<a person who worked in th histerical society>

I bet that's a funny place to work.

http://www.chessmuseum.org/history_...
Mrs.John McCrary wrote an interesting article years ago.

an excerpt:

""Nor did I get to visit the Paul Morphy Chess Club, which has lots of memorabilia. It used to meet at a French Quarter, St. Anne's Street address, but has recently moved. Two Morphy's are still members- Paul Morphy, a lawyer, and his brother, an engineer, who is the stronger player."

"Then Raymond Samuel returned my call.
Mr. Samuel owns Paul Morphy's gold-headed walking cane that Paul broke over his brother's head. An elderly chess player, Mr. Samuel told me this was his treasure, not for sale. I urged him to donate it to the US Chess Hall of Fame. Though Mr. Samuel no longer has any rare chess editions to sell, he has a friend, who is elderly and in very poor health, who is trying to sell his lifetime collection: 42 rare Morphy chess books for $2500, 12 large framed photographs of Morphy for $2,000, and Morphy's own chess cabinet for $10,000."

...

"A $14 taxi ride later, I was spending one of the handful of memorable evenings anyone could count on in a lifetime. Mr. Cletus Flemming is uncannily similar to John McCrary (Author's husband) in his devotion to chess, chess history, rare chess books, and Paul Morphy- I felt right at home.

...

A glass-front book cabinet, full of rare chess volumes, dominates the Flemmings' modest living room. One bedroom has been converted to a museum with Morphy pictures surrounding whoever enters, the last picture of Morphy having been enlarged into a 5 foot-four-inch life-size. The rare books have many duplicates and a few triplicates, and fully half are in German or French. He was willing to sell duplicates. John was telephoned and found the prices to be in line with dealers' prices. The grand exit to the Flemming household and to this account is Morphy's chess cabinet, beside the front door. It is an elegant piece of furniture similar to a chest of drawers or narrow dresser. My recollection is that it is a dark, red-brown wood, mirror on top, and two levels for cufflink trays or brushes. The wide top drawer area lifts open to display a lovely ivory Staunton chess set with red and white pieces. The pieces are set on graduated levels for display. The chest stands about four feet tall and has probably three drawers in addition to the space for the set."

A Google search doesn't reveal any information on a Paul Morphy Chess Club in New Orleans.

"Shanghai" mustve provided a lot of beef in the Morphy household.

And thanks for triggering some fond memories of a lovely visit to the gardens.

I'm joining the discussion in mid-course, but is there talk of <SBC> leaving us or discontinuing her Paul Morphy website?

If so, ALAS!! It's hard to imagine the Paul Morphy page without her!

Isn't there some cosmic rule that since I invited her here (notwithstanding her prior participation under another name), she can only leave with my permission?! I think there is such a rule, yes!

So, I hereby WITHOLD my permission for <SBC> to leave!!!

THERE!!!

YAY!! She has to stay!!! :)

Well, I don't think it will work. Free spirits don't usually take well to being told what to do. Alas, again!

So, I simply express my wish that <SBC> will stay with us as an active participant, and will continue to maintain her Paul Morphy website (even if it is relatively "static", being nearly complete (to a degree)).

<kvcs>'s suggestion that <SBC> develop a site on Harry Nelson Pillsbury is certainly an idea that I like!! Though a distinct personality, Pillsbury is intriguing for some of the same reasons as our man Paul, and I don't think there's much about him on the Web. (Isn't it true that Pillsbury didn't learn Chess until about the age of 17?)

Well, whatever <SBC> decides, we are most fortunate to have had her company all these many months. I think her legacy of contributions to this message board (and not only this one) will continue to enrich the experience of Chess history for many enthusiasts of the Royal Game for a long time to come!

Thank you, <SBC>!!

(: Bishop Berkeley :)

We still make this request of her!

http://starfireproject.com/chess/pi... *** has this: "He was born in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Dec 5, 1872, but didn't learn the chess moves until Thanksgiving Day 1888, when he was 16." This would make him 15 and not quite the 16 as listed. Also, Bill Wall at http://www.geocities.com/siliconval... *** says "He learned chess around Thanksgiving in 1888 at the age of 15." He gives no reference. He goes on to say "In April, 1890, (age 17) Pillsbury competed in his first chess tournament, in the 4th annual Massachuesetts Chess Association tournament." Maybe this is your figure of 17.

URL
http://starfireproject.com/
chess/pillsbury.html
http://www.geocities.com/
siliconvalley/lab/7378/pillsbur.htm

AO for Molly

<chancho> Some time back we considered a few acting candidates to play the role of Paul Morphy. My own suggestion was the actor Johnny Depp ( http://imdb.com/name/nm0000136/ ).

Though I know little about this popular actor, I did see him in the film "Benny and Joon" http://imdb.com/title/tt0106387/ , and based on that performance, I thought he might be a very good candidate indeed.

(Though his performance was very good in the film, I thought the really outstanding performance was given by the young woman who played "Joon", an actress named Mary Stuart Masterson http://imdb.com/name/nm0000524/ )

(: Bishop Berkeley :)

james cagney - morphy
john wayne - staunton
humphry bogart - edge
robert de niro - maurian
burl ives - anderssen
marlon brando - harrwitz
pamela anderson - charmian

Good pick, Doctor!

(: Bishop Berkeley :)