CRAMER AWARDS
Gallery of Distinguished Journalists
Jointly sponsored and Managed by the
Chess Journalists of America and Cramer Awards Committee
Cramer Committee Membership:
- Frank Brady, Chairman: [email protected]
- Mike Cavallo: [email protected],
- Pete Tamburro, [email protected]
- Paul Truong: [email protected]
- Arlen Walker: [email protected]
- Fred Wilson: [email protected]
- USCF EB Liaison: Don Schultz: [email protected]
Gallery of Distinguished Chess Journalists
An Engraved Plaque Bearing the All Time Great US Chess Journalists will be on Display at the Marshall Chess Club in New York, The Mechanics Institute in San Francisco, California and the New USCF Headquarters in Crossville Tennessee (scheduled for an early 2006 opening). In 2004 six charter members were honored. They are:
CHARTER MEMBERS – 2004
Hermann Helms
Burt Hochberg
Dr. Frank Brady
GM Larry Evans
IM Al Horowitz
Harold Dondis
2005
GM Andy Soltis
Fred Reinfeld
GM Robert Byrne
2006
Irving Chernev
Lubosh Kavalek
George Koltanowski
Glenn Petersen
The Cramer Committee is happy to announce the following 2006 Cramer Awards for excellence in Chess Journalism:
- Best Book: Why Lasker Matters by GM Andy Soltis
- Best State Publication: Chess Horizons
- Best Chess Column: Lubosh Kavalek, Washington Post; David Sands, Washington Times
Each of the above and the Chess Journalist of the Year Pete Tamburro will receive an engraved green obelisk.
Chess Journalists of the Year
1994 – IM John Donaldson
1995 – Shelby Lyman
1996 – Burt Hochberg
1997 – Jerry Hanken
1998 – GM Yasser Seirawan
1999 – Mike Franett
2000 – GM Larry Evans
2001 – Hanon Russell
2002 – GM Yasser Seirawan
2003 – Fred Wilson
2004 – GM Andy Soltis
2005 – Frisco del Rosario
2006 – Pete Tamburro
Best Book
1996 – The Bobby Fischer I Knew
by GM Arnold Denker and Larry Parr
1998 – Napier The Forgotten Chess Master
by John Hilbert
Alekhine’s Chess Games
by Leonard Skinner and Robert Verhoeven
1999 – Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy
by John Watson
2000 – Soviet Chess 1917-1971 (Historical)
by GM Andy Soltis
The Road to Chess Improvement (Instructional)
by GM Alex Yermolinsky
Chessdon (Memoirs)
by Don Schultz
2001 – Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces
by Igor Stohl
2002 – Essays in American Chess History
by John Hilbert
2003 – Young Marshall
by John Hilbert
2004 – My Life and Games
by GM Pal Benko, Jerrimy Silman & John Watson
2005 – Chess Exam
by Igor Khmelnitsky
2006 – Why Lasker Matters
by GM Andy Soltis
Best Chess Column
1998 – David Sands (Washington Times)
1999 – GM Lubosh Kavalak (Washington Post)
2000 – GM Robert Byrne (NY Times) and
GM Michael Rohde (Chess Life)
2001 – Harold Dondis (Boston Globe)
2002 – GM Andy Soltis (Chess Life)
2003 – GM Susan Polgar (Chess Life)
2004 – Jack Peters (LA Times)
2005 – Dan Heisman (Chess Cafe)
2006 – Lubosh Kavalek (Washington Post)
David Sands (Washington Times)
Best State Magazine
1994 – Illinois Chess (Robert Renault) and Atlantic Chess (David Burris)
1996 – floridaCHESS (Don Schultz)
1996 – floridaCHESS (Don Schultz)
1997 – Chess Horizons (Joe Sparks)
1998 – Texas Knights (Selby Anderson)
1999 – Illinois Chess (ML Rantala, Josh Flores)
2000 – Chess Horizons (Peter Sherwood)
2001 – Illinois Chess Bulletin (Roy Frye, Josh Flores Bill Brock)
2002 – Georgia Chess (Dan Lucas)
2003 – Chess Horizons (Mark Donlan)
2004 – Georgia Chess (Dan Lucas)
2005 – Georgia Chess (Dan Lucas)
2006 – Chess Horizons (Mark Donlan)
VOTE for Don Schultz
“Don Schultz is the most experienced of the Executive Board candidates and has contributed many beneficial new ideas to American Chess . . . I support his candidacy.”
Bill Goichberg, President, USCF
NOTE: Election ballots including mailing instructions, will be in the June issue of Chess Life. All USCF members whose membership are current on June 1, 2007 and who are also U.S. residents, and who are by June 30, 2007 eligible to vote.
Dr. BRADY
ENDORSEMENT
To: USCF Members
I write to you as a former Board member of USCF, a FIDE International Arbiter, and the founding editor of Chess Life magazine. The subject is Don Schultz, who is running this year for re-election to the Board.
I have known Don Schultz since we were both children, and in all of these many years I have never known anyone more dedicated to chess than Don. His credits in service of USCF, FIDE and chess in general, are so extensive that they could not be elaborated upon in the confines of a single letter. A few highlights might include his being former President of USCF, a current and long-time member of the General Assembly of FIDE (who serves on many international committees), and an organizer of many international and national tournaments.
Don devotes his fulltime activities to chess organization, and I know personally that it is not uncommon for him to work 16 to 18 hours a day in service of the USCF, year in and year out. Although he is very much his own man in voting for what he feels is the right thing to do for USCF, he is, above all, a great mediator and conciliator, and is able to work, often with compromise, within the many different factions of USCF that arise. He also seems to come up with new ideas for USCF every minute, and they are exciting, practical and cogent ideas. Everyone in the chess world speaks highly of his imagination, his hard work, his many accomplishments.
Aside from his organizational abilities, Don is one of the most cordial people in chess. He has had to dinner at his home more world champions, international grandmasters, and just plain woodpushers than any other chessplayer in the United States. He is thoroughly connected with virtually everyone in chess.
Don Schultz is quite simply the most successful and enduring chess organizer in the history of this country. Without question, he deserves to be re-elected. Not to do so would be a disservice to USCF.
When your ballot comes in Chess Life,
Please vote for the future of chess
Vote for Don Schultz!
RESUME
Personal:
Education: Manhattan College: BSEE, 1957.· Married childhood sweetheart in 1957, have three daughters and nine grandchidren. Celebrating 50th wedding anniversary this October in NYC. My wife Teresa has shared my chess life with me. She was voted chess spouse of the year in August 2004. It is highly likely that Teresa has cooked more dinners for chess people than any other person in the world.
Chess Player:
Expert, played 4th Board for the Atlanta Knights in the National Chess League and 4th Board for both the Waterloo and Brussels Chess Club in the Belgium League and won the 1967 North Carolina Championship.
Tournament Director:
In the first half of the 1960s possibly directed more USCF rated tournaments than any other person.
Organizer Major Events:
The 1963 US 30/30 Championship, State Championships in New York, North Carolina.
Served as admin assistant to Bobby Fischer in his 1972 defeat of Boris Spassky for the world championship
1981 FIDE Congress in Atlanta, Only FIDE Congress ever held in US.
1985 US Open at Ft. Lauderdale (co-organizer)
The 1990 World Youth (6 world champioships, boys and girls under 14, 12 and 10. Besides the Olympiad and the world championship, this tournament is the most prestigious chess tournament. I raised the money – over $60,000.
1993 Amateur Team Playoffs, this was the only face to face amteur team playoffs. I obtained sponsorship from the Baltimore Yacht Club (site, transportation and accommodations for 22 people, meals, etc.)
1994 U.S. Championship in Key West, Florida
The 1996 NY Invitational, arguably the 3rd strongest round robin ever held in the USA (behind the two Piatigorsky Cup tournaments)
The 2004 U.S. Senior Open
Other:
· Established the Cramer Awards for Excellence in Chess journalism
· As editor of floridaCHESS won numerous journalist awards including Best State Magazine.
· Established the Gallery of Distinguished Chess Journalists
· President of several chess clubs, four state associations (NY, North Carolina, Georgia & Florida) and the US Chess Federation
· Honorary Lifetime member Florida Chess Association Board of Directors Inducted into FIDE’s Golden Book, special award for support of scholastic chess from the North Broward School, USCF Lifetime Achievement award
· Together with Soviet Cosmonaut Vitaly Sevestianov met with UNESCO officials and raised funding to host a seminar for African TD’s and organizers
· Together with GM Lev Polugaevesky rewrote the rules for the world championship cycle
· Authored the first book on Chess Politics: “Chessdon” and a follow up titled “Fischer, Kasparov and the Others.”
Sample of Accomplishments in Last 3 to 5 Years
Together with USCF VP Finance, Joel Channing organized a Retreat of leaders of major national chess organizations.
Together with Joel Channing, Susan Polgar and Paul Truong organized a world record breaking simultaneous Exhibition by Susan.
Organized the 2004 and ran US Senior Open Chess Championship
Represented the USCF on the campaign team of Bessel Kok in his attempt to uns Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. While Bessel lost the election , the campaign led to the establishment of FIDE Global led by Bessel which is now responsible for commercial ventures of FIDE.
Established contact with TV dignitary Jeff Zahn and currently involved in planning a TV reality series on chess similar to what has happened in poker.
Performed duties of USCF VP and continued a very long string of never missing a Board meeting while a meber ofeither the FIDE or USCF Executive Boards.
Obtained commitment, though never invoked from friend Dato Tan Chin Nam to lend USCF whatever money they needed during the financial crisis of 2003/04.
Established the Gallery of Distinguished Chess Journalists that has been extremely well received by the US journalist community. Plaques of inductees are on display at the Marshall Chess Club in NY and the Mechanics Institute Chess Club in San Francisco.
