Russians compromised on Reykjavik, Iceland. For those of you bereft of an Atlas, this is a fog-shrouded, inhabited Iceberg in the North Atlantic which is reachable only by nuclear sub or polar bear.
Bobby, who has all the warmth of the hooded cobra, sputters when he thinks about it. “Stooges!” he shouts. “The International Chess Federation and the American Federation are all stooges of the Russians!”
The conditions of the matches are such that “drawn” games will be allowed. To Bobby, this is an international miskae of the magnitude of not being able to bomb the enemy supply lines.
Bobby wants to play to win. But, of course, American is in a period of not being beastly to the Russians.
Apparently, chess is a game in which it's easy to play for a stalemate. I say “apparently” because Bobby, explaining chess at the Dewar's celebrity tennis tournament at La Costa the other day, has all the patience of Edward Teller explaining the hydrogen atom to a guy with a bone in his nose.
Spassky ‘Not in My Class’
The Russian champion, Spassky, is “not in my class, really,” Bobby says. “I'm a better player, period.
“If we play 10 matches to win which is the way a match of this kind ought to be played.
“I'm being dictated to by the Russian Chess Federation and my government is going along, because let's face it, we're in a program of ‘detente’ and I'm being sold out.”
Speaking of “selling out,” Bobby also points out carefully there is no live television or satellite coverage out of Iceland and the Prospect of 12 (of the 24) matches being “drawn” by the Russian would automatically leave him the world champion and the Soviets would get the bulk of the $160,000 prize money.
Well it's the same old sordid drama. Why aren't the students out burning their chess boards on the White House lawn? Where is Dr. Spock in this crisis?
Shouldn't Bobby defect to Canada? And where are the groups chanting “Hell, no, Bobby won't go!” Can't Fulbright call a hearing? Was this one of the concessions Nixon made at Moscow?
Is Joe Alsop just going to sit there? Not me. I'm organizing a “Free Bobby Fischer” movement right now. After all, just because chess players are a minority doesn't mean they don't have rights.
