The National Checker League season continued on, and it wasn't quite like other seasons. The newspapers remarked on it:

"What's going on this year in the NCL? There have been some strange and unexplained losses. Normally good players are making mistakes that even lesser players wouldn't make. Lower ranked teams are pulling upsets over higher ranked teams. We're wondering; is there something being released into the air at Checkerdromes around the country? Is there some sort of ailment that is striking only professional checker players? Checker fans want to know."

It was puzzling as well to Marvin J. Mavin, the superstar Captain of the highly rated Detroit Doublejumpers. He continued to read:

"We've contacted NCL Comissioner Axel Homeboy, and his comments were suprisingly laconic. 'What makes checkers exciting,' he said, 'is that anything can and does happen.' We didn't find that to be much in the way of an explanation but Mr. Homeboy had nothing further to say."

"Yeah," Marvin muttered, "stuff happens that ain't supposed to happen." He was in his study in his wife's enormous condo in suburban Detroit; she (Priscilla) was at work downtown. The Doublejumpers had an off-day during a home stand and Coach Baba Dudut had given the team the day off with no practices called. He turned back to the newspaper:

"Checker Weekly spoke with a number of Coaches, although a few would not even answer our questions. Those that did said things like, "I don't get it" or "It's rather disconcerting" or "What are you getting at?" as if they were being accused of something. In short, we weren't able to gain any insights. Checker Weekly will inform its readers further when additional information becomes available."

The newspaper story went on to describe various situations which had occurred over the board, such as this one, in a game between Roddy Ruddy of the Portland Paisleys and Suzie Sheeshee of the Denver Dennys:

Ruddy had played 16-12 here and blew away the win. Then after 1-5 he blundered again with 22-18 and eventually lost. The newspaper berated him for amateur play and tried to interview Ruddy but his coach wouldn't allow Ruddy to speak to the press.

Of course some funny things had happened right within the Doublejumper organzation (see our previous episode), and even though Marvin was Captain, Coach refused to discuss it with him, reminding Marvin that he wasn't in charge of the team and instructing him to just worry about his own quality of play.

Marvin briefly wondered if he should go over Coach's head and talk to the Doublejumper team owner, Nelson Chester Abernathy the 3rd. But that could go wrong and get Marvin fired, and after talking it over with Priscilla he decided "it is nought good a slepying hound to wake" a phrase Priscilla liked to quote from Chaucer.

But just then Marvin's cell phone rang.

"Hullo?" Marvin said. "Oh, wait, I gotta press the button first, like, okay ... there ... yeah, hullo?"

"Mr. Mavin?" a voice on the other end asked.

"Uh, yup, but like hey, nobody don't hardly call me 'Mr. Mavin' and them that do, they ain't got this phone number ... "

"Well, I have your number. I'm an investigative reporter and I'm very good at finding things out. My name is Carol Catchem from the New York Herald Star, and I'm working with sportswriter Willie Bill Williamson on a story about the NCL."

"Uh, yeah, so ... like ... ain't you supposed to call our whatchacallit --- media department or something? 'Cause we gotta get permission and stuff to talk with the press ... "

"Oh, this won't amount to anything much. You don't need permission, I cleared it with my people. So it's just a question or two, starting with, do you follow the checker news?"

"'Course I do, I play pro checkers. Hey I thought you said you knew how to find stuff out. Ain't it like obvious?"

"Just doing fact checking," Carol replied. "So for instance have you seen the latest in Checker Weekly? The article asking what's going on this year in the NCL?"

"Yeah, I seen it," Marvin said. 'I just got done reading it in fact. How'd you know that?"

There was a chuckle on Carol's end. "Like I said ... but what I want to know is what you think about the article."

"They wrote it real good," Marvin said.

Now there was a groan on Carol's end. "Sure, sure Marvin, but what about the content?"

"Well, they asked lots a questions and they didn't answer none of 'em because nobody around the league wouldn't tell them nothing."

"So, Marvin, how would you answer their questions? What is going on around the league?"

"Well, now, I ain't sure I oughta ... "

"Oh come on, just a word or two. It won't hurt anything and it's just for information."

"Uh ... um ... okay. It's like, there's all this weird stuff with players making dumb moves and losing games and players who ain't all that good winning games and stuff that shouldn't be happening. I don't get it either but it ain't right. We even had a game or two on our team ... but I better keep quiet about that."

"So why do think this is happening? You say it's even on your own team. What does your Coach think? What do you think?"

"Coach don't say nothing to me cause he says it ain't my business. I dunno. It's just all weird and I don't know nothing more."

Was that a chuckle? Marvin could almost picture Carol smiling. "Thank you Marvin," she said, "you've been very helpful."

The connection ended. Carol must have hung up. Marvin sat a moment, staring at his phone before setting it down and then turning to the latest issue of All Checkers Digest.

Marvin arrived at the Detroit Checkerdrome a few minutes ahead of 1 PM practice the next day; the Doublejumpers would be facing the Los Angeles Leapers in the evening.

"Coach wants to see you in his office right away," one of the attendants said.

Marvin went down the hall and out in the office area. He knocked on the door marked Head Coach.

"Enter," came the voice of Coach Baba Dudut. Marvin opened the door and walked in.

"Close the door and remain standing," Coach ordered gruffly.

"What ... "

"And keep silent. Here, pick this up." It was a copy of the morning edition of the New York Herald-Times. "Read the lead story."

Marvin reached down to Coach's desk and picked up the newspaper. To his surprise and dismay he saw a big headline:

Checker Star Can't Explain NCL Happenings

The byline was "Carol Catchem" and the story began:

"Your reporter spoke with Marvin J. Mavin, noted checker luminary and Captain of the Detroit Doublejumpers. We asked him about the strange happenings around the NCL. Mr. Mavin said he had noticed these things too and that there had even been odd events taking place on his own team. He had tried to speak to his coach about it but was turned away and threatened with disciplinary action ... "

The story went on for a few more paragraphs.

Coach stood up and leaned his fists on his desk. "First, what were you doing talking to this famous muckraker without permission?"

Marvin, now completely taken aback, replied in a stammer, "Uh, she like told me she cleared it with her people and stuff."

"She may have cleared it with her people but she sure didn't clear it with ours!" Coach shouted. "That's number one! Number two is where do you think you get the right to talk about what goes on with our team?"

"Well, gee, I just ... "

"You just what? What you just did was start a big scandal with us in the middle of it! Mr. Abernathy is very upset and chewed me out big time. I ought to kick you right off the team and out of professional checkers, but then I'd have to mess with the union and do a lot of paperwork. So I won't. But you're benched for this series! Maxie Minima will go on 5th board and everyone else will move up a slot. You'll be on the bench, and if anything like this ever happens again, union or no union, you'll never play checkers again! I'll break all your fingers and then kick you out of the league! Do you understand me!"

Marvin could barely speak. "Yeah, I mean, yes, Coach, I get it."

"You better get it! Now go on home, I don't even want to see you in the Checkerdrome, or anywhere, until after this series is over!"

Marvin figured he had better do as he was told. He drove on home. He'd discuss the situation with Priscilla when she got home from work. Maybe she would have some insights.

But Marvin really wondered. Maxie Minima wouldn't have been the top choice to fill in while Marvin was benched. Once again he didn't know what Coach was thinking.

# # #

The New York Herald-Times Overseas Edition was printed in Berlin and didn't arrive in Sofia until a bit later in the evening in the Sofia time zone. She always picked up a copy at the local newsstand as soon as it was available.

But this evening she was not pleased. The lead story would create problems for her. It could even derail the plan if things were left to go on their own. And although more money was starting to come in, that flow could easily be interrupted if things went awry. Action would have to be taken, and it would have to be swift and sure.

She would need to meet with her Bulgarian "associates" and get them to act through their network in the United States.

She angrily tossed the newspaper into a trash bin. It was time to go to their usual meeting place. The boys would be there, drinking their vodka, as they did just about every night. Things would be arranged. A price would be paid. She would not allow her plans to be thwarted or even delayed.

Nothing would stop her.

To be continued.

---

Ruddy should have won and even with his first blunder should have drawn. Can you find the win that Ruddy missed? Click on Read More when you're ready to check your solution.

Solution

The position is actually a contest problem from Bill Salot's 3rd problem composing contest. It was authored by V. J. Parrot.

11-7 (or 22-18 first) 10-3 2-6 (or 22-18 first) 1-10, *22-18 13-22 *18-15 10-19 *27-23 19-26, *16-11 White Wins.