Southern States Checkers Association (SSCA) aka “Southern States Ty” - 1st Southern States Tournament was held in Atlanta, Georgia on September 10th thru 12th, 1908.  Mr. F. B. "Captain" Fishburne-SC won the tournament and 2nd place went to Pickett, 3rd to Hall, and 4th to Netherlands.  In the “hay-day of checkers,” in the 50's thru early 80's, there were four tourneys held each year that attract the most and definitely the better players - the Florida Open was usually held the week after Easter (Mar-Apr).  The Southern Open was held in a Southern State in late July, and the Lakeside Open was usually held the first week in August at Lakeside, 0hio. And and of course, “the Nationals was usually held in mid August and it also was close on number and talent” , according to Dick Fortman. 

Tennessee Checker Association (TCA) - was established in 1908, and Mr. G. S. Fuller was the Tennessee State Champion at that time.  Frank Davis of Clarksville become President in 1985 taking over from H.B. Bell. The Tennessee Tournament was always held in Tennessee but both the Tennessee Open and the Southern were move to Lebanon, Tennessee under Frank Davis's leadership & tournament sponsorship.  He become President of Southern States in 2001, replacing Jim Guthrie of Humboldt, TN.  Frank Davis is business acclimated to procedures and accountability. He is efficient in handling money as well as run tournaments which brings to mind his wife Mary, his teammate and Secretary & Treasurer of both organizations.  Frank Davis always presented full transparency, providing bank statements and financials on the William C. Green Fund, Leonard Hickman $10K gift account, and the Gene Lindsay $50K Fund.  “The Southern” holds the record as the oldest continuous US checker tournament because it continued through the WWII years when all others tournaments ceased; however, Covid-19 did pause this tournament in 2020. Larry Keen and his son Randy continues the tradition after Frank Davis died in 2018.


This Checker Tournament was the 30th Annual Southern States Ty held in Richmond, VA on August 18th & 19th, 1937.  Herman L. Rudolph of PA won the tournament with Ingram as 2nd, Richards 3rd, and Baker as 4th place.  I got a copy of this picture back in 2001 from Les Balderson who said it appeared in the September 20, 1937 issue of Life Magazine.  The slightly shaky handwritten note is from Les Balderson of Richmond, VA.  He was a past Secretary and President of ACF for many years.  Les Balderson died July 28, 2005 and missed playing in the 2005 Southern which he usually attended.  I later verified this picture by this links: http://www.originallifemagazines.com/?gclid=CNrI0sfB_9QCFVUvgQod1kIOcA and https://books.google.com/books?id=OUgEAAAAMBAJ&source=gbs_all_issues_r&cad=1

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