* * * * * * * CICL Hall of Fame and History * * * * * * *

The CICL has seen many fine accomplishments since it started in 1957. This webpage celebrates the people and teams who led the way. Included below are:

Ron Dargis Award (Lifetime Distinguished Service) Honorees

Ron Dargis:


1971 photo of Ron Dargis, far right
obit of Ron Dargis in 1990 bulletin, see P. 2-3

Ron Dargis Award Honoree

James A. Brotsos (1991)



James E. Warren



Dan Kumro



Nikolai Goncharoff





Charlie Ward



Tom Friske (2006)



Martin Franek (2008)



James Thomson (2011)



Tony Jasaitis (2014)





How was the CICL founded?




1971 photo of Miroslav Mejzr, on left

From Jim Brotsos's history of the CICL:

In the mid 1950’s a few commercial chess clubs in Chicago began to hear about each other and arranged to hold large team matches and simultaneous exhibitions against Experts & Masters. ... Miroslav “Mirko” Mejzr, a Czech immigrant, headed the strong chess club at the First National Bank. He knew Salo Flohr, the great Soviet Grandmaster of the ‘30s, back in Prague. Now Mirko worked in the Silver Dept. of the First which was a leading bank of Chicago. ... He got the idea of forming a chess league similar to industrial bowling or softball leagues. He called around inviting other chess club leaders to come to the bank to discuss the proposition. The meeting was held on May 29, 1957. ... The competition began in the fall of 1957

Read Jim's full history of the CICL as of 2003 on this webpage



Triple and greater Centurions

Sextuple Centurion

played >= 600 CICL games

Goncharoff, Nik

Quadruple Centurions

played >= 400 CICL games

Dobr, Karel
Benedek, Roy
Fabijonas, Romas
Tegel, Frank
Warren, Jim
Stamm, Vern
Gaines, Irwin

Triple Centurions

played >= 300 CICL games

Baurac, Dave
Berry, Greg
Brotsos, Jim
Buerger, Edward
Decman, Steve
Dobrovolny, Chuck
Franek, Marty
Jasaitis, Tony
Kumro, Dan
Latimer, Ed
Marcowka, Bob
Reid, Carl
Spiegel, Lenny
Thomas, Jerry



CICL presidents, by year when first elected

The three presidents who served non-consecutive terms are highlighted.

Jim Thomson 2015
Brian Smith 2014
Irwin Gaines 2011
Tony Jasaitis 2006
Jim Thomson 2003
Irwin Gaines 1999
Pat Sajbel 1997
Satish Kale 1995
Jim Hodina 1993
Tony Jasaitis 1991
Ross Siegel 1989
Bruce McNiel 1985
Russ Rzeszuto 1984
Marty Franek 1983
Paul Weston 1982
Gee Leong 1979
Jim Sobun 1978
Greg Berry 1976
Irving Rosenfeld 1975
John Greczek 1974
Jim Brotsos 1973
Ron Tobias 1973
Ron Dargis 1971
Jim Brotsos 1970
Nik Goncharoff 1968
Dan Kumro 1967
Ray Fabijonas 1966
Jim Warren 1964
Walter Elliott 1962
Don McCluskey 1961
Jim Brotsos 1959
Hugh Williamson 1958
Miroslav Mejzr 1957



League Champion Teams, by year

Multiple teams in same square indicate teams that tied for first (with no tie-breaks used that season).

In the CICL seasons ending in 1977 through the present, 6 man teams played.

Year

Champion Team(s), 6-man Teams

2016

University of Chicago

2015

Northwestern University

2014

South Suburban Chess Club Wombats

2013

Downers Grove Chess Club

2012

Downers Grove Chess Club

2011

Downers Grove Chess Club
Motorola Solutions Knights

2010

Downers Grove Chess Club
Lucent Tyros
Motorola Knights
St. Charles Chess Club
South Suburban Chess Club Yorktown Wildcats

2009

Downers Grove Chess Club

2008

St. Charles Baker

2007

Northwestern University
St. Charles Baker

2006

St. Charles Baker

2005

Lucent Tyros
St. Charles Chess Club

2004

Motorola Knights

2003

Getco

2002

Alumni Aces
Excaliburs

2001

Lucent Tyros

2000

U.O.P.

1999

Exemplars

1998

Motorola

1997

Argonne Knights

1996

Motorola

1995

Argonne Rooks
Chicago Post Office

1994

Argonne Knights

1993

Motorola

1992

U.O.P.

1991

Argonne Knights

1990

AT&T Bell Labs Indians

1989

Argonne Knights

1988

Sears, Roebuck & Co.

1987

AT&T Skokie

1986

Argonne Knights

1985

AT&T Tyros

1984

AVJ Software
Bell Labs Royals

1983

Bell Labs Royals
Western Electric Tyros

1982

Sears

1981

Sears

1980

Sears

1979

Harza Engineering

1978

Western Electric Chargers

1977

Argonne Knights


In the CICL seasons ending in 1970 through 1976, various combinations of 8 man and 4 man teams played. Blue highlight is championship name.

Year

Champion Team(s)
8-man teams
Champion Team(s)
8-man teams
Champion Team(s)
4-man teams
Champion Team(s) 4-man teams

1976

A: Bell Labs Dragons
B: Western Electric Chargers
Sears B

1975

A: Argonne Knights
B: Western Electric King's Men
Sears A

1974

A: Bell Labs Dragons
B: Illinois Bell
Procon

1973

A: Bell Labs
B: Amoco
A:
CIT
Sears
B: IMC

1972

Bell Labs

Procon

1971

Argonne Knights

North: Procon
South: Argonne X

1970

Western Electric Gambiteers

Chicago Title & Trust


In the CICL seasons ending in 1958 through 1969, 8 man teams played.


Year

Champion Team(s), 8-man teams

1969

Western Electric Gambiteers

1968

Western Electric Chargers

1967

Argonne Knights

1966

Western Electric Chargers

1965

Argonne Knights

1964

Argonne Bishops
Argonne Knights

1963

Western Electric

1962

Argonne

1961

Western Electric

1960

Western Electric

1959

Western Electric

1958

1st National Bank


League Champion Teams, by organization or team

Note: Teams of 1969 and before are all 8-man teams. And teams of 1977 and later are all 6-man teams

A number in parenthesis following a year indicates how many teams were co-champions that season, for that championship.

Organizations with different teams are listed with team names in the right column, by year.


Organization or Team

Championships Won

Alumni Aces

2002(2)

Amoco

1973 8-man-B

Argonne

Argonne 1962
Argonne Bishops 1964(2)
Argonne Knights 1964(2)
Argonne Knights 1965
Argonne Knights 1967
Argonne Knights 1971-8-man
Argonne X 1971 4-man-south
Argonne Knights 1975 8-man-A
Argonne Knights 1977
Argonne Knights 1986
Argonne Knights 1989
Argonne Knights 1991
Argonne Knights 1994
Argonne Rooks 1995(2)
Argonne Knights 1997

AT&T

AT&T Tyros 1985
AT&T Skokie 1987

AVJ Software

1984(2)

Bell Labs

Bell Labs 1972 8-man
Bell Labs 1973 8-man-A
Bell Labs Dragons 1974 8-man-A
Bell Labs Dragons 1976 8-man-A
Bell Labs Royals 1983(2)
Bell Labs Royals 1984(2)
Bell Labs Indians 1990

Chicago Post Office

1995(2)

Chicago Title & Trust

1970 4-man

CIT

1973(2) 4-man-A

Downers Grove Chess Club

2009
2010(5)
2011(2)
2012
2013

Excaliburs

2002(2)

Exemplars

1999

First National Bank

1958

Getco

2003

Harza Engineering

1979

Illinois Bell

1974 8-man-B

IMC

1973 4-man-B

Lucent

Lucent Tyros 2001
Lucent Tyros 2005(2)
Lucent Tyros 2010(5)
see also "AT&T Tyros" and "Western Electric Tyros"

Motorola

Motorola 1993
Motorola 1996
Motorola 1998
Motorola Knights 2004
Motorola Knights 2010(5)
Motorola Solutions Knights 2011(2)

Northwestern University

2007(2)
2015

Procon

1971 4-man-north
1972 4-man
1974 4-man

Sears

Sears 1973(2) 4-man-A
Sears A 1975 4-man
Sears B 1976 4-man
Sears 1980
Sears 1981
Sears 1982
Sears 1988

South Suburban Chess Club

South Suburban Chess Club Yorktown Wildcats 2010(5)
South Suburban Chess Club Wombats 2014

St. Charles Chess Club

St. Charles Chess Club 2005(2)
St. Charles Baker 2006
St. Charles Baker 2007(2)
St. Charles Baker 2008
St. Charles Chess Club 2010(5)

U.O.P.

1992
2000

University of Chicago

2016

Western Electric

Western Electric 1959
Western Electric 1960
Western Electric 1961
Western Electric 1963
Western Electric Chargers 1966
Western Electric Chargers 1968
Western Electric Gambiteers 1969
Western Electric Gambiteers 1970 8-man
Western Electric King's Men 1975 8-man-B
Western Electric Chargers 1976 8-man-B
Western Electric Chargers 1978
Western Electric Tyros 1983(2)