Prof. Daaim Shabazz of The Chess Drum shares sad news with ICA President Tom Sprandel:
Mr. Sprandel,
I am a Chicago native and played board 1 at CVS for Tom Fineberg. We won the city championship in my senior year in 1980 and prior to that won city in 1975 with Marvin Dandridge on board 1. I am still active, but now reside in Florida.
Tom was 89 years old when he died on May 27th. I don't have a link to an obituary yet (though the death notice is already on USCF's In Passing).
I received regrettable news from his daughter Marjorie that he has passed away on Sunday with his friends and family with him. I would like the Illinois chess community to know about this because he was considered a legend in Chicago. He did a lot of volunteer work after retiring from teaching. He ran the Tuley Park chess club and hosted numerous venues there. He will be missed.
It's hard to overstate Tom's importance to the Chicago and Illinois chess community: he and Maxine changed countless lives for the better. More to follow....
