Piddlers

A solemn group of sportsmen spent last week sitting in pairs at tables in Cedar Point, Ohio, propelling cylindrical pellets about checkered rectangles, making them sally, mingle, jump one another, then inching them ignominiously back to safe corners. Officials fumed impotently. For 20 hrs. four of the most potent contenders in the National Checker Championship piddled thus, played 32 drawn games. Came official threats to limit to 20 the number of games two players could draw without penalty. In the finals, after six draws, Asa Long of Toledo, Ohio, conquered 16-time drawer Louis C. Ginsberg of Brooklyn, N. Y.

Checkerman Long, 24-year-old telegraph clerk, has long been a checker prodigy. At 15 he watched a national tournament knowingly, critically. Irritated, national contenders challenged him to play. He beat them. Two years later he won the U. S. Championship. Two years ago he was on a team which defeated English invaders. Lacking competition in Toledo, he plays by mail with far-off experts. Once he had a postal game with an Australian which lasted more than a year, ended in a draw.