From The Chess Drum (April 3):
On April 2nd, Selby Anderson of San Antonio, Texas informed the chess community that Alfred “Big Al” Carlin passed away at Presbyterian Hospital on April 1st (Easter Sunday). He had been suffering from the effects of congestive heart failure. Herminio Baez stated that the five-time Louisiana state champion had worked for him as a coach since 2005. Baez visited him in the intensive care in his last days. Today would have been his 66th birthday.
More here.
From Jude Acers: Chess competition versus Mr. Alfred Carlin and myself was savage … with no quarter asked or given. I played 15 chess matches in Louisiana 1962-2000 with local master rated players..Mr. Carlin was the only one who got to round 5 still alive with chances to at least draw…and serious health personal problems kept him from going much further.His win versus Grandmaster Christiansen deeply moved/thrilled the chess community here..You neglected to mention that hundreds of people died within blocks of Carlin / it was that close ..he heard the initial screams in the distance …Also it should be noted that he and the late Bernard Parun (not to be confused with a legendary player Bernard Parham) were the most active Louisiana chess players of all time ..the chess shadows.. played everywhere and everyone in Louisiana and it is no exaggeration to say Alfred Carlin played hundreds of thousands of clocked speed games .bar.’club offhand games versus seamen/tourists/ locals in his own off the highway chess club. I phoned his home only once.. His mother instantly answered “Hi Jude..I just put him on a bus to another chess tournament” . Always. Chess was good for him. Strangely I think of him every single time I hear a multimillion selling road monster hit that followed me around in vagabond summer 1968 with William Bills/Browne/Burkett/Frizinger the poet . and John Hall…”Angel of the Morning” by Merrillee Rush and the Turnabouts. it fits him…I had all the breaks /fantastic fabulous fortune in playing a two game match with Fischer and two matches with Grandmaster Walter Browne / The Fischer boom /fabulous health/ incredible management /1000 mall. prison,.media and school appearances in 46 states/ 20 nations… with promo genius Russell Miller of Yakima Washington who totally booked all this plus monster Guinness book of world exhibitions for me twice..I was simply at the right place at the right time in world chess history. Fortune… he had none really. He affected everyone who knew him. Jack London was right ” be a burning comet… “I INTEND TO USE MY TIME, ” Carlin certainly did. and…Yes I played with Herman Broussard’s clock which winged through tragedy to the staggering Carlin-Christiansen encounter. I still remember Broussard on the second floor of New Orleans public library ” HI Jude..I am studying for tournament in Lafayette this weekend” He died one hundred yards away in a hospital awaiting a defective heart operation.. yes it is true .deeding that humdinger clock to Carlin …the story hitting the daily newspaper/ his friends like a bomb. Jude Acers/ New Orleans PS please allow me to mention another name in Mr. Alfred Carln Louisiana orbit all through the years… world fide rated elo 2350 world rapid rating lists… retired contractor Mr. Charles Galloway of Baton Rouge who died just weeks before Mr. Carlin ..returning home after living in Russia. winning a small Russian city club championship ……. gallivanting all over the place …. like the wind. Like Carlin.