Here we go again: Charles S. Roberts has left us... • Collecting General • The Acaeum

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Here we go again: Charles S. Roberts has left us...
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Alexander
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:26 am

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obitua ... 2832.story

:cry:

God Bless You, Sir.

ExTSR
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 12:42 pm

"In 1958, he founded Avalon Hill Co., a Baltimore game publishing company that specialized in war and other mental combat games"

I maintain that this was The turning point that led directly to the entire hobby game industry as we know it.

Thank you, Charlie. :cry:

Frank Mentzer

ashmire13
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 1:21 pm

I mentioned this in the 'Random chat' thread over the weekend as I know there are several war board gamers here

Rolls a '3'

"Did I hit.....?"

Agent Cooper
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 1:34 pm

I admit I had no idea who this man was until I clicked the link. I had to read the obit to learn that he was the original founder of Avalon Hill games.

I have fond memories of playing Wizard's Quest and Richtofen's War with my brother when we were kids. In fact I still have them, along with my copies of Squad Leader and Russian Front. I suppose it's likely that Charles didn't have much personal involvement with those games, but Avalon Hill would never have existed at all if it weren't for him.

So I think I'll dig them out and sound the old challenge call to my brother in honor of Mr. Roberts.

EDITED TO ADD---And how could I have forgotten to mention Feudal and Outdoor Survival? Had so much fun playing those. Big favorites with my crowd back in the day. I'd love to get my hands on a nice copy of Feudal. *sigh*

The owls are not what they seem...

SimperingToad
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 1:41 pm

Leave it up to the Baltimore Sun to get something wrong. AFAIK, Parker Brothers never owned AH. Other sources mention it being bought up by Monarch Services at the time, hence the name Monarch Avalon. :roll:

It was pretty close to where I lived at the time; about 20-30 minutes by car (depending on traffic) to their Harford Road address. Never had the opportunity to go there until about 1986-ish. The place was an old warehouse. Office up front. Very large open space in the back where all the production was being done. Quite a lot of large tables with stuff spread out and being cut-pasted. Don't recall seeing an actual press, though. May have just forgotten that part.

But hey, it's been almost 25 years. Now I know how Kaskoid feels... :wink:

FormCritic
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:56 pm

ExTSR wrote:"In 1958, he founded Avalon Hill Co., a Baltimore game publishing company that specialized in war and other mental combat games"

I maintain that this was The turning point that led directly to the entire hobby game industry as we know it.

Thank you, Charlie.

Frank Mentzer

Good perspective, Frank. Thank you. :idea:

I had not thought of that.

"But I have watched the dragons come, fire-eyed, across the world."

b-36
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 6:31 pm

May he rest in peace. Shows how small the world is - years into being a Railfan, and owning most of his PRR books (and a few of the others), I came to realize he was the author/creator of Tactics and founder of Avalon Hill.

He wrote a great piece about it in one of his books - in most of his books he had a chapter or more of personal observations and business advice (Railroad related and otherwise) - including many pages of invective on the failures of the various railroads, and other businesses, over the years.

I suspected his health was ailing when he started offering things from his photo and railroadiana archives for sale to members of the Barnard Roberts mailing list.

He was known for answering polite correspondence personally - and I had hoped to get off a letter to him seeking some clarification about some rail-side water structures near my Dad's hometown in PA that he had discussed in Triumph I - but never found the time, and now it's too late.

He had a major effect on the lives of many hobbyists - wargamers and railfans alike - and especially for those who shared both hobbies.

b-36

Katchoo
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Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 8:26 am

Sad news.

I have several Avalon Hill games and always was fond of their line. I can see Diplomacy and Britannia on my bookshelf from where I type this, in fact. They are two faves of mine.

I have to agree with Frank that it is very logical to see the formation of Avalon Hill as the turning point that led to the hobby game industry that we all know and love.

Safe trip, Mr. Roberts. :cry:

~Kat

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