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Walter Harris

Number of games in database: 18
Years covered: 1958 to 1990
Overall record: +9 -7 =2 (55.6%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games.

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WALTER HARRIS
(born Sep-28-1941, died Oct-12-2024, 83 years old) United States of America

[what is this?]

Walter Harris was the first African-American player in the United States to attain the title of National Master (1963).

Wikipedia article: Walter Harris (chess player)

Last updated: 2025-01-11 15:37:15

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 page 1 of 1; 18 games  PGN Download 
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Fischer vs W Harris ½-½471958Simul, 13bC21 Center Game
2. W Harris vs R Weinstein 1-043195960th US OpenB60 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer
3. W Harris vs E Hearst 0-122195960th US OpenA04 Reti Opening
4. H Gross vs W Harris  0-136195960th US OpenB06 Robatsch
5. W Harris vs A Cantone 1-027195960th US OpenC98 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin
6. M Rohland vs W Harris  0-142195960th US OpenB06 Robatsch
7. W Harris vs E Marchand  1-028195960th US OpenA07 King's Indian Attack
8. K Burger vs W Harris  0-155195960th US OpenA60 Benoni Defense
9. W Harris vs J Sherwin  0-131195960th US OpenC53 Giuoco Piano
10. H Berliner vs W Harris  1-041195960th US OpenD35 Queen's Gambit Declined
11. E Jimenez Zerquera vs W Harris  1-073195960th US OpenB06 Robatsch
12. W Lochmann vs W Harris  0-128196061st US OpenB06 Robatsch
13. W Harris vs H Herbst  1-041196061st US OpenA04 Reti Opening
14. R H Steinmeyer vs W Harris  1-028196061st US OpenA61 Benoni
15. P Poschel vs W Harris  1-022196061st US OpenE76 King's Indian, Four Pawns Attack
16. C Brasket vs W Harris 1-061196061st US OpenB06 Robatsch
17. P Cleghorn vs W Harris 0-1211965Las Vegas National openB06 Robatsch
18. D Levine vs W Harris  ½-½261990USA MastersA45 Queen's Pawn Game
 page 1 of 1; 18 games  PGN Download 
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Harris wins | Harris loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
May-11-12  DanielBryant: I was privileged to have the chance to meet Mr. Harris recently. He is now living in the DC area.
May-11-12  SamAtoms1980: <first African-American player>

OK, this proves that this isn't the same guy as the notorious former Stanford football coach, <Walt Harris>.

Aug-22-12  wordfunph: from the book The Unknown Bobby Fischer by Donaldson & Tangborn..

<On May 11, 1958, WNTA (Channel 13) had a live telecast of Bobby Fischer playing 13 opponents simultaneously. When he did not finish in the allotted time, the station allowed the games to be played to a conclusion by delaying the next program for a few minutes. Fischer scored +12=1-0, with the lone draw going to Walter Harris.>

Jan-11-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  Stonehenge: RIP

From Wiki:

<He had a remarkable 5th-place finish in the 1959 U.S. Junior Open. At that tournament, he was unable to rent a room at the tournament's hotel (Sheraton-Fontenelle Hotel) due to racial segregation. Despite his and Anthony Saidy's protests, the hotel managers were adamant, forcing Harris to go to another hotel for accommodations.>

Jan-11-25  stone free or die: Would be nice to get a photograph of him here. Maybe somebody could ask <chessdrum> if a PD photo is out there somewhere.
Jan-11-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: 'Sheraton-Fontenelle', an Omaha hotel long since demolished, proving that in the 1950s, and later still, by no stretch of the imagination did the American South have a corner on discrimination.

During the fifties, even J Edgar Hoover's lickspittle crony Roy Cohn was refused admittance to La Jolla, which displayed signs proclaiming: 'No Jews'.

Jan-12-25  stone free or die: He was on the cover of the March 1964 <Chess Life>. It can be seen here:

https://novacremate.com/obituary/wa...

Which includes many tributes to the man from friends he knew while alive.

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