Dick Bryant was awarded the HMGS Jack Scruby Award at a dinner with 100 attendees given in his honor at HISTORICON '91. The Jack Scruby Award was inaugurated to both honor the memory of Jack Scruby and as a means to recognize the contributions of those people "who have made the difference." The ceremonies after dinner started with Bob Beattie describing how he had introduced Dick to the hobby back in 1968. Then Duke Sieffied exposed the skeleton that Dick Bryant and The Courier were responsible in no small measure for the advent of fantasy gaming. It seems that in 1970 members of the staff of the "old" Courier demonstrated at a convention in Philadelphia a set of rules added to ancient rules for gaming Middle Earth. The demo used "Orcs" developed from a frog head on a Tarzan body from Airfix sets. Duke took some of the Orcs home where they were seen by Dave Areneson. Evidently the idea of adding fantasy to "Chainmail" rules followed and we know the rest. Don Featherstone had many kind words to say about Dick Bryant and the friendship that they have maintained across the Atlantic for some 20 years. Then Don, always a great storyteller, topped off the evening with a story of a dream he had of an Academy of Heavenly Wargaming where both the famous and infamous of military history praised the virtues of The Courier and how they wished they had it in their day. The members of the Academy "played games with unlimited armies on huge tables with perfect terrain, no one had to do any painting, no arguing or acrimony and everyone knew the rules... they even understood WRG rules." When asked about the hypocrisy of heavenly wargaming, the CinC (who looked a little like Peter Young), replied "You've missed the whole point. I put an idea into your head once for one of your books about no plastic or lead widows or orphans and my old friend H.G. Wells spelt it all out in 'Little Wars'. If you belligerent earthmen fought your battles on the tabletop, it would be a much more peaceful world and I wouldn't have all my doubt about whether to let it carry on." Dick's remarks payed tribute to the many who helped him along the way. Pat Condray whose magazine, The Armchair General was the conduit by which he met Bob Beattie, founder and first editor of The Courier. To Don and Charly Sweet. To his two partners Joe Miceli the Art Director, and Leo Cronin bhe Business Manager and long time gaming opponent. And finally, "to all the contributing editors and authors who cover the years have made The Courier what it is today." Back to Table of Contents -- Courier #55 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1991 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com