A Little Checker History: There is a good evidence of the game's ancient origin, both factual and circumstantial. That checkers was played in the days of the earlier Pharaohs is well authenticated by Egyptian history and the British museum contains specimens of primitive board quite similar to the modern ones. The roots of the checkers are intertwined with those of chess, a sister game, and there is some conjecture over priority. Checkers being simpler in form, it is reasonable to presume it was devised first, and that chess followed as an elaboration. Plato and Homer mention checkers in their works and the Romans are believed to have imported it from Greece. Comparison of these games of antiquity with the modern pastime may be speculative; nevertheless, the earliest publications on record show the 12 men on each side and the conventional board.  Antonio Torquemada of Valencia, Spain published the first book on checkers in 1547. Other Spanish issues followed and in 1650 Juan Garsia Canalejas published a notable volume containing games and traps that are still dependable. The Spaniards may have received their knowledge from older sources in Arabia through the Moors.   William Payne, a mathematician, was the pioneer of English draughts literature and his book, "Guide to the Game of Draughts", appeared in 1756. A striking feature of Payne's book is the dedication by Samuel Johnson, who was exceedingly fond of the game.  In 1800 Joshua Sturges brought out a treatise that served as a textbook for nearly half a century until the advent of Andrew Anderson's elaborate compilation in 1848. Thereafter the literature grew at a rapid pace and by 1900 the books counted up in the hundreds.  After 1900 the growth of scientific play was stepped up by the advancement of U.S. players, who made rapid progress, spurred on by their first team match with a representative British group in 1905.  Checkers continued to grow and become a popular and favorite family and social past-time game.  During WWII to early 50’s the popularity of checkers peaked.  There seems to be a resurge of interest in the late 90’s with the current growth of Internet checkers, better computer checker programs, and checker game rooms bring in new and younger players.
 

 North Carolina Checker Association

History

North Carolina Checkers as a game has been around as far back as the first settlers who brought the "Grand Ole Game" with them. Various communities and townships organized their own local checker "get-to-gathers / checker parties" and were later called checker groups, associations, and today called checker clubs.  These group leaders were responsible for organizing and promoting the State's earliest tournaments, matches, and playing events, thus we have recorded matches between top North Carolina checker contenders as far back as the late 1800s.  You can view a continuous record of our NC State Tournament Winners. The early years of this record was obtained from Harry A. Anderson who was a nine times State Champion and checker historian of Winston-Salem.  He compiled a NC Championship list from his past records and research and sent a copy to Elbert Lowder in a letter.  I obtained a partial copy of it from our past NCCA Treasurer, Clint Pickard.  I quote from that letter: "The NC Tournament began in 1918 or 1919.   I am enclosing the record as I have it.  I also note in 6th A.T. that Mr. McNair played a Mr. Bowen from Raleigh for the State Championship in 1890 and won. Then he lost to Mr. Murdock in Asheville in 1894 but regained the title in 1895 and held it for 12 years. Best Regards, Harry Anderson."  It is obvious Harry Anderson was referring to the records of NCCA which was established in 1918. The American Tourney (AT) printed as journals go further back and these were sponsored and published by the early national checker groups like the American Checker Association (ACA) officially formed in 1906. It later joined together with the National Checker Association (NCA) on Sept 1st, 1947, this merger form the present ACF.  Officially the ACF was formed the following year by changing their name to the American Checker Federation which was chosen by full vote on May 1st, 1948. 

Mr. H.C. McNair of Maxton has the distinction of winning the first NC State Championship by playing Mr. A.F. Bowen of Raleigh at Raleigh, NC in 1890, and after a brief loss in 1894, held it for a total of 23 consecutive years from 1895-1917.  This worthy State Champion was significant in organizing and supporting checkers back then, and gets the credit for being the major principal in setting up the North Carolina Checker Association in 1918. You can read about these historical events from a NCCA Booklet published in 1952. It is from this establishment that we get the majority of our records of the early North Carolina State Champions, who won State Tournaments sponsored and sanctioned by this organization. Harry and Ed Scheidt played in this 1st NCCA organized tournament held at Lowell in 1918.  Harry was 18 and Ed was 15 year old.  The players were required to recorded their tournament games which was also the first year players' moves were recorded for posterity.  No doubt that Harry Anderson authored the history for this booklet, and our state championship list.  Harry was an active player, officer, and director in NCCA and the Winston-Salem Chess & Checker Association. 

One would see this State Checker Tournament is one of the oldest competitive events held in the State.  North Carolina has crowned a checker champion ever year since 1890, excluding '43-45 WWII years.  We might not be as popular or famous as the PGA, ACC, NCAA, or NASCAR, but we sure been around as long if not longer.  The same things about checkers that fascinated and entertained our forefathers still exist today.  The grand old game is a hobby, a mind sport, so simple a child can play and yet no one has mastered it.  The game is void of gambling, luck, or cheating which makes it a wholesome family pastime for friendly competition with little or no cost.  Shoot, I can remember Grandpa making his board and sawing a broom handle into checkers, then smutting the dark ones from the fireplace.  Now, I would say that's being thrifty, frugal, and creative.

The beauty and complexity of checkers is sometimes missed by today's general public because of the relative simplicity of the rules of checkers as compared to chess is probably the reason for this common misconception that checkers is a "children's game" and not worthy of serious attention.  The news media and movies occasional perpetuate this myth.  I would certainly agree that checkers is a great game for children to play; however, the game has a deceptively deep complexity and beauty that is rarely discovered in casual play.  It only takes a few games with a skilled player to convince one that it takes knowledge and visualization to play on a serious level.

Over time different sections of the State produced strong checker groups from close net communities and townships. Often this would be a regular group of players who met on rainy days, weekends, and their regular hang-out day at the local feed mill, grocery, gas station, barber shop, hardware store, or courthouse. It was common to see checkers played during break time and lunch among railroaders, fireman, farmers, and factory workers.  These players organized and formed clubs and associations.  The Winston-Salem Y.M.C.A. Chess & Checker Association is a fine example.  They boasted a 300+ membership in their hay-day back in the mid 50's.  They had strong master players like Ed Scheidt, Gene Self, Harry Anderson, and a number of others who raised the playing bar and help bring many other checker players along, improving their knowledge and skill.  It was that organization that sponsored the July 4th, 1952 State Championship Checker Classic and published the above booklet.  This was the time local checker enthusiasts would invite and sponsor Checker Grandmasters like Tommy Wiswell, Willie Ryan, and Newell Banks.  They would open their homes to these "Checker Celebrities" when they scheduled their special checker attractions and exhibition tours into the area, usually several days or a week long event.  There would always be checkerboards & checker sets for sale, checker books and naturally they would be promoting their newest checker publications since Grandmasters/World Checker Champion Title holders usually authored their own checker books.

There were six such club-groups in the 50-70's (Eastern NC Checkers - Sanford Checker Club - NC Checker Assn. - Sanford, Coastal - Piedmont (Winston YMCA) & Mountain) with separate and independent leadership.  I recall older checker players talking about the numerous one day tournaments were held all over the state.  There was the Franklin to Ahoskie, and Murfreesboro Tys, basically all over the state in addition to the State Ty.

Sanford has hosted the NC Open State Tournament venue ten different years.  Mr. Clinton C. Pickard, a Sanford and Lee County auctioneer,  businessman, and checker promoter, organized these state checker tournament with the help of other key individuals as: Mr. Ray Brooks, Mr. Sion Kelly, Attorney H.M. Jackson, and Mr. Elbert Lowder, all of Sanford and Lee Co.