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CCLA Portraits
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The following column was originally published in the May-June 1998 issue of The Chess Correspondent, Vol. 71, No. 3. |
Warren C. LovelandLong time member and former CCLA Board Director member, Warren C. Loveland of Ecorse, Michigan submitted the following interesting biography. I remember, when as young boy in the early 1960s, the vivid stories my father used to tell us about his tour of duty overseas during World War II. Warren's own war time experiences retold below, bring back memories of those stories. "I was born November 18th 1924, and named after the out-going and incoming Presidents, thus Warren Calvin Loveland. Raised during the depression, I still remember Fords going up from $500 to $750. During this period I acquired a love for Jazz music, while listening to my older brother's records. Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fats Waller and many others filled some deep inner need in me. "I graduated from High School in 1942; spent one year at the University of Michigan Pharmacy School and then it was off to war, compliments of the draft. I finished basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington, but advanced training and maneuvers were cut short as we were hustled over to England to be ready for D-Day. "We" were the 598th Ambulance Company and our role was to pick up the wounded at Portsmounth and take them to hospitals. "It was during this waiting period that our Sunday chicken dinner was served to us virtually raw. It looked delicious but, as we bit into the meat, blood ran out; talk about disappointed, we had been having mess hall problems for some time and this was the last straw. After dinner I went to every tent, except the officers, and asked for support for a suppertime hunger strike. (I) was even brash enough to go to the "top-kick's" tent. He agreed to skip supper. Only 6 people ate supper, 4 officers, one non-com and one private. Because of this action, I eventually had to teach three assistant drivers, who couldn't, to drive and under combat conditions at that. Also, (I) didn't get my PFC stripes until General Patton decreed that anyone who had spent 6 months in the combat zone automatically got promoted. "Other highlights included driving 72 hours straight transporting D-Day casualties; eight hours off and back for another 36 hour stretch. We landed on Omaha beach and went straight across France to finally hook up with the 7th Armored at Metz when General George ran out of gas. We motored across France down roads lined on both sides by cheering Frenchmen. Later, we were rushed to Belgium for the "Battle of the Bulge" and a miraculous strawberry pie topped with whipped cream on Christmas Eve; compliments of a Belgium farmer's wife. (On) December 25th the weather broke and, as at D-Day, the skies were filled with bombers darkening the skies. Truly an unbelievable sight. "The 598th was involved in evacuating Dachau Concentration Camp during the war and German Army Hospitals after the war. Both were gruesome tasks. We rolled up the windshield and tied the rear swinging doors open (of our ambulances), but even at that, we occasionally stuck our heads out the side windows as we drove. After Dachau, I transported a wounded German soldier age 16 or 17. He spoke English and refused to believe what I told him of the concentration camp, - (he) just couldn't accept it. V-J Day came as we were in tents just outside of Munich handling sick call runs and awaiting reassignment to the Pacific "Theater of War". (After the war I returned to the) University of Michigan where I completed my education and set about earning a living. "I didn't discover chess until about 1967 at the age 43. (I) joined the CCLA in 1971 and have been enjoying chess ever since. Over the years I have made some contributions to the advancement of the CCLA. I was the first team captain to use the multi-team concept. Back in the unofficial days, the Michigan Wolverines fielded 3 teams of 10 players, using mix and match lineups from a pool of about 25 players. We even had our own magazine. The Michigan-Ohio match is credited with being the first match completed; not true, it was simply the first match to be reported as finished. However, I was the first CCLA Knight, sending in $100.00 and suggesting we could get something started. (The then CCLA President), Richard Vandenburg expanded on this thought and the result was the CCLA Knights. I was also coordinator for the first CCLA team championship. Twenty-nine teams entered. I also served as a Director for half a term, but wasn't very good at it. "I've always admired people like Dick Vandenburg, Herb Hickman, Gil Ellithorp, Jerry Honn, Verna Fausey, Allen Wright, Bill Stoddard, Alina Markowski, John Murphy and the many others who hang in there every day doing their part without fanfare and fuss. "My contributions to "The Chess Correspondent" include many annotated games, two cover articles: Kingside Pawn Storms & QGA and one prize winning, 2nd place, article about the Grand National "Currently, I'm coming back to chess after a 7-year lay-off. I have found myself too badly out of date and underbooked. I'm amazed at the information explosion, the databased opponents and the many first class magazine available today. At age 73 maybe my day is over, but my goal is to regain my former rating of 2037 and perhaps reach 2100. Hope so. Here I should mention that I shall be an empty nester (soon). My youngest daughter, Susan, is entering the University of Michigan Law School. She's on cloud nine and I'm beaming with pride. "I have been asked to provide a couple of games. I have no examples from the old days, but here are a couple of games from my "comeback". They emphasize the importance of being prepared. |
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White: Warren C. Loveland
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.f4 (Diagram) Reputed to be White's most aggressive try. Psahkis says he plays ...c5 only after White plays Nf3, just to avoid this line. |
Loveland - N.N.
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7...Bg7 8.Bb5 Nfd7 9.a4 0-0 10.Nf3 Na6 11.0-0 Nc7 12.Bc4 Re8 Black was probably depending upon 13.Re1 leading to equality. Informant 65, game 68 reveals a startling improvement for White. 13.e5!? dxe5 14.Ng5 Breathtaking. Clearly White is looking for bear. 14...Bf6 Not mentioned in the Informant. The Informant gives: 14...e4 15.d6 Ne6 16.Nxe6 (16.f5!? Bd4) 16...fxe6 17.Nb5! Nb6 +/=; or 14...Nb6 15.Ba2 e4 16.d6 Ne6 a5 17.a5 Nd7 18.Nce4 with the idea of f5 with the initiative. (Now) a thorough study (of the position) gives White plenty of clues as to how he should proceed. White's next four moves are all mentioned in the notes in one context or another. 15.d6 With the idea of 15...Ne6 16.Nxf7 Kxf7 17.f5 Nb6 18.fxe6 Bxe6 19.Ne4+/-. 15...Ne6 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Nb5 Nb6 18.Ba2 Bd7 19.Nc7 Rc8 20.a5 Na8 21.f5 Nxc7 If 21...gxf5 22.Nxe8 Qxe8 23.Rxf5 =. |
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22.fxg6 (Diagram) 22...hxg6 22...Bg5 23.Qh5 h6 24.h4; or if 22...Kh8 23.Qh5 + -. 23.Qg4 Rf8 24.Qxg6 Bg7 25.Bh6 Ne8 26.Rxf8 1-0 If 26...Kxf8 27.Rf1+ Kg8 28.Bb1. "Good game. Right? Great player. Right? Yeah sure. (The next game) is an example of what can happen when your opponent is well prepared and you're not." |
Loveland - N.N.
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White: Warren C. Loveland
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 c5 4.e3 b5 5.a4 cxd4 6.axb5 d3 7.Na3 e5 8.Nxe5? Bxa3 9.bxa3 Be6 10.a4 Nf6 11.Qf3 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 c3 13.Qxa8 cxd2 14.Kd1 Bb3 mate 0-1 (The) quickest loss I've ever had and it's mate yet. "There you have it. Study hard and find ways to help CCLA keep improving. Send games to the editor. Write an article or a biography on yourself or a friend you feel deserves recognition. Write letters to the editor so as to stimulate dialogue between the members. (Even send a donation if you are able) Please join in the effort to promote and improve CC, (and the oldest and most revered CC organization in the USA, the CCLA)" For those who wish to write me, the address is:
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