Many years ago, our ancestors sought entertainment from simple things, like a walk in the forest, a game of marbles, kick the can and hide and go seek. They created their very own routines to consume the hours and provide relief from the work that was perhaps a little more difficult than the work we do today. Celebrations and events were held at various times of the year and embraced by all. Holidays seemed a bit more festive and friends would gather together in person. These are thoughts that still exist today but not anywhere near the degree our ancestors experienced. The reason being technology — social media, cell phones, teams calls and games played on our iPads and computers.
Today I share a story about a special ancestor’s event that was observed here in Concord only once per year. The game was simply checkers and the special day was an old holiday known as Fast Day.
You might ask the obvious question, what is Fast Day? Checkers, a time honored and known game, should be a bit more recognizable to you.
Fast Day was a state recognized holiday here in New Hampshire for many years. When I was a child, we would enjoy a day off in honor of Fast Day while our friends to the south in Massachusetts had their very own holiday too, known as Patriots Day. The very first Fast Day was celebrated way back during the colonial era, being proclaimed a day when we prayed publicly for John Cutt. John Cutt was actually the first president of the Province of New Hampshire, commonly referred to as our first governor by some.
John Cutt had fallen ill and the people living in the Province of New Hampshire established a day to pray for him in hope of a recovery from his illness. John Cutt was born in 1613 and passed away on April 5 , 1681, shortly after the first Fast Day was proclaimed. As the years proceeded following the death of John Cutt, Fast Days were still observed and somewhat earmarked for many subjects that required prayer, such as sickness, floods and even comets. Fast Day was observed as a state holiday in New Hampshire until April 22, 1991.
I share some interesting facts about Fast Day for an important reason: Fast Day was the day when many people traveled to Concord to compete in the annual Checkers Championship competition held at the Railroad YMCA on the present-day Storrs Street, then known as Railroad Square.
The old Railroad YMCA was a brick building originally established in 1896 across from the grand Boston and Maine Railroad Depot. This original YMCA was many things to many people. It offered a place to those on the move, railroad men, travelers and just local people that needed a place to stay for a night or two. It was a place to sleep, bath, eat and entertain yourself and favored especially by the men that worked for the railroad. You could engage in fellowship while playing billiards, reading a book or even playing checkers. It is a beloved part of our past and certainly a piece of our Concord railroad history.
Over a century ago, members that frequented the Railroad YMCA established this competition for the annual Checkers Champion. People would travel from all over to attend this competition and work toward the recognition of being the best checker player in New Hampshire.
It was very serious business for the checker players that competed in the Checkers Tournament each year on Fast Day. The competitors were recognized for their skill of the game while competing for prizes that were provided by the American Checkers Association. If you were fortunate, you might even have had the chance to meet the reigning Checkers Champion Charles Williams back in 1923. Two of the finalists for the crown were Walter Stubbs and Harry Ericson during the 1938 competition. The champion from New Hampshire would even compete against the champion from Vermont during select years.
This strong competition lasted for many decades, played by those that took the event very seriously. They were dedicated to the game and were known to practice throughout the year in an effort for the title of Checkers Champion of New Hampshire.
When I was a young child decades ago, the Fast Day Checkers Championship had ceased to exist. I did enjoy the game while seated with friends on a warm summer day near the swimming pool at Whites Park. Nothing thrilled me more than to make it across the checker board and shout “King Me!”