JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS COLLECTION

" I have had the pleasure of searching through and having access to the contents of a building where vintage items belonging to a former friend of Mr. Wiswell were stored.

This gentleman was named Mitchell Ellis, he was a prominent businessman in Glasgow, KY who owned and operated the towns large drugstore/soda-fountain.

In 1956 the Worlds Free Style Checker Championship was held in Glasgow and was hosted by Mr.Ellis at his business. I have in my possession all of the checkerboards, which are dated and signed by the players including Mr. Wiswell, as well as the checkers they used. "

AFTER A SERIES OF E-MAILS, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT WHAT MR. SMITH HAS DISCOVERED IS, INDEED, THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, HIDDEN FOR MANY YEARS.

THIS COLLECTION CONTAINS MANY PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY THE VERY EDUCATED EYE OF ELLIS HIMSELF. A CAMERA BUFF, AS WELL AS A CHECKERIST, ELLIS TOOK HUNDREDS OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND EVEN DEVELOPED THEM ON HIS OWN.

THE COLLECTION ALSO CONTAINS MANY SIGNED CHECKERBOARDS, SETS OF CHECKERS, WISWELL-ELLIS CORRESPONDENCE , ALONG WITH MANY OTHER ITEMS.

MR. MICHAEL SMITH GAVE PERMISSION TO EXHIBIT THE COLLECTION HERE ON THE OMOCH, WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT THERE BE NOTICE THAT THESE ITEMS WOULD BE FOR SALE ON EBAY.

EXHIBIT 175MS
"WISWELL GLASGOW EXHIBITION GROUP PHOTO SET"

SHOWN IS A GROUP PHOTO SET OF TOM WISWELL GIVING AN EXHIBITION, AT WHICH TIME HE CONTESTED MANY BOARDS SIMULTANEOUSLY.

WISWELL WAS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS TOURING EXHIBITION PLAYERS IN THE GAME'S HISTORY.

THE LOCATION OF THIS PARTICULAR EXHIBITION WAS IN GLASGOW KENTUCKY.

WISWELL MET SOME STIFF COMPETITION AT THIS EVENT, AND LOST TWO GAMES. THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, "THE GLASGOW DAILEY TIMES" GAVE FRONT PAGE COVERAGE.

AS CAN BE SEEN, ONE OF THE PHOTOS CONTAINED IN THE SET WAS USED IN THE ARTICLE.

THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN BY JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, AND WERE PART OF HIS COLLECTION WHICH LAID HIDDEN FOR DECADES BEFORE BEING DISCOVERED, AND SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION, BY MICHAEL SMITH.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 198MS
"WISWELL-HOPPER 1953 PHOTO"

SHOWN IS AN 8 X 10 PHOTOGRAPH OF TOM WISWELL AND MILLARD HOPPER TAKEN AT SOME POINT DURING THEIR 1953 REMATCH FOR THE FREESTYLE WORLD CHECKERS CHAMPIONSHIP IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

THE OTHERS IN THE PHOTO ARE UNKNOWN.

THIS UNPUBLISHED PHOTO WAS FOUND IN THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHICH WAS HIDDEN FOR DECADES BEFORE BEING DISCOVERED BY MICHAEL SMITH IN JUNE, 2011.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 197MS
"COVER PHOTO ; INTERNATIONAL DRAUGHTS AND CHECKERS"

SHOWN IS A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN AT THE 1956 WISWELL VS. FRASER FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIP CHECKERS MATCH.

DEFENDING CHAMPION TOM WISWELL IS SEATED LEFT, CHALLENGER PROF. WILLIAM FRASER IS SEATED RIGHT. IN THE CENTER IS JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS.

AN EDITED VERSION OF THE PHOTO WAS CHOSEN TO BE USED ON THE COVER OF THE MATCH GAMES BOOK, "INTERNATIONAL DRAUGHTS AND CHECKERS". (SEE THUMBNAIL)

THIS HISTORICAL PHOTO IS FROM THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHICH REMAINED HIDDEN FOR MANY YEARS UNTIL BEING FOUND IN JUNE OF 2011 BY MICHAEL SMITH OF GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

SUBMITTED MY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 179MS
"WISWELL-FRASER II WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH PHOTO"

SHOWN IS A PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE 1959 FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH BETWEEN TOM WISWELL (LEFT) AND PROF. WILLIAM FRASER (RIGHT), PLAYED IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

THE MATCH WAS WON BY WISWELL 7-0-17

DRAWS. THE PHOTO IS FROM THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS (CENTER IN THE PHOTO), WHICH WAS LOST FOR MANY YEARS, BUT WAS RE-DISCOVERED IN JUNE 2011 BY MICHAEL SMITH.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 196MS
"KENTUCKY TOURNAMENT PHOTO SET"

SHOWN IS A SET OF 8 INCH BY 10 INCH PHOTOS TAKEN BY JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS DURING THE 1950'S.

THE SETTING APPEARS TO BE THAT OF A TOURNAMENT, MOST LIKELY IN THE GLASGOW AREA, AS THIS WAS THE CENTER OF KENTUCKY CHECKER PLAYING ACTIVITY AT THE TIME, AND WAS HOME TO ELLIS HIMSELF.

THESE PHOTOS WERE CONTAINED IN THE

COLLECTION OF ELLIS, WHICH LAID HIDDEN FOR MANY YEARS UNTIL IT WAS DISCOVERED IN JUNE OF 2011 BY MICHAEL SMITH OF GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 195MS
"MILLARD HOPPER AT STUDY PHOTO"

SHOWN IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF MILLARD HOPPER STUDYING THE BOARD DURING HIS 1953 CHALLENGE TO TOM WISWELL FOR THE FREESTYLE WORLD CHECKERS CHAMPIONSHIP. THE MATCH WOULD END IN A DRAW, 2 WINS EACH, WITH 36 DRAWS, WISWELL RETAINING THE TITLE.

THE PHOTO ITSELF WAS TAKEN BY JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, AND WAS PART OF HIS COLLECTION, WHICH REMAINED HIDDEN FOR DECADES.

THE COLLECTION WAS FOUND BY MICHAEL SMITH OF GLASGOW, KENTUCKY IN JUNE, 2011.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 194MS
"WISWELL-HOPPER II MATCH PHOTO SET"

SHOWN IS A GROUP PHOTO SET OF THE 1953 FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CHECKERS REMATCH BETWEEN TOM WISWELL AND MILLARD HOPPER.

AS CAN BE SEEN, THIS MATCH WAS PLAYED IN THE BARREN COUNTY (KENTUCKY) COURTHOUSE, AND DREW MANY SPECTATORS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS AS VISITORS.

THESE AMAZING HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN AND DEVELOPED BY JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE ORGANIZING AND PROMOTING OF THIS MATCH.

THESE WERE FOUND IN THE COLLECTION OF ELLIS, WHICH WAS HIDDEN FOR DECADES BEFORE BEING FOUND, AND SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION BY MR. MICHAEL SMITH OF GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 193MS
"CRAZY ABOUT CHECKERS PHOTO, GLASGOW, KENTUCKY"

SHOWN IS A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN THE BACK OF ELLIS DRUG STORE IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY IN THE 1950'S.

AS IS WRITTEN ON THE REAR OF THE PHOTO, GLASGOW WAS, AT THAT TIME, ONE OF THE MAJOR PLAYING HUBS IN THE UNITED STATES.

THIS PHOTO WAS FOUND IN THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHICH REMAINED HIDDEN FOR MANY YEARS.

THE COLLECTION WAS DISCOVERED AND SAVED FROM CERTAIN DESTRUCTION IN JUNE OF 2011 BY MICHAEL SMITH OF GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 191MS
"WISWELL EXHIBITION GROUP PHOTO "

SHOWN IS AN 8 INCH BY 10 INCH PHOTOGRAPH THAT CONTAINS 12 SMALLER IMAGES OF TOM WISWELL GIVING AN EXHIBITION AT AN UNKNOWN LOCATION, ALTHOUGH IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

WISWELL HAD THREE SUCCESSFULL DEFENSES OF HIS FREESTYLE WORLD CHECKERS CHAMPIONSHIP IN GLASGOW, WHERE THE MATCHES WERE PROMOTED AND HOSTED BY JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS.

WISWELL WOULD ALSO STOP IN GLASGOW FOR EXHIBITIONS DURING HIS MANY TOURS OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES DURING THE 1950-60'S.

THIS PHOTO WAS FOUND AS PART OF THE COLLECTION OF ELLIS, WHICH WAS SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION BY MICHAEL SMITH IN 2001.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 190MS
"WISWELL-HOPPER II GROUP PHOTO SET"

SHOWN IS A GROUP PHOTO SET TAKEN DURING THE TOM WISWELL VS. MILLARD HOPPER FREESTYLE WORLD CHECKERS CHAMPIONSHIP RE-MATCH HELD IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY IN 1953.

THIS SET OF PHOTOS DEMONSTRATES VARIOUS STAGES OF THE MATCH, AND INCLUDES LOCAL DIGNITARIES AND OFFICIALS WHO WERE PRESENT AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

THESE PHOTOS WERE PART OF THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHO HELPED ORGANIZE AND PROMOTE THE MATCH, WHICH ENDED IN A DRAW, 2-2-36 DRAWS.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 189MS
"WISWELL-HOPPER;KENTUCKY COLONELS"

THE 1953 WISWELL-HOPPER FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CHECKERS MATCH HELD IN GLASGOW KENTUCKY WAS ONE OF THE MOST HEAVILY PROMOTED, AND LOCALLY SUPPORTED EVENTS EVER IN THE GAME'S HISTORY.

AS BUT ONE OF THE HONORS BESTOWED UPON THEM, BOTH WISWELL AND HOPPER WHERE DESIGNATED THE HONORARY TITLE OF "KENTUCKY COLONEL", PROBABLY UNPRECEDENTED IN THE GAME'S HISTORY.

THE CEREMONY ITSELF WAS PHOTOGRAPHED BY MR. JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHO WAS MOST INSTRUMENTAL IN PROMOTING AND HOSTING THIS MATCH.

ON DISPLAY HERE ARE SEVERAL PHOTOGRAPHS

OF WISWELL AND HOPPER, ALONG WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTS THEMSELVES. (THE LOCATION OF THE ORIGINAL CERTIFICATES IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.)

THESE ITEMS WERE CONTAINED IN THE RECENTLY FOUND COLLECTION OF ELLIS, WHICH WAS SAVED FROM CERTAIN DESTRUCTION BY MR. MICHAEL SMITH OF GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 187MS
"PROF. WILLIAM FRASER GROUP PHOTO SET"

SHOWN IS A SET OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF CANADIAN CHECKERS CHAMPION PROF. WILLIAM FRASER, TAKEN BY JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS IN GLASGOW KENTUCKY.

FRASER WAS IN GLASGOW IN 1959 FOR HIS RE-MATCH WITH TOM WISWELL FOR THE FREESTYLE WORLD CHECKERS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE, WHICH HE LOST, WISWELL WINNING DECISIVELY BY THE FINAL SCORE OF 7-0-17 DRAWS.

EXCERPTED FROM ANTHONY BISHOP'S "THE ENCLOPEDIA OF CHECKERS" IS THE FOLLOWING...

"PROF. WILLIAM FRASER WAS BORN IN 1908 IN TRENTON, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA.

HE WAS A PHILOSPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY PROFESOR AT SIR GEORGE WILLIAMS COLLEGE IN MONTREAL, AND HELD THE BA, MA AND BD DEGREES.

IN 1947, FRASER ENTERED HIS FIRST CHECKERS TOURNAMENT IN TORONTO AND REACHED THE SEMI-FINALS, BEFORE FALLING TO WILLIAM RYAN 1-0-3 DRAWS.

FRASER WON HIS FIRST CANADIAN MATCH CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1950 AND SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED IT AGAINST ALL COMERS ON SIX OCCASIONS.

HE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN TWO TOURNAMENTS FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF CANADA, RANKING FIRST IN 1954 AND 1960.

FRASER PARTICIPATED IN THREE AMERICAN NATIONAL TOURNEMENTS, WITH GOOD SCORES IN EACH.

FRASER, WHO WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST CHECKER PLAYERS THAT CANADA EVER PRODUCED, DIED JANURARY 29, 1972."

THESE RARE, UNPUBLISHED PHOTOS OF PROF. FRASER WERE FOUND WITHIN THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS BY MICHAEL SMITH IN JUNE 2011.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 186MS
"WISWELL AT ELLIS DRUG CO. STORE GROUP PHOTO SET"

SHOWN ARE A SET OF PHOTOGRAPHS DEPICTING TOM WISWELL GIVING A PROMOTIONAL APPEARANCE AT THE DRUG STORE OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS.

WISWELL IS DISPLAYING THE BOOK, "INTERNATIONAL DRAUGHTS AND CHECKERS" WHICH HE CO-AUTHORED WITH MARION TINSLEY, DEREK OLDBURY AND PROF. WILLIAM FRASER.

THE BOOK CONTAINS THE GAMES OF WISWELL'S 1956 FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH WITH FRASER.

THE PHOTOS WERE MORE THAN LIKELY TAKEN UPON WISWELL'S ARRIVAL IN GLASGOW FOR THE RE-MATCH WITH FRASER IN DECEMBER 1959.

THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE PART OF THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHICH WAS RECENTLY FOUND BY MICHAEL SMITH.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 185MS
"TOM WISWELL COCA-COLA PHOTO"

SHOWN IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF FREESTYLE WORLD CHECKERS CHAMPION TOM WISWELL, OF BROOKLYN NEW YORK, HAVING A COCA-COLA WHILE IN GLASGOW KENTUCKY FOR HIS 1959 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH WITH PROF. WILLIAM FRASER.

THIS MASTERPIECE OF COMPOSITION WAS CAPTURED BY THE KEEN EYE OF MR. JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHO OWNED THE DRUG STORE/PHARMACY IN GLASGOW, AND HOSTED THE TITLE MATCH IN HIS STORE.

THE PHOTO, WHICH IS REPRODUCED HERE UNALTERED, LAID HIDDEN FOR DECADES, AND WAS RECENTLY DISCOVERD AND SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION BY MICHAEL SMITH.

THIS ITEM WAS SOLD ON EBAY TO A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 184MS
"WISWELL-HOPPER ON BREAK PHOTO"

SHOWN IS AN UNPUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPH OF TOM WISWELL (SEATED LEFT)AND MILLARD HOPPER (SEATED RIGHT) ANALYZING A GAME DURING A BREAK FROM THEIR 1953 FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CHECKERS MATCH.

AS CAN BE DISCERNED FROM THE PHOTOGRAPH, ALTHOUGH THESE MEN WERE FIERCE COMPETITORS ACROSS THE BOARD (AND FOR THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION) THEY WERE ALSO GREAT FRIENDS AND COMRADES AS AMBASSADORS FOR THE GAME TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN IN A LOCAL GLASGOW, KENTUCKY EATING ESTABLISHMENT, AND WAS FOUND IN THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS IN 2011 BY MICHAEL SMITH.

THIS ITEM WAS SOLD ON EBAY TO A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 183MS
"WISWELL-FRASER II GROUP PHOTO SET"

SHOWN IS AN INCREDIBLE COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY MR. JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS DURING THE SECOND TOM WISWELL-PROF. WILLIAM FRASER FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CHECKERS MATCH HELD IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY IN 1959.

MR. ELLIS WAS A SKILLED PHOTOGRAPHER, WHO ALSO DEVELOPED HIS OWN PHOTOS, USING ONLY THE FINEST AVAILABLE METHODS AND MATERIALS.

THESE PHOTOS DEPICT THE INTENSITY EXHIBITED DURING THE COURSE OF THE MATCH, WHICH WAS WON BY WISWELL 7-0-17 DRAWS.

AS VERY ARTISTICALLY DISPLAYED HERE BY MR. MICHAEL SMITH, THESE IMAGES CREATE AN ALMOST ANIMATED VIEW OF THIS HISTORICAL EVENT .

THESE ARE PART OF THE JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS COLLECTION WHICH WAS HIDDEN FOR FIFTY YEARS.

THE ENTIRE COLLECTION WAS SAVED FROM CERTAIN DESTRUCTION BY MR. MICHAEL SMITH, GLASGOW KENTUCKY.

THIS ITEM WAS SOLD ON EBAY TO A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 182MS
"1950'S CRISLOID CHECKERS"

EXHIBITED IS A SET OF CHECKERS THAT WAS PURCHASED BY JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS IN 1956, IN PREPARATION FOR THE UPCOMING FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CHECKERS MATCH HE WOULD BE HOSTING IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

THE CHECKERS WERE PURCHASED FROM TOM WISWELL HIMSELF, AND IT IS VERY PROBABLE THAT THIS VERY SET OF CHECKERS WERE USED IN THE MATCH ITSELF.

THIS PIECE OF THE GAME'S HISTORY WAS RECENTLY DISCOVERED, AFTER BEING HIDDEN AWAY FOR FIFTY YEARS, BY MICHAEL SMITH, GLASGOW KENTUCKY.

THIS ITEM WAS SOLD ON EBAY TO A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 172MS
"TOM WISWELL AT STUDY PHOTO"

EXHIBITED IS AN ORIGINAL PHOTO FROM THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, SHOWING WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPION TOM WISWELL STUDYING THE BOARD.

THE PHOTO IS CIRCA 1950'S, AND IS PART OF THE HUGE ELLIS COLLECTION RECENTLY UNCOVERED BY MR. MICHAEL SMITH.

THIS ITEM WAS SOLD ON EBAY TO A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 173MS
"WISWELL-FRASER II WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH PHOTO"

SHOWN IS A PHOTGRAPH FROM WISWELL-FRASER II, THE 1959-60 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH HELD IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

THE MATCH WAS WON BY WISWELL 7-0-17 DRAWS.

THE PHOTOGRAPH SHOWN IS THE PHOTGRAPH WHICH WAS USED ON PAGE 22 OF THE MATCH GAMES BOOK "ART OF CHECKERS" , PUBLISHED BY HARRY RUFF IN 1964.

THE PHOTO WAS TAKEN FROM THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHO WAS , IN WISWELL'S OWN WORDS, MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUCCESS OF WISWELL'S GLASGOW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES.

PART OF THE ELLIS COLLECTION.

THIS ITEM WAS SOLD ON EBAY TO A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 174MS
"SIGNED WISWELL-HOPPER II BOARD"

SHOWN IS A SIGNED BOARD FROM THE 1953 WISWELL-HOPPER FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH , HELD IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

THE MATCH WAS A DRAW , 2-2-36 DRAWS, WISWELL RETAINING THE TITLE IN THIS "RETURN MATCH", THE FIRST BEING HELD IN 1951.

THIS BOARD WAS HIDDEN AWAY FOR FIFTY YEARS IN THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE PROMOTION AND ORGANIZATION OF THIS MATCH.

THIS INCREDIBLE PIECE OF THE GAME'S HISTORY, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER ITEMS IN THE JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS COLLECTION , WAS UNCOVERED BY MICHAEL SMITH IN JUNE 2011.

THIS ITEM WAS SOLD ON EBAY TO A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 176MS
"WISWELL 1960 NEW YORK CHECKER CLUB EXHIBITION PHOTO; SIGNED"

SHOWN IS A SIGNED (SIGNATURE ON REAR OF PHOTO) PHOTOGRAPH OF FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPION TOM WISWELL AT THE NEW YORK CHECKER CLUB CIRCA 1960.

AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTO, WISWELL ALSO INCLUDED CHESS GAMES IN HIS EXHIBITIONS.

THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN BY JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, AND IS FROM HIS COLLECTION, WHICH WAS DISCOVERED IN JUNE 2011 BY MR. MICHAEL SMITH.

THIS ITEM WAS SOLD ON EBAY TO A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 177MS
"SIGNED WISWELL-FRASER BOARD"

SHOWN IS A SIGNED BOARD FROM THE FIRST TOM WISWELL-PROF. WILLIAM FRASER FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH, WHICH TOOK PLACE IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY IN 1956.

WISWELL WON THIS MATCH WITH A 2-0-37 DRAWS SCORE, RETAINING THE TITLE.

THE GAMES FROM THIS MATCH WERE PUBLISHED IN THE BOOK "INTERNATIONAL DRAUGHTS & CHECKERS" IN 1959.

THIS UNIQUE BOARD WAS FOUND AMONGST THE ITEMS CONTAINED IN THE RECENTLY DISCOVERED COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, AND HAS BEEN IN STORAGE FOR FIFTY YEARS.

THIS ITEM WAS SOLD ON EBAY TO A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 178MS
"SIGNED WISWELL-FRASER II BOARD AND CHECKERS"

SHOWN IS THE SIGNED CHECKERBOARD USED IN THE 1959-60 FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH BETWEEN TOM WISWELL AND PROF. WILLIAM FRASER IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

WISWELL WAS SUCCESSFUL IN DEFENDING HIS TITLE WITH A 7-0-17 DRAWS VICTORY.

THIS BOARD IS ALSO SIGNED BY LEONARD SLUSHER, REFEREE, AND FLOYD BAILEY, WHO SERVED AS SCOREKEEPER AND RECORDING SECRETARY.

ALSO SHOWN IS A SET OF CHECKERS WHICH IT IS BELIEVED WERE USED IN THIS GREAT MATCH.

THIS HISTORICAL CHECKERBOARD IS FROM THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS, WHICH WAS HIDDEN AWAY IN STORAGE FOR FIFTY YEARS, BEING RE-DISCOVERED IN JUNE OF 2011 BY MICHAEL SMITH OF GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 180MS
"WISWELL-HOPPER II HANDSHAKE PHOTOS"

SHOWN ARE TWO PHOTOS FROM THE FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RE-MATCH OF 1953 BETWEEN CHAMPION TOM WISWELL (SEATED RIGHT) AND CHALLENGER MILLARD HOPPER (SEATED LEFT).

THE MATCH WAS DRAWN, 2-2-36 DRAWS, WISWELL RETAINING THE TITLE AS DEFENDING CHAMPION.

THE PERSON AT THE FAR LEFT, STANDING, IS MR. JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS. THESE PHOTOS ARE FROM AMONG THE ITEMS IN HIS PRIVATE COLLECTION, HIDDEN FOR FIFTY YEARS, THAT WAS DISCOVERED IN JUNE 2011 BY MICHAEL SMITH IN GLASGOW, KENTUCKY.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH

EXHIBIT 181MS
"WISWELL-HOPPER II PHOTOGRAPH WITH SPECTATORS"

EXHIBITED HERE ARE THREE UNPUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE COLLECTION OF JAMES MITCHELL ELLIS.

THEY DEPICT TOM WISWELL AND MILLARD HOPPER DURING THEIR 1953 FREESTYLE WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP CHECKERS MATCH, WHICH ENDED IN A DRAWN MATCH RESULT, 2-2-38 DRAWS, WISWELL RETAINING THE TITLE AS DEFENDING CHAMPION IN THE EVENT OF A DRAWN MATCH.

MOST REMARKABLE IN THESE PHOTOS IS THE SPECTATORS. WITH EXAMINATION, ONE CAN SEE PERSONS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, WILLING TO SPEND THEIR LIESURE TIME AT A CHECKERS RELATED EVENT.

IN FACT, THE TWO WISWELL-HOPPER MATCHES WERE TWO OF THE MOST PUBLICIZED EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME, RECEIVING MUCH NEWSPAPER, MAGAZINE AND EVEN RADIO COVERAGE.

SUBMITTED BY M. SMITH