The Canadian Chess Hall of Fame held an induction ceremony in Saint John this weekend for a 19th century man touted as a “pioneer” of chess.
Charles Frederick Stubbs was a chess columnist at the Saint John Globe newspaper in the late 1800’s. He was also a composer of chess problems, and in 1890 he published a book of them: “Canadian Chess Problems” is often regarded as the first Canadian chess book.
Organizer of the induction Fred McKim, says Stubbs was well known around the globe for his writings on chess.
“He promoted chess through being a newspaper man and having a prominent chess column that actually was picked up outside of the country and into the United States and continental Europe,” he said in an interview.
McKim says Stubbs also set up a small mail order business in the sales of chess supplies and books.
Stubbs is now the 35th inductee into the Hall of Fame, and the first from Saint John.
“He lived his whole life here and all of his chess work was actually done in Saint John and New Brunswick, so he’s our first true Saint Johner, New Brunswick representative in the hall,” said McKim.
Researchers located Stubbs’ great-grand daughter, Dee Stubbs, who accepted the award on his behalf.