It may surprise many to learn that checker enthusiasts — and their name is legion — even possess a tutelary deity of their own, yclept "Dama"—in Great Britain, "Dameh." It is also a testimonial to the game that its most ardent devotees are Scotsmen, doctors, lawyers and practical business men, besides a host of others — even ladies — scattered throughout the English-speaking world. Almost every town, county, State, colony or country has its clubs and its champions. The greatest master of the game was the late James Wyllie, of Scot land; next come his compatriots Andrew An derson and Robert Martins. These modern pioneers were followed by a brilliant school of experts, the Barker brothers of Boston, the late Robert Yates of Brooklyn, J: T. Denvir of Chicago, H. Pillsbury, Henry Spayth of Buffalo, Richard and Alfred Jordan, both champions of England, as also were J. Smith, W. Gardner, A. Hynd and H. Morral. The champion problemists include Drs. Brown, Clute, Purcell, Dean, Schaefer, Lucas and Dr. Stayman of Kansas; the Hon. J. D. Danvier of Delaware; M. Priest, ex-champion of the United States; Mr. Melvin Brown (lawyer) of New York; the late W. W. Avery of New York, and the greatest living inventor of "brain-puzzlers" on the checker board, Mr. H. D. Lyman, secretary of the American Surety Company of New York. The British Isles have produced a large number of experts, Richard Atwell, Fred Allen, W. Buchanan, F. W. Drinkwater, J. Drummond, F. Dunne, D. Gourlay, J. A. Kear, R. M'Culloch, J. Robert
son, W. Strickland, J. Tonar, J. Strudwick. On the literary side of American checkers spe cial credit is due to Messrs. Denvir, P. Ketchum, Spayth, Stearns, Whitehill and Yeomans. The roll here given could be multiplied many times without approaching the aggregate of promi nent checkerists, past and present.
The literature of checkers is copious; books were printed on the game in Spain in 1547, 1590, 1597, 1610 and 1650; in Paris, 1668; in London 1694; and the first in i America (New York) in 1846. Several of the older works still survive in periodical new editions, among the chief being Anderson, A., 'Game of Draughts Simplified) (Philadelphia); Atwell, R., 'Scientific Draughts' (London 1905) ; Call, W. T., 'The Literature of Checkers' (New York 1908) ; Cousins, S. E., 'Draughts: 1000 Best Games' (Northampton, Eng., 1913); Drummond, 'Draughts' (London and New York) ; Dunne, F., 'Draughts Praxis: A prac tical guide to scientific play' (London 1912); Gould's 'Problem Book' (London); Kear and Atwell's 'Encyclopxdia of Draughts> (Bristol 1902); Lee's 'Guide to the Game of Draughts> (new ed.); Lyman's 'Problem Book' (New York); Spayth, H., 'Checker Player' (Buf falo 1895 et seq.); Stearns, L. M., 'The Draughts Marvel and Twentieth Century Checker Compendium' (Manchester, N. H. 1909) ; Sturges, J., 'Guide to the Game of Draughts' (London 1808-1904). There are hundreds of other publications, to most of which the reader will be directed in the works shown above. •