Harry Lieberman age: 87 years, 10 months  born: 1903 died 12/9/1992

Harry Lieberman was born in Chicago 12/25/1895 and died in Washington, DC 10/27/1983. He was a Russian descendant and Harry's father arrived at Edtol Island, NY one of 8 children, who eventually settled in Chicago. Harry served in WWI, and honorably discharged after the war.  He gained employment with a Railroad Company and settled in Parsons, KS in 1921 as a Railroad Agent, He met and married his wife Mary while traveling as a RR agent. In 1924 they married in Hannibal, MO. Their 1st son was born in Parsons, KS, Harry, Jr. and later moved to Philadelphia, PA where their 2nd son, Herbert "Herb" was born.  They moved to Washington, DC in 1931 when Mr. Lieberman finished his RR agent career and expanded his skills & training into a new career in criminal intelligence and detective work with the government in Washington, DC.  Harry worked and lived the remainder of his life in DC. Harry Lieberman learning the game of checkers from the family he lived with when he left home at a young age.

Records shows Harry Lieberman was a master level checker player by age 15 who traveled throughout the Eastern U.S. from summer through fall of 1910 touring the major checker playing hubs, showing up at clubs and playing some of the leading players of the day, with creditable scores.  Harry played top tournaments and other master checker players, placed 4th in 1912 American Checker Association 2-move National - Cedar Point, Ohio, again in 1915 at the 3rd ACA National - Chicago, IL he was 5th.

Harry Lieberman stayed in the Parsons Sun newspaper from 1920 to the next 10 years as their checker champion. In September 15-18, 1925 Harry won the Kansas Free Fair Tournament at Parsons, KS.  On January 1-5, 1926 at the US International Team Qualifying match, Harry Lieberman vs. Preston Ketchum of Chicago at Kansas City, MO which Harry finishes with 5 wins - 2 loses - 21 draws, thus making the US International Team as one of the top 10 US checker players plus two alternates which fill the team. These games were published in American Checker Monthly Vol. III, No. 5, May 1927 and also published in a Lieberman-Ketchum Match Book. In September 13-16, 1926 at the Kansas Free Fair Tournament at Topeka, Charles Munson wins the tourney since the previous year's winner (Harry) was present but asked not to compete but instead play the winner in a match for the tournament trophy at a later date.  Harry was given $50.00 to hold a blindfold exhibition, and they also held a Team Match Missouri 15 wins vs. Kansas 11 wins, 24 draws.

August, 1937 a 12 Game Match between Harry Lieberman of Washington, DC vs Stephen Fairchild of California, Lieberman wins 1-0-11 draws at Richmond, VA. This match was played during the 1937 Southern States Tourney while Fairchild was a guest of O. J. Tanner of Flat Rock, NC.

Harry won the District of Columbia Championship Tournament on February 26, 1947.  Harry enjoyed playing 11-Man Ballot and participated in the 1974 11-Man National in Philadelphia.

Herbert J. Lieberman, "Herb" the youngest of Harry's two sons lives in Greensboro, NC.  He gave our checker club about a dozen checker books from his father's library. I will post more about Harry later.

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