computer-go: Richard Reimer has died

[Sam Sloan <sloan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Richard Reimer has died

Richard Reimer, a well known go personality and an American residing in
Japan for more than 30 years, has died. Reimer lived in Zushi, which is
south of Tokyo. He was about 53.

The exact date of death is unknown and the cause of death is unknown as
well. Reimer's wife and child went to stay with an ailing parent. When they
returned home, they found Reimer's body at the bottom of a flight of
stairs. They do not know if he died from a fall or from a heart attack. His
body was cremated.

His body was discovered on August 4, 2000, but he may have died as early as
August 1.

Reimer made his living primarily as a translator of documents from Japanese
into English. The Japanese often said that Reimer was the best speaker of
Japanese, with the most prefect accent, of any American living in Japan.

Reimer was also a computer expert and was involved in various computer
related businesses.

Reimer was originally from Los Angeles and moved to Japan in about 1969.

Reimer was not a strong go player but was well known in the Go community.

Reimer was known to TV audiences from his brief role in the movie "Shogun".
Reimer was the first person who got killed in the movie. His name is not in
the credits.

Reimer had long hair and was a body builder and power lifter. He dressed
like a professional wrestler. He was fond of publicly threatening members
of the Yakuza (Japanese gangsters) with obscenities while riding the daily
train to Tokyo, thereby causing excitement among the other passengers on
the train.

Richard Reimer will no doubt be mourned by the very large number of
Japanese girls he claimed to have seduced.

Richard Reimer is survived by his wife and two children in Japan and by a
mother and brother in Los Angeles.

Sam Sloan