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So who would be the youngest ever person to play a London League fixture? We are looking at six prospective candidates, Mark Nyman, Harvey Freeman, Richard Evans, Allan Saldanha, Andrew Perry and Paul Howard.
Mark burst onto the scene as a 13-year-old in late 1979 after seeing his dad play a London League match. Mark went on to become World Scrabble champion in 1993 winning one or two tournaments and Sunday Drives in the process but never won a League season.
Harvey first entered the National Scrabble Championships (NSC) in 1976 and in the 1980 NSC he was 14 when he came second to Joyce Cansfield at the Connaught Rooms, Holborn. He joined the League in 1977 as an eleven year old after his début in the NSC and twice won London League seasons in winter October '87-March '88 and summer April-September '91.
Richard was 9 years 11 months when he first went to Redbridge Scrabble club having won his age group in a Save the Children sponsored Scrabble event. His sisters, Jane and Cathy, joined the Redbridge club the following week. They were 15 and 12 respectively. They attended the Sunday drives in Bayswater from an early age and had often helped out Angela in subbing for League matches. Richard's short spell playing League matches was in the late 90's, being much older and an already established 180+ rated player.
Allan made his League début in the winter season of 1986-87 aged 9 and a few months. He started playing Scrabble when he was 7 and took all the headlines competing in the NSC from 1989 until he won it in 1993. World Championship player and won London League in the winter season of October '93-March '94.
Andrew made his League début in the winter season 1991-92. He was also aged 9 and a few months. Andrew with his dad, Steve, spent a short time in the League before moving to Faringdon near Swindon. Andrew competed in the National Schools Championships in the mid to late 90's and was a member of the English team which played in the World Scrabble Championships in Kuala Lumpur.
Finally Paul. Paul made his début at the beginning of the September '99-March '00 season aged 11. He won a gold medal at the Mind Sports Olympiad at 12 and was a winner of the Most Improved Player award in October '00-March '01. A regular on the Internet Scrabble Club he rejoined the London League in 2006-07 after a short break due to finishing schooling.
So it is between Andrew Perry and Allan Saldanha. Actual records of their first League matches will have been long destroyed so they will just have to share the honour of "youngest member" until someone happens to find the relevant fixture details.
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© 2009 Mauro Pratesi