Harold Freyer

Every unit in the army during WWII could boast its share of interesting characters, as patriotism and the draft affected the famous and the near-famous as well as the ordinary citizen. Many ball-players and actors were enlisted or were drafted, of course. The 35th Infantry Division had major league baseball players Murray Dickson and Jack Lohrke among its wartime alumni.

Company A of the 110th Medical Battalion had Harold Freyer, who was one of the top-ranked checkers players in the USA before the war. Harold was not known for his military prowess, but the man could play checkers!

Leon Cohen recalled that at St. Lo, when mail call was held, every man was looking for mail from home and family, save Freyer. Harold was looking for “Checkers Digest, from Birdsboro, Kentucky.”

The war apparently was hard on Freyer, and it affected his play. While always considered one of the top players in his day, he never won a national tournament, as they are called in the checkers community, and apparently was away from the game for several years after the war. Like many baseball players, Freyer may have left much of his career on the battlefield. Perhaps the most insightful view as to Freyer’s capabilities in his chosen sport is the fact that he is one of only two men who had an even record against Dr. Marion Tinsley, universally acknowledged as the greatest checkers player of this century. Freyer drew in all 10 games in which he faced Tinsley.

After making inquiries to the checkers community as to Mr. Freyer’s whereabouts, Phil Cohen received the following letter from well-known player Richard Fortman:

Hello Mr. Cohen:

Harold Matthew Freyer was born on February 8th, 1918, in Brooklyn, NY. He was attracted to the game when still in grade school and by the age of 18 was a qualified master player, finishing high in both the 1937 and 1939 US National tournaments. He was drafted in 1942 and served overseas, as you have mentioned. It was said that his company was often under fire in combat zones, and he suffered a breakdown, and was discharged in 1945, later spending time in a veterans hospital.

He was unable to play checkers at his former level for some time; entering his first post-war tournament in 1958 where he was in 4th place. He later played in several National tournaments in the 1960s and 1970s but with indifferent results.

I had known both Harold and his son Danny since 1958. They had a difficult life, moving back and forth from Chicago to NY where he tried to make a living as a non-union house painter.

He was married in 1946, with one son Danny. His wife died in the 1980s. Harold was found dead in his boarding house room on Dec. 30th, 1995; apparently of natural causes. He was 77. Norman Wexler of NYC might have more information if you need it.

with best regards,
Richard Fortman