EAST GREENWICH, R.I. (WJAR) — A World War II veteran
was honored Saturday at a chess tournament in East
Greenwich, Rhode Island.

Lou Giarrusso (above) celebrated his 100th birthday at the
Once-in-a-Lifetime Inaugural Championship Cup Event at the
New England Institute of Technology.

Giarrusso started playing in 1963, and he is a Guinness
World Record holder for the oldest chess player to
compete.

Giarrusso was presented with a chessboard birthday 
ake (below), plaques and certificates, and a trophy
for his achievements in chess.

CAMILLE
BOHANNON

Irving Berlin
(May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989)

Irving Berlin was a American composer, songwriter
and lyricist. His music forms a great part of the
Great American Songbook.

From Left: Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer

On September 1, 1972, in what’s billed as the “Match of the Century,”
American chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer defeated Russian the
World Chess Boris Spassky during Championship in Reykjavik,
Iceland.

In the world’s most publicized title match ever played, Fischer,
a 29-year-old Brooklynite, became the first American to win
the competition since its inception in 1866. The victory also
marked the first time a non-Russian had won the event in 24
years.

Bobby Fischer’s grave in Reykjavik.

The 12-year-old chess prodigy from New Jersey, Abhimanya Mishra (above), broke the world record on June 30 when he won first place
at the Vezérképző GM Mix 2021, a 10-round Swiss chess tournament
that took place in Budapest, Hungary.

Mishra defeated grandmaster Leon Luke Mendonca, 15, of India,
seconds before the match ended.

“It feels amazing,” Mishra told Fox & Friends Saturday. “All my
years of hard work, everything, finally paid off.”

CAMILE
BOHANNON

Irving Berlin
(May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989)

Composer and lyricist Irving Berlin is widely
considered one of the greatest songwriters
in American history.