D&D 5E The FBI's file on Gary Gygax has been obtained via a FOIA request

[BMaC]

The journalist C.J. Ciaramella has a fascinating piece on the FBI's Gary Gygax file. Ciaramella obtained it via a FOIA request. You can read the article below which has a link to the actual file.

A few quotes from the FBI:
"[name redacted] advised that war gamers are generally extremely intelligent individual. Often they will live frugally to support the cost of the wargaming hobby. [name redacted] further advised that the typical war gaming enthusiast is overweight and not neat in appearance."

"[Gygax] is known to carry a weapon and was proud of his record of personally answering any letter coming from a prison."

https://reason.com/blog/2017/06/15/dd-creator-gary-gygaxs-fbi-records-make

 

[Warpiglet]

I recently read his biography Empire of imagination. Coupled with this article, I think he is the sort of person I wish I could have had a friend. In a way I did! I played games with him all he time...

I emailed him once and the cool dude emailed me back as I assume was his practice. Of all athletes, celebrities, politicians etc. in he world, I would have rather met him.

I saw him at a con. There was no line and I was an anxious teen and did not get his sig even though I brought my 1st ed players handbook just for the off chance of getting an autograph...kicking myself 20 years later....

 

[Morrus]

Previous threads on this:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/conten...h-M-TG-Release-Changes-and-more!#.WUWBccbMxBw

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...y-Gygax&p=7142019&highlight=gygax#post7142019

 

[dagger]

Gary really was a badass. I wonder what my FBI file would say? Probably something like " is often seen sneezing after mowing the grass and is easily frightened by small children."

 

[Henry]

I recently read his biography Empire of imagination. Coupled with this article, I think he is the sort of person I wish I could have had a friend. In a way I did! I played games with him all he time...

I emailed him once and the cool dude emailed me back as I assume was his practice. Of all athletes, celebrities, politicians etc. in he world, I would have rather met him.

I saw him at a con. There was no line and I was an anxious teen and did not get his sig even though I brought my 1st ed players handbook just for the off chance of getting an autograph...kicking myself 20 years later....

For the little bit I interacted with him both online and in person, I was proud to know him. We got to game with him one time at Gencon just months before his passing, and I haven't been back since -- as a life-long D&D geek, how do you top that?

Was he a flawed human being? Sure, so is everyone else I know, but he and Dave A, and Frank Mentzer, et. al. were like Youtube stars before there was a prevalent Internet -- famous in their circles, but down to Earth and happy to hang with fans as fellow gamers, first and foremost.

 

[gyor]

It disturbs me to know the FBI has files on normal people like Gygax.

 

[Zardnaar]

It disturbs me to know the FBI has files on normal people like Gygax.

Well Gygax was not nurmal and that satanic panic happened around the time of Jonestown.

They probably investigated to see id he was s cult leader.

 

[MechaPilot]

Gary really was a badass. I wonder what my FBI would say? Probably something like " is often seen sneezing after mowing the grass and is easily frightened by small children."

If nothing else, at least, your files should be similar in that "plays lots of D&D" should be on both files.

 

[jasper]

Known to carry a weapon? Hmm in my old group that would be who is not packing?