A Classic Player: Nikola Tesla, 1856 - 1943

By GIACK SELLONI

Nikola Tesla

The Great Serbian-American physicist who gave the world alternating current, wireless electricity, X-rays and remote control, was a Player. He was first brought to the club by the architect and club designer Stanford White. He was well received by most of the membership, but stories vary about his being the butt of jokes. In either case, White sponsored him for membership and he was admitted. Their friendship was such that, in closing his correspondence with Tesla, White changed his salutation from “Sincerely;” replacing it with “Affectionately.” * 

He developed numerous friendships with famous people. In the 1890s while visiting New York, Mark Twain met Tesla. Tesla related to Twain that in the 1870s, before emigrating to the United States, he had read some of Twain's early works when he was recovering from a life-threatening illness. The books were instrumental in Tesla’s recovery, he said, because the stories were “so captivating as to make me utterly forget my hopeless state.” 

Among visitors to his laboratory in 1894 were Players President Joseph Jefferson and Mark Twain. Here are photographs taken at the visit, showing experiments as Tesla had them pose. Tesla is in the background of both photos.

Tesla passed away on June 7, 1943, destitute and alone in his room. His body wasn’t found for two days. The F.B.I. called in John G. Trump (the President’s uncle and a well-known electrical engineer) to analyze the items.

Tesla claimed to have more than 80 trunks' worth of his works, yet, according to The History Channel’s documentary series: “The Tesla Files,” not all are accounted for. Many of the trunks were held as collateral against unpaid bills from multiple hotels.

* TESLA Wizard at War: Marc J. Seifer

Giack Selloni has been a Player since 2010 and served on the Board of Directors . He is an actor, playwright, and nice guy whenever he's allowed to be.