Bobby Fischer was one of those figures in cultural history who attained fame in a realm visited by few. Mother Teresa, Marcel Marceau and Evel Knievel reached heights beyond their allotted 15 minutes because they were media-chosen icons. There...
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Bobby Fischer was one of those figures in cultural history who attained fame in a realm visited by few. Mother Teresa, Marcel Marceau and Evel Knievel reached heights beyond their allotted 15 minutes because they were media-chosen icons. There have been thousands of selfless caregivers, mimes and daredevils, yet for some chimeric quirk they became synonymous with their exploits. Fischer received such fame, but unlike these others he actually was a champion of a recognized official endeavor. When I was a kid, he stood as "The Chess Grand Master of the Free World". Rock the USSR, Bobby! But what a nut. What should be an unequivocal positive assessment morphs into a declaration of missed opportunity. The legion of children and adults who felt the American society left most of our intellectual fame in NASA's care, thought finally modern USA had her "Brainy Hero". Yeah, that didn't last long. A diva attitude and an uncanny sense of uncool weren't his only flaws. I won't go into all his wackiness, for his behavior and statements over the decades deteriorated anything approaching respect from society. At best he is remembered as a character like Yuri Geller - an intense personality who challenged the status quo with unexpected feats of mental power - to many possibly the greatest Chess player ever. At worst he becomes a memorable yet often unreasonable figure in the history of the game of Chess and an insane, evil mouthed pariah. I judged him between the two poles because I don't forget the way I felt when, for a short time in America, my enthusiasm for Chess was considered cool, more than merely a hobby for egg-heads.