Farewell St. Louis

For the last few days I have been going back and forth across the Mississippi River.  I probably crossed it a dozen times.  I am now west and do not expect to cross it again until I head back from Arlington (Texas Rangers) to Tampa near the end of July.  The extreme heat is expected to continue unabated for another week.  Watching the local news they are discussing the "cold wave" due to come through Columbia, MO in a few days that should lower temps to 91.  Unfortunately, I will be farther west and the "cold wave" will not be where I am at.  It is strange to see the signs with the time and temp and the temp reads 100.  Personally it did not think it was any hotter than 98.  The heat indices raise that another handful of degrees.  My plans on the Bowling Hall of Fame flamed out when it was discovered the new location after they moved is now at Six Flags in Arlington, TX.  I was able to go the World Chess Hall of Fame.  Of more interest was the Chess Club across the street.  Turns out they held a tournament that ended on Monday.  Had I known I could have stopped in.  When I was a kid, I used to play chess, including Michigan Junior Chess Championships for 20 and under.  I won a few trophies, including the 20 year old State Championship in 19XX.  One of the guys that kept me from getting a 20 & under trophy was a young kid who ran around irritating people named Ben Finegold.  He is now an International Grand Master, was in the tournament that ended Monday, and lives across the street from the chess club.   

 Ben's photo is the middle one on the wall of the chess club.

  The world's largest chess piece.

  Ben Franklin is a member of the US Chess Hall of Fame.  Only member of US, not World HOF.  He needs to work on his end game.