What an asshole Schapp can be. Instead of saying something like , I am not my dad, and you shouldnt ridicule me or call me out for something my dad said, he insults the guy and sticks up for daddy then walks away. Cowardly. I never saw that until now, and Schapp didnt bother me but that just pissed me off.
I've seen that interview and i think both of them are assholes. Bobby Fischer was the greatest American chess player. My father taught me the rules of chess when i was young. I do understand the game of chess. Anyone can learn how to play it but to the devotees it can take a lifetime to master. Most Americans know Bobby Fischer kinda the same way they know Mark Spitz. A peripheral familiarity.
I don't buy the argument that his character and personality can be excused or justified because of his genius. Chess is 100% mental.
Take the greatest Quarterback that erver played football. Out of the ones playing now, Brady, Favre, Manning(not Eli) look how the carry themselves on and off the field. How much of their game is mental? A whole hell of a lot in my opinion.
All i am trying to say is that there was so much more. Imagine if Bobby Fischer was....
I don't buy the argument that his character and personality can be excused or justified because of his genius. Chess is 100% mental.
Take the greatest Quarterback that erver played football. Out of the ones playing now, Brady, Favre, Manning(not Eli) look how the carry themselves on and off the field. How much of their game is mental? A whole hell of a lot in my opinion.
All i am trying to say is that there was so much more. Imagine if Bobby Fischer was....
i was up at cornell about 5 summers ago for a golf event to benefit the football team. jeremy was the speaker. his dad had done it for years but had recently passed away.
jeremy shapp was awful. most of us couldnt wait for him to shut up.
his stories were terrible.
I remember watching that interview and Fischer basically took Schapps soul and Jeremy forgot to even ask him what he intended to.
I dont think its online (at least not in the usual places). Here's the transcript:
Fischer says - Who are you? (Jeremy) Jeremy who?
Schaap - Jeremy Schaap
Fischer - Dick's son?
Schaap Yes
Fischer He was Jewish?
Schaap Yes.......... pause............. as are you.
Fischer (angrily) No I am not. I wrote a letter to the Judaica library in Jerusalem 20 years ago and told them that I am not nor have I ever been a Jew. And they gave me a 'clean bill of health' Did you read that letter? Did you read that?
Schaap What does that mean Bobby?
Fischer It means that they will no longer list my name in the library as being a Jew.
....................................
Fischer You know the US is controlled by the Jews.. They say there's only 6 million Jews in the US but I know its more like 25-30 million.
Schaap How do you know this?
Fischer Well, I've researched and studied it.
Schaap How would you study this?
Fischer Well you know from all of the reading I've done. I've read a lot of books.
Fischer later You know your father banged me pretty hard saying I didn't have a sane bone in my body.. I didn't forget that.
Schaap He said a lot of things about you (Fischer interrupts) I didn't read the statement but I am aware he said it and I don't think he meant it literally.
LATER FISCHER GOES BACK TO SCHAAP SEVERAL MORE TIMES
Fischer I hate to keep 'banging on a guy' but I'd like to go back to this............ what's your name again? (Jeremy) Yeah, his (Schaap's) father took me in at one time and was nice to me.... (Jeremy - he took you to Knick games, you were 12) and became a father figure to me and then like a typical Jewish snake he wrote vicious things about me.
Schaap I have to object to that...
Fischer Well he said it.
Schaap "yes Bobby and you've done nothing today to disprove anything my father ever said about you."
When a guy rags on your dead father and your ethnicity it's pretty difficult to "act professional." If Schapp did that to Fischer during the interview he'd be fired immediately.
I saw the interview as well a few years ago. My impression was that Fischer was mentally disturbed and I remember thinking to myself "I wonder how long this guy has left to live?"
