‘In other sports, the persecution of some players, coaches or officials by the press not rarely offers a sad spectacle. With chess, the main problem is that the game is too esoteric by nature to satisfy the interest of the public at large . . .’
‘Sports writers in general have a very awkward relationship with the mental sports, which they feel have something creepy about them, which is why they tend to show a distinct preference for the less factual aspects of the matter.’
J.H. Donner
De Volkskrant, 17 January 1981, reproduced in The King: Chess Pieces (New In Chess, 2008, pp.338-9)
Photo of Donner in 1978 by Bert Verhoeff
