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Company A of the 110th Medical Battalion had Harold
Freyer, who was one of the top ranked checkers players in the USA before
the war. Harold was not known for his military prowess, but the man could
play checkers!
Leon Cohen recalled that at
St. Lo, when mail call was held, every man was looking for mail from home
and family, save Freyer. Harold was looking for "Checkers Digest, from
Birdsboro, Kentucky."
The war apparently was hard
on Freyer, and it affected his play. While always considered one of the
top players in his day, he never won a national tourney or ty, as they are
called in the checkers community, and apparently was away from the game
for several years after the war. Like many baseball players, Freyer may
have left much of his career on the battlefield. Perhaps the most
insightful view as to Freyer's capabilities in his chosen sport is the
fact that he is one of only two men who had an even record against Dr.
Marion Tinsley, universally acknowledged as the greatest checkers player
of this century. Freyer drew in all 10 games in which he faced
Tinsley.
After making inquiries to the
checkers community as to Mr. Freyer's whereabouts, I received the
following letter from well known player Richard
Fortman. |
