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Albert M Swank

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ALBERT M SWANK (born Jun-06-1878, died Aug-06-1958, 80 years old) United States of America [what is this?] Albert Swank was born in Hancock Co., Ohio as the third of six children of farmer and engineer Jefferson Swank (1844-1934) and Martha Waltermire (1840-1916). In 1901, he was married to Emma Sherwood (1882-1932) from the neighboring county of Putnam. They raised three children in Findlay (Hancock Co.) and Jackson (Perry Co.). He worked as an oil field pumper, until around 1915 when he got a job as an oil field superintendent in Wichita, Kansas. The family moved there, and they had a fourth child. About 1923, Albert disappeared. Emma (as a 'widow') and some of the children moved back to Findlay, where she was a factory worker for some years. Despondent because of poor health, Emma shot herself behind a barn at her farm home. According to the 1940 census, Albert lived in Detroit in 1935. In 1940 he was unmarried and owned a small farm in Ti, Pittsburg Co., Oklahoma. Sometime before 1956, he moved to Oklahoma City, which was the site of the 57th US Open (1956), and he decided to participate. As the oldest player there (age 78), and sporting a long, flowing beard, he met the 13-year-old Robert James Fischer in the first round. Main sources: US World War I Draft Registration Cards (Kansas 1917-1918), The Lima News 22 Feb. 1932, The Unknown Bobby Fischer (1999), http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f..., censuses and church records. Last updated: 2022-07-21 20:12:59

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page 1 of 1; one game    Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. A M Swank vs Fischer 0-1 43 1956 57th US Open B20 Sicilian

Jun-12-05    woodenbishop: My gf likes this magazine... I can't blame her. Dec-04-11    Phony Benoni: <Chess Life> of August 5, 1956, noted that Swank's game with Fischer at the 1956 US Open was a meeting of the oldest (78) and youngest (13) players in the tournament. May-06-13    Tabanus: The US World War I Draft Registration Cards, Kansas 1917-1918, has him of medium height, medium build, blue eyes, gray hair, <born 6 June 1878>, wife Emma, occupation “Supt” (= superintendent). The 1920 census has him in Wichita, Kansas, with wife Emma and four children. Occupation: “superintendent”. Both places with the name Albert <M.> Swank. I believe this (plus other records) identifies him (and his wife) in the period 1878-1920. And as the person with same birth date who is buried outside Oklahoma City (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...). However, there is no direct evidence this is the US Open 1956 player. One Albert M. Swank was born in 1890 and another Albert M. born 1876 died in 1939. No other “A. M. Swank” seems to fit: Albert Swank born 1879 had middle name L, Alpheus Swank born 1877 had S, Arthur b. 1877 had T. Albert is missing from the 1930 census, and no border crossing, emi- or immigration record could be found. What did he do? Feb-17-22    jerseybob: Sounds like a character from a Jimmie Rodgers song. Sep-04-23    GrahamClayton: Shame that no-one took a photo - the contrast between Swank and his flowing beard and Fischer with his buzzcut hairstyle would have been a great image. Sep-04-23    Check It Out: What's the story behind his 1923 disappearance?

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