19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

ON THE DOTS
Sirs:
Congratulations on being the first major magazine to raise the game of dominoes to its rightful position in the world of sport (More Fun than the Watusi, March 29). It is plain that, with a working knowledge of dominoes, backgammon, chess, bridge and poker, a man can get by in any port.

I agree with the officials of the San Francisco tournament that Carnegie, Okla. players have no right to claim the world championship, for they do not play the true game of five-up. But I object as well to the claim of San Francisco's winners to the title of world champions.

We here in Barneveld, N.Y. have had a World Championship Domino Tournament for the last four summers. We claim that title today. However, since this is no time for the free world or the U.S. to be bickering within its own boundaries, we make this formal offer to San Francisco: to downgrade ourselves to the title of domino champions of the East Coast, if they will agree to claim only the West Coast championship.

If San Francisco is unwilling to meet us halfway, we will bide our time and (when my partner finishes college) go out there and take their collective shirts—the ones with the ruffles and the domino decorations. After all, I have taken, and been taken by, some of the best in the Peu and the Bohemian Clubs, during the last 30 years.
WILLIAM C. WHITE
Barneveld, N.Y.

Sirs:
In mentioning our esteemed gentlemen's club, Robert Cantwell referred to it as "something called the Bombay Bicycle Riding Club." May I, as its president, assure you that this is not a whimsical organization but rather a meeting place of the world's greatest domino players. The Bombay Bicycle Riding Club, which consists of 175 men (no women allowed) has its quarters on the peninsula some 18 miles south of San Francisco. It is available to members at all hours and frequented particularly for men's luncheons and in the late afternoon hours. We include in our membership many domino champions, among them two former world champions, as well as the present champion of the Peninsula Golf & Country Club, whom modesty forbids my naming.

We invite Mr. Cantwell to be our guest any day for luncheon.
T. C. MORONEY
Burlingame, Calif.

Sirs:
Admittedly, the San Francisco Tournament was pretty ritzy. However, for Mr. Cantwell to call the winners world domino champions is somewhat like proclaiming the Mets to be world baseball champions after an intrasquad game.
JOE SUMMERS
Wichita Falls, Texas

Sirs:
With my Texas background, naturally I found the Cantwell article on dominoes quite interesting.

Perhaps Mr. Cantwell and some of the losers in the Frisco tourneys might be interested to know that some years ago an engineer friend of mine, the late R. I. Caughey, set out to determine whether or not there really was any skill involved in the game.

On a rainy vacation Mr. Caughey played 500 games of dominoes (muggins variety) with his 10-year-old daughter. The little girl could match up the dominoes (i.e. play a 1 on a 1, a 2 on a 2, etc.) but didn't know whether her plays made a count (i.e. a multiple of five). Her father, who, as is the case with most players, considered himself "one of the best players in the world," swore that the results of this 500-game marathon were 251 games won by the daughter and 249 won by Caughey.