Curiosities for chess addicts
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
ALL CAPABLANCA REALLY WANTED WAS TO PLAY BASEBALL, NOT CHESS!
BASEBALL?? Yes! Do you notice the handsome player 3rd to the left, top row? None other than Capablanca! ”This photograph, with Capablanca standing third from the left, was given on page 209 of Chess Facts and Fables, but only in a small format, and we therefore show it here in a full-size version. It comes from The Columbian 1909, page 140.” Source for this is Winter’s Chesshistory —http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/winter37.html
In 1904 Capablanca went to New York to learn English, and he wanted to learn English so that he could play baseball. Did you ever?
It was like this: Columbia University had very good ball teams in those days and Capablanca wanted to play for Columbia. To play for Columbia he had to be a student. To be a student he had to know English. So he set to work learning English. Then he took his entrance examinations, but things did not go very well.
Years later after he had already won the title of world champion, Capablanca was interviewed by a journalist and he said:
One of New York’s hottest hotels in the 20’s and 30’s, located at 160 West 71st Street. The architects were Maynicke and Franke, a well established firm that also built many other New York iconic buildings. The hotel opened its doors in 1923 and the owner, Harry Latz –son of Alah and Mack Latz (hence Alamac is a combination of Allah and Mack)–wanted the Capablanca vs Alekhine world championship match held there but settled for the New York 1924 super-tournament instead!
Today the Alamac Hotel is a residencial building. Take a look at this youtube video of someone going up to the top floor on the elevator (19th floor):
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
In 1904 Capablanca went to New York to learn English, and he wanted to learn English so that he could play baseball. Did you ever?
It was like this: Columbia University had very good ball teams in those days and Capablanca wanted to play for Columbia. To play for Columbia he had to be a student. To be a student he had to know English. So he set to work learning English. Then he took his entrance examinations, but things did not go very well.
Years later after he had already won the title of world champion, Capablanca was interviewed by a journalist and he said:
“When a match is over I forget it. You can only remember so many things, so it is better to forget useless things that you can’t use and remember useful things that you can use. For instance, I remember and will always remember that in 1927 Babe Ruth hit sixty home runs.”
BASEBALL’S LOSS. CHESS’ GAIN!
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HOTEL ALAMAC TIDBITS
The New York Alamac Hotel
One of New York’s hottest hotels in the 20’s and 30’s, located at 160 West 71st Street. The architects were Maynicke and Franke, a well established firm that also built many other New York iconic buildings. The hotel opened its doors in 1923 and the owner, Harry Latz –son of Alah and Mack Latz (hence Alamac is a combination of Allah and Mack)–wanted the Capablanca vs Alekhine world championship match held there but settled for the New York 1924 super-tournament instead!
The above announcement was published in the New York Times on September 8, 1922.
Hotel restaurant card
Menu
Congo Grill Room
Some of the rooms were designed by the world famous Winold Reiss
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SPRAGGETT ON CHESS