Gamers Alliance REPORT
Summer 2006 Vol. 2 No. 19
EDITORIAL
Strong & Stronger
If you're reading this, you probably know game designer Sid Sackson and I were good friends for a number of years. We would meet with our wives on a regular basis to talk about and play games. And, from time to time, the subject of what was going to happen to Sid's unbelievable collection of games and related items in the (distant) future would come up.
Like most collectors, Sid took his collection very seriously. He always hoped that sometime, somewhere down the line, he would be able to house his collection in a museum with himself as a "curator" of sorts but he wasn't very optimistic about that. Museums were only too happy to help themselves to his collection but had no use for a "so-called games expert". The fact that Sid WAS an internationally recognized and acclaimed games expert as well as an amazing and successful designer didn't seem to hold much weight. Sid claimed that there was a distinct prejudice against him because he didn't have PhD after his name and maybe that's true. In any case, that dream of a museum for his collection was never realized and we all know what happened to that amazing collection - scattered to the four winds after his death. But, fortunately, not all was lost.
While some of Sid's papers were thrust into boxes sold in the two Sackson game auctions, a great deal of Sid's correspondence and papers remained in the possession of the Sackson family. These archives, BOXES of them, consisted of correspondence between Sid and the many game companies, designers and just plain friends and fans that Sid was in contact with throughout the years as well as a few of Sid's diaries, varied game catalogs and game-related publications. What to do with them? His daughter Dale and her husband Phil asked if I could help find a genuine home for these archives.
I began by contacting several places I thought would be good homes for the archives. Several expressed an interest but one place stood out to me as the ideal home for them. Fortunately, they agreed. As of June, 2006, the Sid Sackson archives have been donated to the Strong Museum in Rochester, New York.
The Strong Museum is an amazing place. The outgrowth of a an incredible doll collection amassed by Margaret Strong, the museum has grown to encompass all forms of play. In fact, the museum has changed its official name to the "Strong Museum: The National Museum of Play" and has completed a $37 million expansion, nearly doubling the size of the museum. It already is home to the National Toy Hall of Fame and houses the world's largest collection of toys, dolls and play-related artifacts while becoming the ONLY museum in the world devoted to the study of play as it illuminates American culture.
Now, Sid's papers and related material will be available for researchers and scholars in the field in a setting dedicated to the joy of play. I cannot think of a better place for Sid's archives. Sid's lifelong dream was to have a museum for his collection and work. It was my great pleasure to play a role in making at least part of that wish come true, keeping his memory and his immeasurable contributions to games and American culture both Strong and stronger.
In this issue, we spend lots of time in Ancient Egypt building a palace (in one game lifetime) and digging for archeological treasures (in another)! We build walls and break them down too! Chris Kovac exerts a little clout while Ben Baldanze gets wet! We welcome new contributor Pevans (aka Paul Evans) in his impressive debut in our pages. Plus a bloody adventure with the return of Game Classics and, of course, much more! Until next time, Good Gaming!
Herb Levy, President
AQUADUKT BLUE MOON CITY CLEOPATRA AND THE SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTS
CLOUT FANTASY FIRST IMPRESSIONS WITH PEVANS
GAME CLASSICS: CITADEL OF BLOOD JERICHO MASONS MYKERINOS