ANot to get caught up in no-account hearsay chess sources, but the source erroneously claimed, or perhaps the more likely case, was seeking his 15 minutes of self-promoting hype because he hasn't got what it takes to achieve glories through merit of his own moves— that Fischer supposedly “broke a camera” which is now proposed as the reason why, the source claimed Fischer was sued by Chester Fox.
Dear friends, what camera from 1972 would cost $3.2 million dollars? See this source of “expensive television” cameras. The author is criticizing a whopping $250,000 price tag! (that's with inflation tacked on!). Even in 2019, in contrast to 1972, its not even close to that $3.2 million price tag in Chester Fox Inc's illegitimate lawsuit which the Soviet used to hound and persecute Fischer long after the tournament in Anti-American, Racist Iceland, for the following decade and thwart Fischer's further interest in professional competition.
Newspaper reports daily, universally, confirmed from varying syndicated media agencies state the “reason” underpinning Chester Fox, Inc suing Fischer for $3.2 million was because the Soviet-Icelandic organizers and Chester Fox made an unethical “contract” to sell photography rights from under interested parties then further, misled Fischer about the nature of the cameras that would be operated, and when Fischer demanded the removal of the disruptive camera men crews, just as the Soviet undoubtedly anticipated Fischer would, the Icelandic-Soviet officials refused to comply, Fischer then refused to play Game 2.
Fischer's complaint about the disruptive camera crews was a valid one, but Chester Fox Inc, the Soviet's ace-in-the-hole, an underhanded trick, used it to wrongly claim Fischer was then to blame for loss in profits from the match. Therefore, an excuse to sue Fischer for $3.2 million, post-tournament.
Fischer wanted, and was under the impression the cameras would be stationary, automatic, closed-circuit… most of all silent. Up till a tour of the auditorium, just prior to Game one, organizers and Chester Fox Inc saw fit to withhold the cameras that would be later used during the match from Fischer's inspection.
When Game One began, Fischer saw the large bulky cameras, and worse, operated by a swarm of disruptive men which could both be seen and heard. Reportedly, in crews numbering up to three men.
Large, bulky television cameras suitable for a football or soccer game, but not a chess tournament… Golombek himself reported witnessing one such camera man crawling around on the roof and training his camera lens on Fischer during game one. Fischer was distracted, got up, lodged complaint but did not “break” any cameras. Rather, Fred Cramer called in the police and had the trespasser ejected.
In the contract that Col. Edmondson of the US Chess Federation agreed to, and helped to draft in Amsterdam, it states emphatically if Fischer lodged a demand for removal of the cameras and persons operating them due to visual and auditory disruptions, blowing concentration of either player … Fischer was well within his rights to demand removal and OUT they should go! with no delays. Fischer set out game 2 in protest because organizers were breaking the rules and impeding rules of good sportsmanship.
Perhaps, the erroneous chess source saw this blip in an old newspaper and due to old age or a need for prescription glasses, got Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones wrastling with a Photographer and Police, mixed up with Bobby Fischer. It's on the same newspaper leaf, after all. Such an easy mistake to make.
Scuffle With Photographer Brings Rolling Stone's Arrest 19 Jul 1972, Wed The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) Newspapers.com
