Remembering Albert Field   (8 November 1916 – 4 August 2003)

The recent Associate Press article about Albert Field's donated playing card collection (to Columbia University), reveals his highly idiosyncratic interests.

Albert, or "Cap", as his friends called him, was certainly the most interesting person I had ever met. His collection of playing cards was one of many intellectual pursuits he enjoyed. He immersed himself so completely into so many pursuits, that now in retrospect, I cannot for the likes of me fathom how he did so much in a single lifetime, albeit a long one.

I recall the first time he showed me his playing card collection, and how astonished I was to discover the variety and history of cards, some going back to the 15th century!! While he wrote about playing cards and had a book published (Transformation Playing Cards, U.S. Games Systems Inc., Stamford, Ct. 1987), his ultimate goal was to publish a handbook for collectors. His manuscript exists, and perhaps one day it might be published posthumously.

The AP article mentions that Field "traversed a good deal of the Appalachian trail" - in fact, he completed the 2,175 mile hike over a period of years, often accompanied by friends (myself included) and fellow hikers. In 1975, he published an account of his experiences in Hiking the Appalachian Trail (Rodale Press, 1975). The book contains photos of him; completely clothed, I might add.

Aside from his many interests, Albert was "green" before the word was coined. I recall his early efforts to get the city of New York to start a recycling program. He was the Executive Director (1978-81) of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, a federation of more than a hundred hiking clubs and environmental organizations with over 100,000 members. In addition, he was a major contributor to the Nature Conservancy and the Sierra Club.

But of all Albert's projects, the most ambitious was his Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dali. This was many years in the making, and required trips to Europe to see publishers as well as Dali. Since Albert was a school teacher, he had summers off, and this allowed him to spend at least two months in Europe each summer. During these times, he would often visit with Dali and Gala at their home in Cadaques (Spain).

Albert often told the story about how Dali's wife Gala "baptized" him. On this occasion, Albert happened to be sitting with Dali around his swimming pool, when Gala approached with a bottle of Champagne. Instead of serving it to him in a glass, she proceeded to empty the entire bottle over his head - such a lovely person.

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