George Mirijanian, Joe Bennett, Brian Biglow, George Miller and Richard Bennett received half-point byes.

Embert Lin, Richard Bennett, Max Sewell and Mark Norris did not play the round.

Bruce Felton and Francis Scanlon received half-point byes.

Larry Gladding received a half-point bye.

Alan Condon and Francis Scanlon received half-point byes.

Round 1 (of 5)

"By The Book"

In the first round of The Richard McMaster Memorial all of the favorites won their games.

George Mirijanian and Jimmy Wang, a 12-year-old player from Acton, received half-point byes.

Reginald "Reggie" Boone, 82, of 121 Ryan St., Gardner, died Saturday, June 28, 2008 in UMASS Memorial Healthcare, University Campus in Worcester following an illness.

He was born in Gardner on January 15, 1926, son of Thomas and Jane (Kliskey) Boone of Penzance, England.

Reggie retired in 1988 from Collier-Keyworth Company after 28 years as a press operator.

Reggie graduated from Gardner High School in 1944. Throughout his years at Gardner High, Reggie was an exceptional athlete. Known as "The Rock," Reggie was one of Gardner High School's all time great running backs. Coach Tarpey gave him this nickname during a baseball game in which Reggie was the catcher. The runner coming home hit him hard and the coach came over to see if Reggie was okay and then turned to the umpire and stated, "…this kid's as hard as a rock!" He earned a place in GHS football history for his prowess and power on the field and was inducted into the Gardner High School Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

His outstanding abilities were witnessed in the final game of his football years at GHS in the last game of the season against a longtime rival, Leominster High School, who had been unbeaten for 14 years. It was a big team win with Reggie scoring five running touchdowns for a 34-6 victory.

Leominster High School named Reggie on their All-Opponent Eleven team in 1942. Reggie was co-captain of three sports –football, basketball and baseball. His gifted athletic talent extended as well to gymnastics. He was the state champion on the horizontal bar and rings in 1941 under Coach Bill Footrick.

His love of sports transcended to many other areas, checkers and chess – the early years of physical combat in sports to the later years of "mental combat" in these games. "It's the excitement and the unexpected that intrigues me the most." He defeated world checker champion Tom Wiswell in 1958 at a demonstration game held at Gardner City Hall.

Reggie served in the U.S. Army from 1944-1946. He fought overseas in World War II serving in the 87th Infantry Division in the European Theater of Operations in General George S. Patton's Third U.S. Army in Rhineland, Germany. He was honored with the Bronze Star for bravery behind enemy lines.

Reggie had many enjoyments in life. He had a great passion for music – jazz and blues – and played the piano. He loved books, was an avid reader and had a broad library including literature of psychology and philosophy. Ralph Waldo Emerson was his favorite and a great inspiration to him. He lived his life according to the motto taken from Emerson, "Give me health and a day and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous." Reggie was zealous about walking and believed in keeping the body as well as the mind finely tuned.

Reggie leaves his loving wife of 56 years; Shirley (Dragon) Boone, two daughters; Debra Balins and her husband John of Biloxi, MS and Jackie Lafond and her husband Tony of Ashburnham, five grandchildren; Jessica, Zachary, Curt, Jen and Ross and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brothers; Ronald Boone and Thomas Boone and a sister Dorothy Smith.

You are invited to attend his visiting hours in SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 69 Vernon St., Gardner from 6-8 pm Tuesday, July 1. His funeral service will be held in the funeral home at 10AM on Wednesday, July 2. Rev. Jennie Barrington will officiate. Burial will follow in the Greenbower Cemetery, South Gardner. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the American Heart Association, 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701 or the Joslin Diabetes Foundation, 1 Joslin Place, Boston, MA 02115. For directions to the funeral home or to sign the online guest book for the Boone family, please visit our website at www.fletcherfuneral.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Smith Funeral Home, 69 Vernon St., Gardner.

    Reggie's 80th Birthday Tribute Page

10 players took part in an unrated 9-round 5-minute round robin tournament.  The event was won by Joe Bennett of Hubbardston who came in 1st by a full point and a half (8 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw!).  Tying for 2nd were club champion Martin Laine of Lunenburg, Larry Gladding of Leominster, and Angel Soto of Fitchburg.  Congratulations all!

Gary Brassard defeated Eduardo Valadares in their postponed WCC Championship "A" game.  The final standings for the "A" division are shown below.

FINAL "A" DIVISION STANDINGS

Next week the 5-round Richard G. McMaster Memorial begins.

"A" Division

FINAL "A" DIVISION STANDINGS