Former World Champion Resigns From Manhattan Chess Club

     In an article appearing in the January 15, 1899 edition of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, former world champion William (he had changed his name from Wilhelm) Steinitz resigned from the Manhattan Chess Club after a speech in which a member said the club was not a club for professional players. Steinitz took offense and resigned his honorary membership which was promptly accepted.
     When the word leaked out it created a big stir especially since two years earlier Pillsbury had resigned from the club on account of trouble with a member who had stolen his umbrella and the club declined to discipline the thief in accordance with Pillsbury’s demands. 
     Steinitz’ grievance concerned his perception of the club’s attitude toward professionals. At the recent club elections several new officers were voted in and the Eagle felt the decision to accept his resignation might have been different had it been left up to them and not the old guard. Steinitz was also in a snit that the affair was not made public by the club. 
 

     His problem stemmed from three years earlier when a report reached him while he was in St. Petersburg, Russia that a speech had been made at the annual meeting in which it was declared, “This is not a club for professional players. Any two gentleman may sit down to play a game of chess without prostituting it by playing for money.” At the end of the speech the speaker was loudly applauded. 
     Steinitz had sent word back to the club by Pillsbury and others that if he had been in New York at the time he would have asked for the immediate expulsion of the “learned judge” who made the speech. 
     In regards to the recent club elections, Steinitz stated that he believed that president Aristides Martinez and vice president Dr. Louis Cohn were the right men for the job, however, Cohn was critical of Steinitz for both resigning and making his complaints public. 
     According to Cohn, Steinitz was mistaken about the club’s attitude towards professionals. Cohn pointed out that all masters who had ever taken advantage of the club’s hospitality were treated with great fairness and consideration. 
     Cohn admitted that the club’s members were divided with some preferring to encourage amateur play instead of spending the club’s money on engagements for professional players. But, as a body, the club was fully aware of the importance of promoting big events and chess in general and in that respect professionals had nothing to complain about. 
     Cohn also emphasized that the remark alluded to by Steinitz was part of a long speech and the applause at it conclusion should not have been interpreted as an endorsement by the club. 
     Steinitz has pretty much been forgotten by chess history these days, but his contributions live on. Chess.com has a short article, Equilibrium, An Important Chess Concept Of Steinitz, that is worth checking out. 

10 Best Chess Games by Wilhelm Steinitz (annotated)