The history of chess has generally been defined through
its
greatest practitioners, and, while it's true that such an
emphasis is justified and probably the most correct approach to chess history,
it's paradoxically true that such a limited focus often leads to tunnel vision.
Chess is so rich and so varied that even the greatest
players, the greatest tournaments and the greatest matches only tell a small
part of the story. What these lesser stories lack in individual significance,
they make up for with the weight of numbers and often their more direct
influence. This lesser individual
significance should never be misconstrued as a lack of significance.
Though their vastness resists the cataloguing of every detail, person and event, even
as we narrow these things down from the global to the national to the local,
certain details, persons and events stand out for their cultural, social or
educational value as well as for their purely human interest.
In much the same way, the sheer vastness of these
things causes us to lose sight of many persons and things that get lost in
the shuffle but should be remembered.
While it's true
that for whatever reasons, women chess players have almost never won a place
along side the Best of the Best, there have been times when some did win places
along side of the Best of the Rest. Considering the paucity of women
players and the natural and artificial obstacles shoved in their paths, those
who reached a level, particularly in a national arena, equal to all but the very
best men, should be remembered. Yet, again for whatever reasons, this has seldom
been the case, especially so on the national level. This forgetfulness
can't be totally blamed on a lack of media coverage since, even though such
coverage was usually far less than for their male counterparts, it did exist. The
failure can more reasonably be blamed on the historians who ignored them
through the self-determination of what is and what isn't significant - and
through tunnel-vision.
Thanks to my dear friend Deb,
Lawrence Totaro and Dwight Weaver, historian for the
Memphis Chess
Club.
The First American Women's Chess Congress of 1906
WOMEN'S CHESS TOURNAMENT
___________________
First Open Competition Ever Held in
America Planned for May.
For the first time in
the history of chess in America, women are to receive an opportunity to compete
in an open tournament during the second week in May. At the suggestion of
a prominent member of the Women's Chess Club of New York, which has its
headquarters in the Martha Washington Hotel, 29 East Twenty-ninth Street,
invitations are being sent to the fair players of the country to compete in the
tournament in this city for handsome prizes. Souvenirs are to be presented
to all the competitors, irrespective of the scores they may make.
Among the better known women here are Mrs. J. W. Showalter of
Georgetown, Ky., wife of the former United States champion; Mrs. Harriet Worrall
of Brooklyn, winer of third prize in the international women's chess congress
held in London several years ago; Mrs. F. W. Lynn of Chicago, a regular
competitor in the championship tournaments of the Chicago Chess and Checker
Club; Miss Rosa Jefferson of Memphis, Tenn; Mrs. L. Seguin of New Orleans,
Miss Estelle Whitney, formerly of the Brooklyn Heights Chess Club and Miss Eva
Brenzinger of Staten Island, daughter of the Treasurer of the Staten Island
Chess Club.
- New York Times, April 1, 1905
During the second week of May,
1906, what was billed as the First American Women's Chess Congress was held at
the Hotel Martha Washington in New York City. In the rules laid out for the
tournament, the winner of the first-class tourney would be United States Women's
Champion with the prize "a valuable emblem in token of supremacy." The
games were played at the rate of two a day on Monday (May 7), Wednesday (May 9)
and Friday (May 11). No player would be required to contest more than six games.
The time control was twenty-four moves/hour with a four hour limit, after which
it would be adjudicated by the referee, William Ewert Napier.
Entered in the Championship tourney
were:
Mrs. C.P. Frey of Newark
Mrs Frank W. Lynn of Chicago
Mrs. M. Wilkinson-Robertshaw of New York City
Entered in the General tourney
were:
Miss E. H. Burgess of Garden City,
a sister of Bishop Burgess
Miss E. Campbell Foot of Lakewood, N. J.; President of theWomen's Chess Club
Mrs. Winthrop Parker of New York City
Mrs. Charles H. Stoddard of New York City
Mrs. Eliphalet W. Tyler of New York City
Miss Myldred L. Walker of Brooklyn
Entered but didn't play were:
Miss Estelle Whitney, formerly of
the Brooklyn Heights Chess Club
Miss Frances Peters
Mrs. Charles P. Frey won the
Championship tournament to become the United States Women's Champion.
Miss E. H. Burgess won the General
Tournament.
Coincidentally, in the following
year, 1907, Mrs. C. P. Frey would play a match with and lose her title to
a different
Ms. Burgess - Mrs. S. R. Burgess of St. Louis. Mrs. S. R. Burgess would defend
and retain her title until at least 1915.
from the New York Times,
May 9, 1906
The
first American Women's chess congress was opened yesterday, when six
players presented themselves for competition in the general tourney and
three for the championship. In the latter Mrs. C. P. Frey*
of Newark, Mrs. Frank W. Lynn**
of Chicago, and Mrs. M. Wilkinson-Robertshaw of this city were the
contestants, while Miss E. H. Burgess [sic], Garden City; Miss E.
Campbell, Lakewood, N. J.; Mrs. Winthrop Parker, Mrs. Charles
H. Stoddard, and Mrs. Eliphalet W. Tyler of New York, and Miss Myldrede L.
Walker of Brooklyn, competed in the general tourney. At the end of
the day's play Miss Foot and Miss Burgess were tied with two games each in
the general tourney, while Mrs. Lynn and Mrs. Frey were tied in the
championship tourney.
*Mrs. C. P. Frey was Mary Grace
Rogers who graduated from Smith College in 1884 and later
married Charles P. Frey, an electrical engineer from Newark, N.J.
When she died on
Jan. 20, 1909, she left her husband and two sons, 10 and 12.
Charles P. Frey was a chess
player himself and drew a game against Marshall in a 32 board simul
given at the Newark
Chess Club in 1906.
**The New York Times, Nov.
16, 1902 shows Mrs. Frank Lynn winning, and her husband losing, to Lasker in the
simul described below at the Chicago Checkers and Chess Club
[At the turn of the century] a
corporation was organized with a capital of $400,000 for the purpose of erecting
in the city of New York one or more hotels "for the exclusive accommodation of
women, especially those who either maintain themselves, or are preparing to do
so, in artistic, literary, educational, professional, mercantile, and kindred
pursuits."
This is a purely business enterprise and promises to yield a fair increase on
the investment. The first hotel to be completed by the company was opened in
March, 1903, every room for permanent guests having been engaged long in
advance. This first building, the Hotel Martha Washington, is a fire-proof,
twelve-story structure, accommodating about five hundred guests. One hundred
rooms are reserved for transient use. There is a restaurant for the general
public, and a dainty tea-room.
- The American Monthly Review of Reviews
1903 By Albert Shaw
Comparing room prices, it can be
seen that the Hotel Martha Washington was extremely reasonable.
A Nov. 17, 1998 article in the
Village Voice adds, " When the Hotel Martha Washington opened in 1903, its
status as a women's residence was a draw. A faded sign on the building's 29th
Street wall announces that it is restricted to women, though it once housed a
restaurant that welcomed men. Even now, its stationery and bills are emblazoned
with the words "Exclusively for Women." Men are not allowed in rooms—
"not even a doctor, not even a priest," says one elderly tenant.
It had been mentioned in several
news columns that the The first American women's chess congress took place in
the parlor of the Hotel Martha Washington. It's not been mentioned
if that was where, in the Hotel, the Women's Chess Club of New York met
but presumably it was.
New York Times, April 10,
1910
"Franklin F. Russel, chess champion of the New York
University, won every game in his simultaneous exhibition given before the
members of the Women's Chess Club at the Hotel Martha Washington. He was
opposed by seven members of the club, of whom a number played more than one
game."
The New York Times, 1906 ran
the following article listing some of the members of the Women's Chess Club of
New York:
Women Chess Players Elect Officers
The Women's Chess Club of New York is evidently growing in
popularity, judging by the manner in which the membership is being increased.
At the annual meeting fifteen new members were admitted, and besides this,
reports were presented showing the organization to be in a highly prosperous
condition. An election of Directors for the ensuing year resulted in the
selection of Miss Eliza Campbell Foot, Mrs. Winthrop Parker, Mrs.
William Gordon Ver Planck, Miss E. Somers Haines, Mrs. Mason Jones,
Miss Frances Peters, Mrs. George P. Slade, Mrs. Paul Fenn, and
Mrs. Samuel Hanson Ordway. Subsequently the Directors elected these
officers: Vice-President - Mrs. Winthrop Parker; Secretary - Miss E.
Somers Haines; Treasurer - Mrs. William Gordon Ver Planck. The club
will hold its tournaments during the season at the Martha Washington Hotel.
The New York Times,
Nov. 20, 1912
Women's Intercollegiate Chess
Definite steps were taken yesterday afternoon at the annual meeting
of the Women's Chess Club of New York, held in the parlors of the Hotel Martha
Washington, to interest the students at the leading women's colleges in an
intercollegiate tournament, for which the directors of the club have
authorized the use of the clubrooms in the Spring. Most likely, the
congress will take place in the course of the Easter holidays. At the
annual business meeting yesterday the following directors of the Women's Chess
Club were elected: Miss Eliza Campbell Foot, Mrs. William Gordon
Verplanck, Miss May E, Drake, Miss Paulsenn, Madame C. West
van Helden, Mrs. C. E. Nixdorff, Mrs. George P.Slade, Miss
E.Somers Haines and Miss Isabel H. Hardy. The following officers were then
elected: Miss Eliza Campbell Foot, President; Mrs. George P. Slade,
Vice President:; Miss E. Somers Haines, Secretary; Mrs. William Gordon
Verplanck, Treasurer.
The New York Times,
April 4, 1915
Women's Chess Club Election
At the annual meeting of the Women's chess CLub of New York at the
Hotel Martha Washington the following officers were elected: Mrs.George P.
Slade, President; Miss Mary E. Drake, Vice President; Miss Emily Somers
Haines, Secretary; Mrs. William Gordon Ver Planck, Treasurer; Mrs.
William Chester Lester was elected a Director of the club. A resolution on
the death of Miss E. Campbell Foot, submitted by Mrs. Natalie Nixdorff, and a
tribute by Miss Mary E. Drake were ordered spread upon the minutes.
Three Forgotten Women
Champions
Mrs.
S. R. Burgess
Miss
Rosa Bradford Jefferson
Mrs.
Jean Grau
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