Potter, Stephen (1900-1969), a British author, became widely known for his humorous books. Potter invented the term “gamesmanship” to describe the skill of using ploys to gain an advantage in a game or other contest. A ploy may include a subtle distraction that enables an individual to defeat a more talented opponent. Potter first developed his theory of gamesmanship in The Theory and Practice of Gamesmanship; or, The Art of Winning Games Without Actually Cheating (1947). He continued the subject with such books as Some Notes on Lifemanship, With a Summary of Recent Research in Gamesmanship (1950), Christmas-ship (1956), Three-Upmanship (1962), and Golfmanship (1968).
Potter was born on Feb. 1, 1900, in London. He was a writer and producer for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) from 1935 to 1945 and then became a book and drama critic for various British periodicals. Potter began his writing career with scholarly works, including biographies of the English authors Samuel Taylor Coleridge and D. H. Lawrence and a book on education. Potter died on Dec. 2, 1969.
