Some interesting facts about Bobby Fischer according to his “unofficial” website (some of the facts may not be completely accurate. Please feel free to make corrections):
Fischer was born on March 9, 1943 (Chicago, Illinois)
He learned chess at around the age of 6 in 1949
His first recorded tournament game was in July 1955
Around 3 years later, he earned the GM title in 1958
He won 8 U.S. Championships in 8 attempts (1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966)
He won all tournaments and matches in which he participated in from December 1962 to his second match with Spassky in 1992 with the exceptions of the Capablanca Memorial, 1965 (2nd place, ½ point behind Smyslov), and Piatigorsky Cup, 1966 (2nd place, ½ point behind Spassky).
Bobby Fischer’s record is 415 wins, 248 draws and 85 losses out of 748 games played (1955 – 1992) which is 72.1%
His highest ever FIDE rating is 2785
He’s the greatest ever.
Addendum: Bobby Fischer had a drawn match game with the late Philippine and Odessa champion GM Rosendo Balinas, Jr. in the 1967 “Beat Bobby Fischer” series in Manila, Philippines.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosendo_Balinas,_Jr.
A player with a 2785 rating is considered “elite” these days, and rightfully so. That makes Bobby’s rating, which I think was reached in 1971(?), all the more impressive when you account for the overall ratings inflation since then.