May 8, 2004 The Dubuque Telegraph-Herald - "Checker champion finds Dubuque "quiet, friendly"
"Mr. Checkers" 5/24/08
Checker
champion finds Dubuque 'quiet, friendly’
by Mary
Nevans-Pederson
Moiseyev visits friend.
Alex Moiseyev joked about his stay in Dubuque Friday being
overshadowed by a presidential visit. After all, Moiseyev is a world champion
... of checkers.
Moiseyev, 45, of
Dublin, Ohio, spent less than a day in Dubuque but loved what he saw.
"It's not too small,
but it's quiet and friendly. I wish I could live here," said Moiseyev, who
reclaimed the world title of "three move" checkers for the United States in 2002
and will try to defend it again in 2005.
Moiseyev came at the
behest of Don Deweber, aka Mr. Checkers, who has amassed a vast collection of
books and memorabilia on his favorite game at his Hillcrest Road apartment.
Recently, Deweber donated his checker library primarily to Loras College and the
Cleveland (Ohio) Public Library, with some volumes going to Carnegie-Stout
Public Library in Dubuque and to Moiseyev. Friday, Moiseyev picked up his books.
The two men, who met in
1996, pored over the checker books, numbering in the thousands, now on shelves
in the Loras rare books library. Deweber carefully pulled out rare or unusual
copies, including his oldest book, a leather-bound book on checkers written in
Granada, Spain, in 1650 by Ivan Garcia.
"So much energy comes
from books," said Moiseyev, running his hand lightly and lovingly along a row of
book spines. "It's not only information in these, but the thoughts, the souls
and spirits of the authors."
He called Deweber's
collection one of the best on checkers in the world.
Though he hated to part
with the books he has found and protected for years, Deweber is happy that they
will continue to be treasured.
"It's nice to know
someone who appreciates them will get them and use them," he said. He still
maintains an extensive checker museum in his apartment.
Moiseyev holds the
world title for "three move restriction" checkers, wherein the first three
opening moves are dictated by the random drawing of cards. Most Americans are
more familiar with freestyle checkers. Ron King, of Barbados, holds that world
title.
Copyright 2004 Telegraph Herald The above article taken from the Dubuque
Telegraph-Herald, May 8, 2004.
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May, 2000 - Telegraph Herald - "Dubuquer's checkers collection fit for king"
May 23, 1980 - Telegraph Herald - "Collection makes Dubuque a checker mecca"