1992 Play-by-Play
January
January 3rd, actress Dame Judith Anderson locked the tardy Doom Patrol out of the theatre as their list was postmarked JAN 3 PM (post mortem). But safely on time were Pontius, Styx & Stones, the Merry Little Breezes, Mullen's Revenge and rookies Capitol Punishment. All scored one point and took a slender lead... Jan. 8th, the New York Times revealed that novelist Frank Yerby had died in November 29, 1991, but his wife "kept news of his death secret for five weeks at his request." OUCH! Burnt was Helena Handbasket who carried Yerby solo in '91 and '92, but had to settle for career credit... Jan. 21st, an 18-day lull was broken by Tim Ormortis' rollicking barrelhouse solo on New Orleans-born blues pianist Champion Jack Dupree. The hit was worth two and sent Tim twirling into the lead with a black umbrella... Jan. 26th, another bevy of theatre-goers joined the leader with two points on actor José Ferrer. In the Dress Circle were Demented Debutante, Morituri te Salutamus, Roadkill (formerly Wonder Woman) and rookie The Great Beyond... Jan. 29th, Back Door Man C. Stanley, built for comfort, tallied a deep down solo on blues great Willie Dixon (who once shook hands with the King of Pain, the possible inspiration for "You Shook Me") and took the lead at three points!
February '92
No one had tallied a second hit in January, but on February 2nd, eight glowing gamesters descended a mirrored staircase to score three on Bert Parks. Blushing to the strains of "There She Is" was Roadkill on the arm of tuxedoed rookie The Great Beyond, both taking the lead at 5 & 2! And making tearful career debuts in shimmering, sequinned gowns, white-gloved hands raised to their O-shaped mouths were Body Parts, VI.P. R.I.P. and Yo! Rick!... Feb. 10th, rookie Yule Iggy stepped into Game history with a very stylish debut -- a sudden death solo on Roots author Alex Haley for three points... Feb. 15th, composer William Schuman, who wrote 10 symphonies and won two Pulitzer Prizes, dashed off a two-point sonata for Cassandra Bob and J. Eby... Feb. 20th, the lid blew. Ten gamesters scored six points on Salvadorian death squad leader Roberto d'Aubuisson, and 40 more scored four on actor Dick York, who began on the radio as Jack Armstrong, America's all-American boy, and finished as Darrin on TV's "Bewitched." Picking up two hits and 10 points on the Daily Double were the Merry Little Breezes, the great, great Morbo Chucks, Razor, the Sick Puppies and L. Smith. The later four were booming out of Club Nula, but the Merry Little Breezes already had an ace in the hole and took the lead at 11 & 3! Startled former leaders Roadkill and The Great Beyond found themselves coughing dust in a tie for 17th place. The score also marked the end of a 692-day dry spell for E.C. Spiritu... Feb. 26th, dapper W. Dockum scored a solo ace on seamstress Ettie Mae Greene. At 114, she was the oldest woman in the U.S., and attributed her longevity to clean living and a daily milkshake... Feb. 27th, Mr. Dit put on his tam-o'-shanter and sprang from Club Nula with a two-point solo on S.I. Hayakawa, who mixed words and politics in a colorful career.
March '92
March 2nd, the dynamic Mr. Dit scored again, this time in a duet with T. & J. James on actress Sandy Dennis for five points... Mar. 8th, Pontius favored us with another solo in his legendary style, a one-pointer on Christian K. Nelson, inventor of the Eskimo Pie... Mar. 9th, Israel's Menachim Begin died and 32 paid their respects for three points, including L. Smith and the Morbo Chucks taking the lead at 13 points! Morituri te Salutamus went Wild for five, and D. Perriman Jr. became the first gamester to score 500 career points. A young rookie named Frozen Stiff scored his first hit, and Pontius scored hit #4 of the season, just one away from the coveted Silver Bobcat... Mar. 21st, Canada Dry Bones scored a solo three on actor John Ireland, who in spite of his name was born in Canada... Mar. 23rd, e. mcgrath scored the 20th solo of her career, this one an ace on Nobel Prize-winning economist Friedrich von Hayek... Same day, Razor skated across the Black Line with a six-point solo on NHL coach Ron Lapointe. The slap shot gave him 16 points and the lead! A lead he quickly padded when he led the way two days later with a quicker-picker-upper on actress Nancy Walker for four points, moving to 20 points and a commanding seven-point margin. It was hit #4 for Razor, giving him a shot at the Silver Bobcat that Pontius was coveting. Also joining Razor in the Walker bounty were King of Pain, Harris Tweed, Scorpio, Helena Handbasket and Dr. Doux... Mar. 29th, Gomez soloed on actor Paul Henreid, best known for his role as Victor Lazlo in "Casablanca." The reward: two points and a letter of transit to leave Club Nula.
April '92
April 5th., Sam Walton opened the big Wal-Mart in the sky and 23 gamesters came in for three points, before discount. Leading the way, the great, great Morbo Chucks, marking down Razor's leading margin to five points. And scoring hit #5, Pontius, clinching the 1992 Silver Bobcat... Next day, prolific author Isaac Asimov scaled back on his writing and four readers marked the page; scoring three were Flatliners, Yule Iggy, the Last Roundup and Helena Handbasket. Same day, five scored on actress Molly Picon; four scored one -- Gamesters of Triskelion, D. Perriman Sr., Pontius and Wilde & Shaw -- but the Sick Puppies went Wild for five and vaulted into second place behind Razor... Apr. 10th, George & Marion Kirby, Rig R. Mortis, Teen Angel and Col. Mustard took the wheel for a major hit -- famous, sudden, seven points -- on evangelist turned comedian Sam Kinison, a casualty of the automobile... Apr. 19th, the National Health soloed for three on British comedian Frankie Howerd, but didn't sent the obit until 1993, at which time they received career credit... Apr. 23rd, India's Oscar-winning film director Satyajit Ray rolled credits for Alibi, Tim Ormortis and C. Stanley with three points apiece... Apr. 27th, J. Eby played the first solo of his career, a two-point invention on French composer Olivier Messiaen... Next day, e. mcgrath and Syd Lexic robbed each other of a solo on Francis Bacon who Maggie Thatcher called "the man who paints those dreadful pictures." His distorted portraits of screaming popes and butchered carcasses hung in museums, but not in many homes.
May '92
May 2nd, M. Hamilton had the ways and Flatliners had the means as they paired to score two on Wilber Mills, a dominant figure in the House of Representatives... Next day, Gamester of Triskelion, Gomez and rookies Wilde & Shaw scored two on actor, hoofer, singer, Senator George Murphy... May 6th, 35 gamesters bade "Auf Wiedersehen" to the Blue Angel's Lola-Lola, Marlene Dietrich. (Ominously silent was SLY, who wrote earlier in the year to ask, "Why wasn't I given credit for Marlene Dietrich in 1991?")... May 12th, Morituri te Salutamus' "Golden Age of Television" list soloed for five on Brady Bunch dad Robert Reed... May 14th, 68 gamesters made football's Lyle Alzado the highest point scorer in Game history, racking up 407 points in his last rush. Danse Macabre had the Raider great for five as his Wild Card; everyone else scored six, including 10 of the Top 10. One style note: Col. Mustard had carried Alzado solo in 1991... May 17th, the Merry Little Breezes and J. Eby scored ah-one-an-ah-two points on Lawrence Welk... May 25th, W. Dockum soloed for three on diplomat Philip Habib and Cassandra "Bwana" Bob soloed for four on actor Marshall Thompson who played Marsh Tracy on "Daktari."
June '92
June 3rd, Gomez, Scorpio and D. Perriman Sr. scored two each on British actor Robert Morley. Same day, C. Stanley said, "What? Me solo?" and tagged Mad magazine founder William Gaines for three... June 8th, G. Reaper rang in with a four-point solo on William McGowan, MCI CEO who fueled each of his 18-hour work days with three packs of smokes and 12 cups of java... June 9th, Ghostwriter and D. Perriman Jr. scored six each on lawyer Cathy Bennett, the leading authority on jury selection whose clients included William Kennedy Smith, Ralph DeLorean and the Oglala Sioux... June 11th, the unsinkable Pontius floated career solo #28 on Marjorie Robb, at 103 the oldest survivor of the Titanic... June 16th, Dr. Tom(b) soloed for six on Jim Nance, Syracuse U. and New England Pats football great as well as NCAA wrestling champion... June 22nd, three tallied two on writer M.F.K. Fisher. Fully aware that the need for food, security and love are intertwined were Cassandra Bob, the Gamesters of Triskelion and Helena Handbasket... And then, a hit to make us doff our baseball caps. June 27th, Binky Brown hit a four-point solo on Brooklyn Dodger Sandy Amoros who in 1956 hit a ten-year-old Binky Brown (!) with a line drive foul during Don Larson's perfect World Series game.
July '92
July 5th, El Chileno scored a WILD CARD SOLO on Astor Piazolla, the world's foremost composer of tango music... July 9th, 16 tallied three as Eric Sevareid signed off. Morituri te Salutamus moved to 25 points, just one shy of Razor and the lead... July 12th, SLY soloed for one on Precisionist painter Elsie Driggs... July 16th, the Sick Puppies scampered past Razor into the lead at 29 points with five on Buck Buchanan, Kansas City Chiefs lineman. The Morbo Chucks used the points to move to 27 and second place... July 22nd, C. Stanley rode tall in the saddle, joining the Chucks at 27, as he led the way with five on rodeo rider, actor and Marlboro Man Wayne McLaren. Also scoring, Moorebids and Winterkill... Same day, the Sick Puppies used seven points on artist David Wojnarowicz to stretch their lead to nine at 36. Also scoring, Legion of Doom and George & Marion Kirby... July 26th, 27 scored six on Mary Wells who sang "My Guy." Leading the way, the Sick Puppies soaring to 42, after uncorking 18 points in 11 days... July 30th, a caped Frank Merriwell soloed for three on Superman co-creator Joe Shuster.
August '92
August 4th, Dr. Doornail scored a WILD CARD SOLO on Czech Cardinal Tomasek who capped his 30-year tenure by encouraging the "Velvet Revolution" in Prague... Aug. 12th, four gamesters tallied three on composer John Cage... Aug. 14th, the Morbo Chucks, G. Reaper and Blunt Instrument ruled for three on Judge John Sirica of the Watergate trials. The Chucks rose to second place at 35, just seven behind the Pups... Aug. 21st, Body Parts soloed for one on sleight-of-hand artist Dai Vernon... Aug. 27th, M. Hamilton, Alibi and Sweeney Todd tallied one on billionaire recluse Daniel Ludwig.
September '92
September 1st, the Gamesters of Triskelion soloed for one on actor Morris Carnovsky... Sept. 3rd, the Dada Sisters soloed for two on crusader Joseph Rauh... Sept. 5th, boy hero Frank Merriwell swung in on a rope with a two-point solo on Fritz Leiber, fantasy writer who created Fafhard & the Gray Mouser... Sept. 8th, Doom Patrol, Lincoln's Brain and Mr. Brink scored two on Sen. Quentin Burdick... Sept. 10th, Doom Patrol slipped a poppy into his lapel for the U.S.'s oldest war vet, Nathan Cook, who at 15 ran away "to see the world" in the Spanish-American War, the U.S.-Mexican border clashes, China's Boxer Rebellion and two World Wars. He knew when to duck... Sept. 12th, eight gamesters checked in the Bates Motel and while they showered were surprised by room service with the news that they had scored four on Psycho star Anthony Perkins. The hit lifted the Morbo Chucks to within three of the Sick Puppies... Sept 14th, SLY soloed for two on Leon Davis, union founder and president. Same day, Perry Mason and the Legion of Doom scored four on Rep. Ted Weiss. Next day, Legion of Doom called the roll again with Rep. Walter Jones for three more points, missing a Daily Double by hours... Sept. 16th, G. Reaper led five in scoring two on Rep. Millicent Fenwick... Sept. 21st, Sweeney Todd hit a WILD CARD SOLO on William Mott, director of the National Park Service... Sept. 23rd, Pontius scored a four-star WILD CARD SOLO on Gen. James A. Van Fleet. The hit tied the career Wild Card Solo record (3), tied the career Wild Card record (5) and set a new career solo record (29). Hi ho, Ponty! Same day, the Sick Puppies were ruled safe with a four-point solo on Bernice Gera, the first female umpire in professional baseball. The hit moved them to 46 and gave them some panting room over the Morbo Chucks.
October '92
October 5th, Razor shot his cuffs, spun twice and warbled "Get ready!" as he led seven with five on former Temptation Eddie Kendricks. Next day, Cassandra Bob soloed for three on character actor Denholm Elliott... Oct. 8th, T. & J. James led five unified gamesters in scoring three on German leader Willy Brandt... Oct. 9th, Mr. Goodvibes went to the hoop for a five-point solo on Pete Pavia, oft-honored official... Oct. 13th, the Morbo Chucks soloed for three on TV correspondent Hughes Rudd and rose to 42, within four of the panting at the pinnacle... Oct. 16th, six lists tidied up for two with Hazel as actress Shirley Booth closed her long career... Oct 21st, six conspirators led by Razor predicted the death of Jim Garrison for three points. Next day, the leaders heated up their rhubarb as baseball's finest voice Red Barber put the Sick Puppies in the catbird seat although it was too early to say that they had the Gran Prix tied up in their crocus sack.
November '92
November 2nd, movie pioneer Hal Roach rolled the credits at 100 and accepted the applause of an "Our Gang" of six gamesters led by G. Reaper... Nov. 7th, Mother Carey's Chickens and rookie Moss scored seven each on playwright Scott MacPherson. Same day, a sudden and stylish hit as El Chileno and rookie Nostradahmer scored three each on Czech leader Alexander Dubcek in a car crash... Nov. 10th, rookie D. Hill shot his way out of Club Nula with three rounds on "Rifleman" Chuck Connors. Also scoring, Necrophiliac Pimp... Nov. 22nd, seven led by Scorpio scored two on actor Sterling Holloway, the soft voice of Pooh Bear. Next day, 21 gamesters doffed their cowboy hats for Opry star Roy Acuff, including the Morbo Chucks climbing to 44, within four of the Sick Puppies.
December '92
December 8th, Syd Lexic soloed for two on New Yorker editor William Shawn... Dec. 13th was a big day for 93-year-old rich guys. #1: Cornelius "Sonny" Vanderbilt Whitney, founder of Pan Am and a backer of "Gone With the Wind." The Morbo Chucks led five in scoring and moved to within three of the Pups. #2: K.C. Irving, Canadian oil and timber tycoon, tallied by El Chileno and Fade to Black... Dec. 10th, the National Health soloed for two on Dan Maskell, the voice of Wimbledon and master of long, respectful silences. Unfortunately, the hit went unnoted at Game Central until 1993 and was good for career credit only... Dec. 17th, nine scored two on "Best Days of Our Lives" actor Dana Andrews. Next day, Sweeney Todd soloed for two on Clara "Mother" Hale, who cared for hundreds of abandoned babies and orphans and pioneered neighborhood self-help efforts... Dec. 20th, the Sick Puppies led five in scoring four on Time Warner's Steve Ross. The hit stretched their lead to seven... Dec. 21st, the Gamesters of Triskelion and Gomez played a spirited duet on violinist Nathan Milstein for two... Dec. 24th, G. Reaper soloed for seven on the Rev. J. Robert Williams, an Episcopalian priest whose ordination caused consternation because of his avowed homosexuality. The hit catapulted the Reaper up to 39 points... Dec. 28th, Giant and Dodger great Sal "The Barber" Maglie gave a close shave to batters Dr. Doux and Mr. Goodvibes for three points each. (Note: Maglie was the losing pitcher during Don Larsen's perfect game in which Sandy Amoros hit Binky Brown.)... Dec. 29th, D. Perriman Sr. scored career solo sweet sixteen with an ace on stage star Vivienne Segal who debuted in 1915. The hit gave the Old Master the career solo lead, 16-15, over his boyish offspring, D. Perriman Jr.
And so it ended, with The Sick Puppies winning the Gran Prix (52 points), Pontius the Perriman Pennant (13 hits) and the Silver Bobcat (April 5th), Dr. Doornail the Reaper Ribbon for High QPA (5.20), M. Hamilton Clete's Cup (1.80), Nostradahmer Rookie of the Year, and Dr. Doornail Doc's Diploma for Class List.
Let's look at the Top Ten for 1992.
Take me on to 1993.
Take me back to Play-by-Play.