08/23/2005

  San Francisco or Philadelphia? Which came first?
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by USCL Commissioner - Greg Shahade
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The Philadelphia Masterminds and the San Francisco Mechanics are set to play an exhibition match on August 24th. However both of the clubs that these cities call home claim to be the oldest chess club in America. So what is the real answer? Is the Mechanics Chess Club the oldest American Chess Club or is it the Franklin Mercantile? Can anyone settle this debate once and for all?

Here is a link claiming the Franklin Chess Club was the first Chess Club. Skip down to the year 1826.
Here is a link claiming the Mechanics Chess Club was the first Chess Club in America
Here is a link that mentions both the Mechanics and the Franklin Mercantile, and claims that the Mechanics was first and the Franklin was second.

 Both teams claim their club was first. Perhaps the Mechanics Chess Club is the oldest chess club in continuous existance whereas the Franklin Mercantile was the first club in America? (Although the Mechanics was supposedly not open for 3 years after the great San Francisco Earthquake.) All information on this topic would be welcome!


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Click here to go to the San Francisco Mechanics homepage