Word is that Scrabble® great Johnny Nevarez has died from complications of Covid. Although we haven’t seen him for almost a quarter century, those of us who were active players in the ’80’s and ’90’s have fond memories of him and the tournaments he organized and directed in California and Nevada. An expert player himself, he knew how to organize a well-run tournament, hiring well-qualified staff for word judging and data entry. The Reno tournaments attracted up to 250 players from around the country, including the highest-ranking experts.
Johnny is pictured here with other Scrabble® luminaries, including the late Rita (Norr) Provost, Larry Sherman and Steven Alexander. Photo is from the collection of the late Joan Mocine.