by koneil
This past Sunday, nearly 1,400 attendees witnessed the enshrinement of 15 great men and women, two teams, and one hospital into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Achievement Awards were also given to 16 men, women, and sports programs for their contributions to Missouri sports. This included an award presented to Jeanne Sinquefield for her crucial role in establishing the Boy Scout Merit Badge for Chess.
Needless to say, it was very exciting to see such honors given to the best in Missouri sports. What was most striking, however, was not the honorees’ athletic contributions but their impact on Missouri’s communities. These athletes never forget where they come from. Most, including St. Louis Cardinals legend Jim Edmonds and NBA great Jon Sundvold, still live in Missouri today.
While all of these Sports Hall of Fame inductees have given significantly to their communities, Rex Sinquefield was unique in speaking not just about what he has already achieved, but about how he will continue to make Missouri great in the future. He told the crowd about scholarship opportunities specifically for chess players at several St. Louis universities. He also highlighted the US Men’s and Women’s Championships, to be held at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis this May.
These efforts speak not only to what has already been accomplished in making St. Louis the chess capital of the United States, but also to how the The Chess Club’s will further expand St. Louis’ role in the chess universe. He even spoke of St. Louis becoming the chess capital of the world – not just Missouri and the nation.
When competition in a game can bring people together to make the community better and create bridges over oceans . . . now that is a great sport.
by koneil
“Do you have a musically inclined youngster? They just might be eligible to win some money for their talents. Brian Kelly and Maria Keena get the details from Jeanne Sinquefield, creator of the COMP Program.”
Click to play audio
Online at: http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2011/11/27/tiam-weekend-comp-program-tax-changes/
by koneil
Last weekend, history unfolded at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis. Here, dozens of Boy Scouts, family members and visiting dignitaries celebrated brand-new Chess Merit Badge. Members of the Great Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America were the first to receive the badge, thanks to efforts led by Great Rivers Council Executive Board Member Jeanne Sinquefield. As of today (September 12), the Chess Merit Badge may be earned by scouts nationwide.
As the United States’ first Chess Merit Badge Counselor, Mrs. Sinquefield mentored nineteen area scouts in the fundamentals of chess. At the National Launch Event on September 10, chess pros (including Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura) joined eager leaners for a life-size game of “human chess” in St. Louis’ picturesque Central West End. The celebration took place outside, between the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis and the World Chess Hall of Fame – a fitting homage to both organizations, which were founded and are generously funded by Mrs. Sinquefield and her husband, the philanthropist (and great chess player) Rex Sinquefield.
The National Launch Event garnered extensive media coverage. Now-famous scouts, including astronaut Greg Chamitoff, attended the event and signed the new Chess Merit Badge books. (Chamitoff also presented the Chess Hall of Fame with a very special gift – the chessboard that he took aboard the space shuttle Endeavor.) Thanks to the generosity of Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield and the dedication of the chess community, Boy Scouts will proudly earn the Chess Merit Badge for decades to come.
This past Sunday, nearly 1,400 attendees witnessed the enshrinement of 15 great men and women, two teams, and one hospital into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Achievement Awards were also given to 16 men, women, and sports programs for their contributions to Missouri sports. This included an award presented to Jeanne Sinquefield for her crucial role in establishing the Boy Scout Merit Badge for Chess.
These efforts speak not only to what has already been accomplished in making St. Louis the chess capital of the United States, but also to how the The Chess Club’s will further expand St. Louis’ role in the chess universe. He even spoke of St. Louis becoming the chess capital of the world – not just Missouri and the nation.