Happy Birthday, Leonard

[David Sedgwick]

Many happy returns to Leonard Barden, who is 80 years old today.

Many happy returns to Leonard Barden, who is 85 years old today.

[David Sedgwick]

Thanks, dear friends, for your kind words.

In truth, birthdays don't inspire me very much. The milestone now is 28 September 2013.

My first Guardian column was 8 September 1955 after my predecessor Julius du Mont had a stroke. I have never missed a week since so this is now the world's longest continuous running chess column, almost 54 years to date.

Herman Helms, the legendary Dean of American chess, wrote a weekly column in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from October 1893 till March 1955, but with a break from 1907-11. Allowing for that, his column ran for around 58 years, which I consider the current world longevity record for a chess column with or without a break. (Just to anticipate dissent from Worcestershire, TEW Widdows's column had an approximate six-week break every summer).

Helms's world record would be surpassed if both the Guardian column and myself survive intact till September 2013. It's possible, though not very likely.

I'm delighted to draw attention to this unwonted pessimism.

[Michael Farthing]

Five more years! Five more years!

[Kevin Thurlow]

Happy birthday from me as well.

[Carl Hibbard]

Happy Birthday, where did those 5 years go?

[Andrew Stone]

Happy Birthday Leonard! Hope I have your energy when I am 85. Hope I get to 85!

[LawrenceCooper]

Happy Birthday Leonard! Hope I have your energy when I am 85. Hope I get to 85!

I wish I had his energy now

[Matt Mackenzie]

Five more years! Five more years!

Which means he would have broken the total Helms record - wouldn't put it past him either.......

Happy birthday

[Keith Arkell]

Congratulations Leonard! I hope you had a joyous Birthday.

[IanRogers]

Leonard and I had an email debate a few years ago about the longevity of Garry Koshnitsky's weekly chess column in the Sydney Sun/Sun-Herald, which started in 1935 and finished in 1994, having had a four or five month break in 1988. Whether or not that column lasted longer than Helms', Leonard has now beaten Koshnitsky's record as well as Helms'.
Happy Birthday Leonard!

IR

[David Sedgwick]

Leonard and I had an email debate a few years ago about the longevity of Garry Koshnitsky's weekly chess column in the Sydney Sun/Sun-Herald, which started in 1935 and finished in 1994, having had a four or five month break in 1988. Whether or not that column lasted longer than Helms', Leonard has now beaten Koshnitsky's record as well as Helms'.
Happy Birthday Leonard!

Welcome to the Forum, Ian.

[Leonard Barden]

Dear friends

Thanks to all of you for your kind words. I'll discuss column longevity records in a separate thread, which may take a while to prepare.

[Andy Stoker]

Taken from a kibitz on Chessgames.com:
"weary willy: Happy Birthday, Mr Barden. A tremendous record of service to British chess for which all UK players can be very grateful.... especially the juniors whom he encouraged and supported through their formative years.
His journalism continues to inform and entertain .... as it has done for so many decades."

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Thanks to all of you for your kind words. I'll discuss column longevity records in a separate thread, which may take a while to prepare.

Apologies for resurrecting this thread, but I'm not sure if Leonard ever did post that separate thread here. If he didn't, it seems that something along the same lines was published by Chessbase:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/barden-on- ... ess-column

'Barden on the longest running chess column '

Some hints of what is said there appeared here back in 2009:

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... 092#p15092

[Matt Mackenzie]

Re the comment by LB above, it appears that his Evening Standard column is about to finish - or rather, be finished by the paper

(or so Edward Winter says on his Chess Notes page)