2001 Play-by-Play

January

On Opening Day, January 1st, death.com, Dr. Doux, Rolland Craps and Silk Shroud kicked off 2001 scoring and took the lead with two points each on actor Ray Walston... Jan. 3rd, Humorbid soloed for one on pioneering feminist Millicent McIntosh. Same day, Stenchman soloed for two on broadcaster Marty Glickman and moved into the Top Ten... Jan. 4th, Humorbid was bumped right back out of the Top Ten by six gamesters, led alphabetically by Dark Carnival, scoring two on Les Brown, leader of the Band of Renown, making it an 11-way tie for first place at 2 & 1... Jan. 5th, Tim Ormortis soloed for two on British philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe and joined the gaggle of gamesters at 2 & 1... Jan. 10th, Otis, You Want a Treat? scored a WILD CARD SOLO on artist Esteban Vicente for five points and the lead. Same day, Breathless and Sir Stiff scored three each on John Schmitz, right-wing Southern California Congressman who defined Orange County conservativism and espoused family values before being discovered with a pregnant mistress and a 15-month old son. The hit lifted Sir Stiff to 5 & 2 and into a tie for first place... Jan. 11th, Ghostwriter, Mme Morte and Silver Tapps scored four on Shakespearean actor Michael Williams who also starred in British TV's "A Fine Romance" with his wife, Dame Judi Dench. The hit lifted the trio into a three-way tie for third and bumped Breathless to sixth. Same day, Death Wish Two and L. Epstein scored one each on Princess Vera Constantinovna of Russia, great-granddaughter of Czar Nicholas I... Jan. 12th, seven led alphabetically by El Chileno scored two on Silicon Valley pioneer William Hewlett, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard and management guru. Surprisingly, none of the three who scored on David Packard in 1996 -- Cassandra Bob, Gomez or Of Corpse -- were there for the bookend hit. The deuce created a 18-way tie for seventh place in a hearty, happy Top Ten. Same day, Pontius soloed for one on Affirmed, one of history's great thoroughbreds. This was solo #36 of Ponty's extraordinary career... Jan. 16th, Congo strongman Laurent Kabila was shot by a bodyguard and El Chileno muscled his way into the lead at 6 & 2. Also counting the four points were archy and mehitabel, Montressor, and Tomb Essence who finally got a deposed dictator to fall after three bloodless coups in 2000... Jan. 17th, Shovellin' Off soloed for three on Beat poet Gregory Corso and moved into the Top Ten... Jan. 18th, Sweeney Todd and Yule Iggy went Wild on architect Morris Lapidus for five points and a piece of second place; they also raised the ante for the Top Ten to four points, bumping out Breathless and Shovellin' Off. Scoring one point on the designer of flamboyant Florida hotels were L. Epstein, Helena Handbasket, Humorbid and Memento Mori... Jan. 21st, Otis, You Want a Treat? took the lead at 7 & 2 with two on Byron de la Beckwith, assassin of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. Ten other gamesters, all from Club Nula, tallied the two... Jan. 26th, Otis, You Want a Treat? stretched out to 10 & 3 as he led 28 in scoring from three-point land on Al McGuire, basketball coach and commentator... Jan. 27th, Our American Cousin soloed for one on Queen Maria Jose of Savoy, widow of Italy's last king. Same day, Deus ex Machina soloed for one point on Texas artist and writer Tom Lea... Jan. 30th, two exemplars of continental charm, Gomez and Skul, scored one point each on actor Jean-Pierre Aumont... Same day, Sweeney Todd and Montressor made a run aboard the Winston Link express, scoring two on the photographer who documented the last days of steam railroading in his elaborately lit night photos of engines rolling through small towns. The two points lifted Sweeney into second place (!) at 7 & 2 and Montressor into a tie for third at 6 & 2... Jan. 31st, rookie Greyfriars Bobby began his career with a one-point solo on philosopher Michel Navratil, the last male survivor of the sinking of the Titanic.

February '01

February 7th, Breathless found enough air to lead 58 gamesters in a chorus of "Happy Trails" as they bid farewell to the Queen of the West, actress, singer and author Dale Evans, for two points. The hit lifted Breathless into second place at 8 & 3, brought Styx & Stones into third at 7 & 3, introduced archy and mehitabel, Mme Morte, Pontius and Silver Tapps to the Top Ten, and placed the number of 3-hit Silver Bobcat hopefuls at five. Whoa, Buttermilk! Same amazing day, 32 gamesters took flight with Anne Morrow Lindbergh, aviator and author, for one point. And it was Breathless in the stratosphere moving to 9 & 4, just one point away from first place and one hit away from the Silver Bobcat. Also moving to four hits, Pontius, who holds the career record for Silver Bobcats with six (6). Going Wild for five: Lives in Jeopardy, vaulting into the Top Ten at 7 & 2. Also entering the Top Ten, Necropolis Keepers and Sir Stiff at six points. Scoring the Evans/Lindbergh Daily Double were 16: AbraCadavers!, Breathless, J. Eby, Gamesters of Triskelion, Gashlycrumb Tinies, Gomez, Leroy Estmort, Lincoln's Brain, the Merry Little Breezes, Mullen's Revenge, Nanny's Dream Team, Necropolis Keepers, D. Perriman Jr., Pontius, Rig R. Mortis and Wilde & Shaw... Feb. 9th, The Virtual Sexton soloed for two on Nobel Prize winner Herbert Simon who made contributions in the fields of economics, computer science and psychology... Feb. 10th, 18 gamesters led by Mortis the Cat and Our American Cousin scored one on former NYC Mayor Abe Beame. At four hits, Our American Cousin joined Breathless and Pontius within grasping distance of the Silver Bobcat. Same day, Silver Tapps took the lead at 11 & 3 with a five-point solo on motorcycle drag racer Dave Schultz, who won a record six NHRA Pro Stock Bike championships. The solo was #6 in Silver Tapps' career... Feb. 16th, Penguin led five in scoring two on William Masters, pioneering researcher in the field of sexuality. Also paying close attention were Hanuman, Necrophiliac Pimp, OPEC and Silk Shroud... Feb. 18th, Lives in Jeopardy led six in scoring one on enigmatic artist Balthus. Also scoring: AbraCadavers!, Memento Mori, Our American Cousin, Shovellin' Off and Uncle Milton. It was hit #5 for Our American Cousin. Same day, Pontius scored his fifth hit as he led 19 in scoring four points on Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta Brave's baseball great, Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews. The hit gave Pontius a tie for the lead at 11 with Silver Tapps. Because the time of death for Balthus was vague, and either pick could have died before the other, the Silver Bobcat went to both Our American Cousin and Pontius, the first to five in 2001. Same day, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt died on the final lap of the Daytona 500, scoring a sudden six points for Coffin Counter, The Dada Sisters, W. Dockum and returning legends We Killed McKinley. Same day, Cassandra Bob soloed for two on Charles Trenet, France's last troubadour, who wrote nearly 1,000 songs. It was career solo #8 for the cosmopolitan Bobcat... Feb. 19th, Humorbid and Penguin led five in scoring two on producer and director Stanley Kramer... Feb. 20th, Isadora soloed for two on baseball's Bill Rigney who played for the New York Giants and managed the San Francisco Giants. It was career solo #2 for Isadora. Same day, Alibi, Ebola and OPEC scored one each on actress Rosemary DeCamp. Same day, Frozen Stiff took the lead at 12 & 3 with a five-point solo on dancer, choreographer and dance teacher Eric Hampton. It was career solo #9 for Mr. Frostie... Feb. 22nd, we learned of the Feb. 6th passing of actor, director, producer and writer of cult and adult film classics Titus Moody (aka Titus Moede), a four-point solo for film maven El Duce's Revenge, rising into third at 10 & 3 with his first-ever career solo. Same day, Martin G. Fender and Tim Ormortis scored four on steel-string guitarist John Fahey. The hit snapped Fender's two-year dry spell, leaving only Cala Vera in the running to break e. mcgrath's record of 978 scoreless days. Also on Feb. 22nd, Stonesdoug and Dead On scored four each on restauranteur Warner LeRoy whose Maxwell's Plum and Tavern on the Green raised the bar for show biz in restaurants across the nation. For Stonesdoug, the hit meant the lead at 13 & 4!... Feb. 25th, archy and mehitabel led four in scoring one on cricket great Sir Donald Bradman. Also looking terrific in their cricket whites were Isadora, Willie's Will and our new Australian rookie, Lillies Down Under. Same day, Tim Ormortis soloed his way into the Top Ten with a trey on poet A.R. Ammons, hailed as "one of the most distinctive voices in American poetry." It was Tim's second solo in 2001, his 22nd career singleton, and it lifted him into a jumbo eight-way tie for seventh place, just four points away from the lead!... Feb. 28th, Pontius led seven in scoring one on Gin Kanie, centenarian and media darling in Japan, last of the Kanie twins. Our American Cousin was there too, as the two Silver Bobcat winners continue to duel for the early Perriman Pennant lead. The hit lifted Pontius into a tie for second, just one point away from the lead.

March '01

March 1st, Boneyard Dog kicked off Spring scoring with a two-point solo on "The Chief," Dallas DA Henry Wade whose career included the murder trial of Jack Ruby and the landmark abortion case Roe vs. Wade. The solo, #5 in the Dog's career, moved him into a tie for fourth with Silver Tapps just two points off the lead at 11 & 4. Same day, Breathless, Dinner with Jack Klugman and Dr. Tom(b) scored five on famed college QB coach Ray Dorr who sent the Breathless team long and into first place at 14 & 5... Mar. 2nd, Leroy Estmort soloed for one on "The Talking Harmonica Man" Lonnie Glosson, a Bluegrass legend; it was career solo #2 for Leroy... Mar. 3rd, Anna Rexic and Rolland Craps scored three on actor Louis Edmunds who played Langley Wallingford on "All My Children" and Roger Collins on "Dark Shadows"... Mar. 4th, Leroy Estmort soloed for two on Fred Lasswell who ran his "Snuffy Smith" comic strip for almost 60 years and contributed words and phrases like "bodacious" and "time's a wastin'" to the American language. In the space of three days, Leroy Estmort tripled his career solo total. Same day, Breathless led 18 in scoring one on Harold Stassen, former Governor of Minnesota and nine-time campaigner for the Republican nomination for president. The ace stretched Breathless' lead to two points at 15 & 6 and tied them in the Perriman Pennant race. The hit also brought Lives in Jeopardy into the Top Ten in the crowded #10 spot... Mar. 5th, Hanuman soloed for two on Ian McHarg, landscape architect, regional planner, author, radio host, co-founder of Earth Day and friend of the environment... Mar. 6th, The Sick Puppies soloed for three on Brazil's Mario Covas whose death plunged that nation into seven days of mourning and lifted the Pups into the Top Ten at 10 & 3. It was career solo #34 for the tireless Pups... Mar. 7th, Greyfriars Bobby, Humorbid and Truck Savage scored one each on bandleader Frankie Carle, remembered for "Sunrise Serenade"... Mar. 8th, resplendent in white tights and codpiece, Pontius led seven of the Game troupe as he went Wild on Dame Ninette Valois, founder of the Royal Ballet, and leapt into the lead at 17 & 7. Also going Wild, Deadnecks. Also scoring hit #7: Our American Cousin. Taking the Clete's Cup lead with a 1.00 QPA, L. Epstein. It was Ponty's ninth Wild Card, tying him with career leaders D. Perriman Jr. and L. Smith... Same day, Otis, You Want a Treat? soloed for three on Leslie Quick who pioneered the discount brokerage... Mar. 12th, Memento Mori soloed for two on S. Dillon Ripley, former head of the Smithsonian Institution. It was solo #3 of her career. Same day, a gasping Breathless led 35 in scoring four on Morton Downey Jr. The hit shot Breathless into the lead at 19, shook up the Top Ten, raised the Top Ten ante to 12 and moved Our American Cousin into the lead in the Perriman Pennant race at 8 hits... Mar. 15th, OPEC went Wild on actress Ann Sothern and 10 more gamesters scored one. It was Wild Card #6 for OPEC... Mar. 18th, Razor led five in scoring four on John Phillips of the Momas & the Papas. The hit lifted last years' Reaper Ribbon winner into the Top Ten at 12 & 3... Mar. 21st, El Chileno hit his thirteenth career solo, for two points on Hyundai founder Chung Ju-yung... Mar. 22nd, six gamesters led by J. Eby and 9-Jack-9 scored one on cartoon pioneer William Hanna, who with partner Joseph Barbera created such beloved cartoon characters as Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear and Tom and Jerry... Mar. 27th, Boneyard Dog and Breathless scored one on Dr. James Ailinger, the National Football League's oldest former player. The former Buffalo dentist's NFL career began and ended in 1924, when he played one season as center and nose guard for the Buffalo Bisons, formerly the Buffalo All-Americans. The ace stretched Breathless' lead to three points and tied them with Our American Cousin in the race for the Perriman Pennant at 8 hits. Meanwhile, Boneyard Dog squeezed through the fence and into the Top Ten at 12 & 5... Mar. 29th, Humorbid led six in scoring one on Helge Ingstad, the explorer who proved the Vikings arrived in North America 500 years before Columbus.

April '01

April 4th, Shovellin' Off scored her second solo of 2001 with a four-pointer on legendary artist and car designer Ed "Big Daddy" Roth whose work appeared in comics, tattoos, CD covers and model cars... Apr. 5th, Humorbid led seven in scoring one on Brother Theodore, dark comic and chess hustler. The hit tied Humorbid with Breathless and Our American Cousin in the Perriman Pennant lead at 8 hits each.... Apr. 7th, Rolland Craps hit the first solo of her career, a deuce on actress Beatrice Straight who earned an Academy Award for her role as William Holden's dumped wife in "Network" and a Tony for a role on Broadway... Apr. 9th, Pontius led 25 in paying tribute to one of baseball's greatest, Willie "Pops" Stargell. Like a Stargell grand slam, the four points shot Ponty into the lead at 21 & 8, and seriously shook things up. Same day, Otis, You Want a Treat? scored six on singer/songwriter Van Stephenson of the Blackhawks and took the lead at 23 & 6. The hit gave him a 10-point Daily Double... April 11th, Pontius and Breathless stormed back, leading eight in scoring three on Sir Harry Secombe of the BBC's famed "Goon Show." And struggling back into the Top Ten: Yule Iggy at 16 & 4! Taking the lead, Pontius at 24 & 9... Apr. 15th, Persephone hit the first solo of her career and it was a beauty, a six-point smash on punk rock legend Joey Ramone, aka Jeffrey Hyman. The stroke doubled her score and sent chills of envy up and down the spine of every other gamester in Arkansas... Apr. 16th, Cala Vera passed her 1000th day without a hit, having shattered e.mcgrath's career mark for scoreless days on Mar. 26th... Apr. 19th, M. Hamilton hit the 12th solo of her career with a deuce on former New Hampshire governor Meldrim Thomson who once suggested arming the state's National Guard with nuclear weapons. Same day, Our American Cousin led seven in scoring one on Hal "Harry" Prieste, who at 104 was our nation's oldest Olympian, a bronze medalist in the 1920 Olympics (diving) and an original Keystone Kop in silent films. The hit brought Our American Cousin and Humorbid into the lead for the Perriman Pennant with Pontius and Breathless at nine hits, and it turned the Clete's Cup race into a real dogfight with Greyfriars Bobby and Truck Savage at 5 & 5 each sporting brand new 1.0's to tie L. Epstein for the early lead in that pursuit... Apr. 23rd, L. Epstein soloed for one on Admiral Sir Charles Madden, former CIC of the Home Fleet... Apr. 24th, Alibi and Preserveit combined for a lovely duet on "Unchained Melody" in memory of singer Al Hibbler, scoring two points and earning a nice round of applause... Apr. 25th, the Bury Pranksters soloed for one on nature author and artist Gwen Frostic, however their hit went unreported until the following January, and thence qualified for career credit only... Apr. 27th, Deadbolts hit the second solo of his career with a one-point beauty on Dr. Meyer Friedman, originator of the theory linking "Type A" behavior to heart attacks.

May '01

May 4th, five Kings of Swing -- Dr. Doornail, Frank Merriwell, Moss, Perry Mason and Razor -- scored four on legendary drummer Billy Higgins, one of the most recorded figures in the history of jazz. The hit jumped Razor into third place and to the top of the QPA race at 4.0 with a rimshot. Same day, Breathless and Silver Tapps scored one each on Anne Anastasi, the guru of psychological testing. The ace lifted Breathless into a tie with Pontius for the lead at 24 and into the Perriman Pennant lead at 10 hits, and moved Silver Tapps into the crowded #7 spot at 16 points... May 5th, The Dada Sisters hit solo #10 of their fabulous career with a three-pointer on Zydeco pioneer Boozoo Chavis. Same day, SLY hit the sweet 16th solo of her career, an ace on painter Morris Graves. Same day, Cassandra Bob soloed for two points and a lot of style on Clifton Hillegas who for 40 years published Cliff's Notes and saved generations from failure. It was career solo #9 for the well-studied Bobcat... May 12th, Cala Vera ended her scoreless streak at 1,025 days as she joined a chorus of 26 soft-sweatered gamesters in a tribute to Perry Como. Moving up into fourth place: Terminally Inconvenienced at 19 points... May 13th, Deadnecks soloed for one on Indian author R.K. Narayan. It was career solo #6. Same day, Coffin Counter hit the first solo of his career with a sudden four-pointer on playwright Jason Miller, who won a Pulitzer in 1973 for "That Championship Season." Miller also won a Tony for the play, and in the same year was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Father Damien Karras in the horror movie "The Exorcist."... May 15th, Leroy Estmort moved left, moved right and sank solo #3 in 2001 with a nothing-but-net deuce on Ralph Miller, Basketball Hall of Famer who coached the Oregon State Beavers to four Pac-10 titles and eight NCAA tournaments... May 17th, Alibi and Truck Savage skated across black ice to net one each on Murray Murdoch, the former New York Rangers forward (1926-1937) who coached Yale (1938-1965) to 278 victories... May 19th, Boneyard Dog and Daisy Pusher scored five on former Texas Rangers centerfielder Joe Lovitto. The points moved Boneyard Dog into third at 21 & 7... May 22nd, Rolland Craps hit solo #2 of 2001 with a trey on actor Whitman Mayo famed for his portrayal of Grady on "Sanford & Son."... May 31st, Manolete led 11 in scoring one on actress Arlene Francis, remembered with great fondness at Game Central as James Cagney's wife in Billy Wilder's comedy gem One, Two, Three. Same day, Club Nula shrank to 10 occupants as Body Parts and Hare Today broke into the scoring column with two on Hank Ketcham, creator of "Dennis the Menace."

June '01

June 1st, in Nepal, a family spat turned ugly when Crown Prince Dipendra shot and killed King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and other family members at a royal banquet before turning a gun on himself. Passing Fancy, Teen Angel and Yo! Rick! were there for five points on King Birendra in one of the Game's most colorful scores ever... June 2nd, Coffin Counter and Rolland Craps led 32 in scoring one on comic legend Imogene Coca. Both rose to 14 points, on the fringe of the Top Ten, where they joined Passing Fancy and Manolete in baying at the leaders. And Cala Vera got her second hit of the year... June 3rd, Coffin Counter and Rolland Craps (who had certainly hit their stride) led 21 in scoring two on actor Anthony Quinn and broke into the Top Ten at 16 points, plus Cala Vera got her third hit of the year!... June 4th, OPEC soloed for four on singer, songwriter and riverboat captain John Hartford. It was the seventh solo of their career... June 6th, Dinner with Jack Klugman rose to 17 & 5 as they led six in scoring on the world's oldest woman, Marie Bremont. Going Wild for five was Truck Savage. Also scoring the ace were Death Wish Two, L. Epstein, Greyfriars Bobby and Willie's Will... June 7th, Deadnecks soloed for one on Victor Paz Estenssoro, four-time president of Bolivia. It was solo #2 for Deadnecks and career solo #7... June 10th, El Duce's Revenge kicked a solo through the uprights for three points on football's John McKay, coach of the USC Trojans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was the Vengeful One's second solo of 2001 and it put him into the Top Ten at 16 points... June 12th, W. Dockum led six in scoring one on Viktor Hamburger, experimental embryologist. Among the men in white coats, L. Epstein scored hit #10 as he vied for the Perriman Pennant... June 20th, the Bury Pranksters soloed for three on Dr. J. Julian Chisolm Jr., whose research into lead poisoning in children caused by peeling paint is credited with saving thousands if not millions of lives... June 21st, Breathless led 20 in scoring three on actor Carroll O'Connor. The hit moved Breathless into sole possession of both the Gran Prix and Perriman Pennant leads at 27 & 11. Stonesdoug rose to 20 & 6, and the 7th Street Irregulars vaulted into the Top Ten at 18 & 7. Same day, 13 scored two on blues great John Lee Hooker. Persephone and Preserveit were there for the five-point Daily Double, and the fin propelled Persephone into the Top Ten at 17 & 5, bumping out six gamesters who had been hanging on at 16 points... June 23rd, Pine Boxer soloed for four on Yvonne Dionne who, as a member of the Dionne Quintuplets, served as a tourist attraction for 5 million viewers, made the government of Ontario $500 million, met the Queen of England, graced the cover of Life magazine, appeared in films and authored two memoirs. It was career solo #2 for the Game's ring-wise legend... June 27th, Iron Maiden hit the sixth solo of her career with a deuce on Finnish writer Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomin family of trolls. Same day, Coffin Counter and Yule Iggy led 16 in scoring three on actor Jack Lemmon. The hit propelled both into the Top Ten at 19 points... June 28th, Lives in Jeopardy led 11 in scoring one on Mortimer Adler, philosopher and publisher, father of the Great Books series. The hit tied L. Epstein for the Perriman Pennant lead with Breathless. At 11 & 11, Epstein continued his quest for a second consecutive Clete's Cup with a 1.0 QPA, but he was being dogged by rookie standout Greyfriars Bobby at 10 & 10. Same day, Sweeney Todd hit career solo #18, a deuce on Louis Klemantaski, one of the great auto racing photographers... June 29th, Greyfriars Bobby, Death Wish Two and Truck Savage scored one each on opera legend Gina Cigna (d. June 26). It was hit #10 for the latter two and #11 for Greyfriars Bobby who joined L. Epstein at 11 & 11... June 30th, Dinner with Jack Klugman and Lives in Jeopardy led seven in scoring three on guitar legend Chet Atkins. Same day, Chapter E soloed for three on Columbia U. star running back Lou Kusserow, whose two touchdowns snapped Army's 32-game win streak in 1947. It was career solo #5 for Chapter E.

July '01

July 5th, Dr. Doux belted out a four-point solo on rhythm & blues legend Ernie K-Doe whose "Mother-In-Law" (with Allen Toussaint on piano) is one of rock music's greatest singles. It was career solo #13 for the Good Doctor and a stylish kickoff for 2001's second half. Same day, Humorbid soloed for one on George Dawson who learned to read at 98 and published his memoirs - "Life Is So Good" - at 102. This was Humorbid's hit #11 tying him for the Perriman Pennant lead, and it was career solo #12... July 17th, five gamesters scored two on Katherine Graham, publisher of the Washington Post... July 18th, Yule Iggy glided smoothly into third place with an extraordinary two-point solo on former Luftwaffe pilot Beate Uhse, the grande dame of Germany's erotica industry. The hit was career solo #5 for Iggy, and a leather-clad beauty at that... July 18th, four scored five on folk singer and activist Mimi Farina, whose albums with Richard Farina and then with Tom Jans were gems, and whose great heart was evident in her work for Bread & Roses. Paying tribute were Dead Ernest, Ghostwriter, the Merry Little Breezes and Perry Mason. Same day, Pontius took the lead under the Big Top at 28 points as he led six in scoring four on Guther Gebel-Williams, animal trainer and circus star. Taking the Perriman Pennant lead was Humorbid with hit #12... July 23rd, 31 well-read gamesters led by Boneyard Dog scored one on observer, photographer and author Eudora Welty. Boneyard moved into sole possession of third place at 22 points, while the 7th Street Irregulars dashed into the Top Ten at 19 points, and Greyfriars Bobby tied Humorbid for the Perriman Pennant lead with his 12th hit.... July 29th, Schrodinger's Cat soloed for two on former Polish leader Edward Gierek. It was career singleton #3 for the Cat Man.

August '01

August 3rd, L. Epstein soloed for one on the Earl of Longford, politician, passionate social reformer and champion of society's outcasts. It was hit #12 in 2001 for Epstein, tying him in the Perriman Pennant race and career solo #10 for the singleton-minded sophomore. Same day, Club Dead hit solo #4 of his career with a deuce on Christopher Hewett, British-born actor perhaps best remembered as television's English butler, "Mr. Belvedere." Hewett also appeared in several movies, including "The Lavender Hill Mob" and "The Producers."... Aug. 4th, OPEC soloed for four on Lorenzo Music, the voice of Carlton the Doorman on "Rhoda" and Garfield the Cat on "Garfield and Friends." The solo -- the team's second this year following another four-pointer on John Hartford -- vaulted OPEC into a tie for fourth place... Aug. 6th, three lusty, sultry gamesters -- Cedar Coffins, El Chileno and Tim Ormortis -- paid tribute to Brazilian author Jorge Amado for two points. Same day, The Virtual Sexton and Willie's Will dueted for two on harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler who played with George Gershwin, Harry S Truman and Sting. Among those who composed works for him: Ralph Vaughn Williams, Darius Milhaud and Joaquin Rodrigo. And of whom Billie Holiday said, "Man, you don't play that thing - you sing it."... Aug. 10th, Boneyard Dog led AbraCadavers!, Isadora and Of Corpse in scoring two on Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau. The deuce moved Boneyard up to 24 points... Aug. 14th, Harris Tweed scored the fifth solo of her career and her first hit of 2001 with a four-pointer on bowler Earl Anthony from her "all royalty" list... Aug. 18th, Tim Ormortis sent along verification on New Zealand's foremost composer, Douglas Lilburn, who died June 6th, and thus Tim logged his third solo of 2001, the 23rd of his career... Aug. 20th, BOOM, Tim Ormortis logged his fourth solo of 2001 and the 24th of his career with two points on astrophysicist Sir Fred Hoyle, who named but did not accept the Big Bang theory of the creation of the universe... Aug. 23rd, Women with Spurs soloed for two on legendary character actress Kathleen Freeman, who appeared in everything from "Singin' in the Rain" to "The Fly" to "The Blues Brothers." It was career solo #5 for this stylish team... Aug. 25th, the 7th Street Irregulars soloed for three (the first solo of their career) on Ken Tyrrell, who launched Jackie Stewart's racing career and formed the Tyrrell Team, and moved smoothly into fourth place at 22 & 9. Same day, the Merry Little Breezes led Ghostwriter and Deadnecks in doffing their wool hats as they scored seven each on U.S. Nat'l Ski Hall of Famer, International Women's Sports Hall of Famer and Olympic Gold Medalist Diana Golden Brosnihan, who won 19 U.S. Disabled Championships and pretty much wrote the book on grace and courage in the face of adversity. The hit raised the Top Ten ante to 20. Same day, Doom Patrol soloed for three on Oscar-winning makeup pioneer John Chambers, who put the pointy ears on "Star Trek's" Mr. Spock and turned actors into simians for the original "Planet of the Apes."

September '01

September 2nd, Necropolis Keepers scored the first solo of their career, a three-pointer on pioneering heart surgeon Christian Barnard. Same day, Chapter E, Isadora and Styx & Stones scored one each on thoroughbred racing's Jimmy Jones, who with his father, Ben Jones, trained seven Kentucky Derby winners including Triple Crown winners Whirlaway and Citation... Sept. 3rd, OPEC led six in scoring two on film critic Pauline Kael. The deuce moved OPEC past the 7th St. Irregulars and into a tie for fourth with the Merry Little Breezes at 23 points... Sept. 4th, Black Rose and Clean Underwear scored a magnificent seven (!) on Hank the Angry Dwarf, voted the Most Beautiful Person in the World in a 1998 People magazine poll, lifted to victory by the many Howard Stern listeners who came to know and love Hank as a member of Howard's Wack Pack... Sept. 5th, Boneyard Dog led Dinner with Jack Klugman, Dr. Tom(b) and Body Parts in scoring three on announcer Cawood Ledford, who called the Kentucky Derby 15 times on national radio and served as the voice of the Kentucky Wildcats. The trey lifted sports fan Boneyard Dog into second place tie with Breathless at 27 points and moved Dinner with Jack Klugman up the three-way tie for fourth place. Same day, M. Hamilton scored the 13th solo of her career, for two points, on a man also familiar to Kentucky Derby fans, Heywood Hale Broun, a writer and sports correspondent who blended wit, warmth and profound understanding in his elegant commentary.

The Game, if nothing else, teaches us that life is fragile, that an end must come for us all. But no lessons can prepare us for events as overwhelming and sorrowful as those of September 11, 2001. People who did not seek the spotlight, people doing their best to live fully, innocents, people whose greatest accomplishment each day was to go home to those they loved -- all robbed by wrath, by destruction. Our sympathies went out to all of the victims and their loved ones. And how suddenly significant was Dr. Doornail's solo on Ahmed Shah Massood, the last key opponent to the Taliban and Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, injured by suicide bombers on September 9th, dying of his wounds on September 14th. Six points, laden with meaning, went to Dr. Doornail; it was the 14th solo of his career... Sept. 15th, Rolland Craps led eight in scoring one on TV's "Tonight Show" producer Fred De Cordova. Moving into the Perriman Pennant lead was Greyfriars Bobby at 13 & 13. Next day, Alibi, The Great Beyond and Wm Randolph Hearse scored two each on film producer Samuel Z. Arkoff who made his money, reputation and cinematic history with titles like I Was a Teenage Werewolf and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini... Sept. 22nd, string trio Sweeney Todd, Unplugged and Women with Spurs scored two on Isaac Stern, virtuoso violinist and savior of Carnegie Hall... Sept. 24th, seven gamesters scored six on hockey coach Shawn Walsh, who led the University of Maine to two national championships. The score shook up the Top Ten and brought the Sick Puppies and Frozen Stiff back into contention.

October '01

October 5th, Manolete led 15 gamesters in scoring one on Mike Mansfield, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader and U.S. Ambassador to Japan. The hit lifted the one-time Rookie of the Year into the Top Ten at 22 points, and made the lead for the Perriman Pennant a three-way tie with L. Epstein, Greyfriars Bobby and Humorbid each at 13 hits. Same day, four nipped the corner of the Fame bag just barely scoring on Emilie Schindler, widow of Oskar Schindler of "Schindler's List" fame. Emilie did co-author a memoir and was honored by Israel and Argentina, facts made evident in her New York Times obit. The one-point hit was especially valuable to Death Wish Two who used it to enter the tie for the lead in the Perriman Pennant race at 13 hits... Oct. 7th, seven scored one on Herb Block, aka Herblock, editorial cartoonist who won three Pulitzer Prizes... Oct. 9th, Arkansas playboys Leroy Estmort and Styx & Stones tapped out a one-point country duet on Smoky Dacus, drummer for Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys... Oct. 10th, Chapter E and El Duce's Revenge donned satin trunks and led six savvy pugs in scoring one on Eddie Futch, trainer of 20 boxing champions. Included in the entourage was the Game's Rajah of the Ropes, Pine Boxer... Oct. 11th, L. Epstein picked up a single off pitcher Elon "Chief" Hogsett (who in 1936 tied a major league record by hitting four batters in one game) when his July 17th passing was verified. With the news, Epstein moved into sole possession of the Perriman Pennant race lead with 14 hits and tagged career solo #11... Oct. 15th, L. Epstein moved out to 15 hits as he led three in scoring one on Chinese warlord Chang Hsueh-liang. Also picking up the ace, Our American Cousin and Truck Savage... Oct. 17th, Manolete soloed for two on Oscar-winning composer and lyricist Jay Livingston, who with collaborator Ray Evans penned such hits as "Que Sera Sera," the Christmas carol "Silver Bells" and the Nat King Cole classic "Mona Lisa." The solo was the second of Manolete's career and lifted him into a tie for fifth with The Sick Puppies at 24 points. Same day, Humorbid soloed for one on industrialist Neil Tillotson, who gained fame as the first person to vote in U.S. presidential primaries and elections in the tiny town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. It was hit #14 for Humorbid and career solo #13... Oct. 22nd, Bury Pranksters, Helena Handbasket, Motel Styx and Shovellin' Off scored two each on preacher and folk artist Rev. Howard Finster whose work graced album covers for R.E.M. and Talking Heads. Same day, Breathless led three in scoring one on Ernest "Jack" Hilgard, acclaimed experimental psychologist, pioneer in the scientific study of hypnosis and author of "Introduction to Psychology," now in its 13th edition. The ace lifted Breathless into a first-place tie with Pontius. Also scoring, El Chileno and Yo! Rick!. Same day, Fade to Black soloed for one on horseman Franz "Rocky" Rochowansky. Once the Chief Rider (Oberbereiter) of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Rocky was also the President of the Lipizzaner Society of Great Britain, a teacher with a worldwide following and career solo #3 for Fade to Black... Oct. 26th, Perry Mason soloed for three on former lawmaker Rep. Gerald Solomon.

November '01

November 2nd, Gomez soloed for three on David M. Hopkins, the world's foremost authority on the Bering Land Bridge; the tribute was career solo #7 for Gomez... Nov. 3rd, Memento Mori hit her second solo of 2001, this one an ace on Ernst Gombrich, art historian and author of "The Story of Art," one of the most popular and famous books on the subject ever written, and written entirely from memory... Nov. 4th, Of Corpse hit the fifth solo of their career with an ace on Bella Wexner, philanthropist and matriarch of the multi-billion dollar Limited Inc. retail chain... Nov. 8th, Alibi soloed for two on the peripatetic Konrad Kalejs, who lived, hid and/or fought extradition in the U.S., Canada, England and Australia in an effort to avoid trial in Latvia for Nazi war crimes. It was career solo #5 for Alibi. Same day, the Necro Wafers' "all animal" list flew out of Club Nula on the wings of a cardinal, this one Cardinal Bertoli of Rome, good for one point and career solo #2. Same day, Pontius hit career solo #37 (!) and moved back into the lead at 29 points with an ace on magician Melvin Burkhart, known in the heyday of carnivals as "The Human Blockhead" for his ability to hammer a spike into his head through a cavity behind his nostril... Nov. 10th, twelve Merry Pranksters (but no Bury Pranksters) led by the ACME Undertakers scored four on novelist ("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest") and cultural icon (the bus) Ken Kesey, who struck a blow for irreverence when one was badly needed. The hit lifted the ACME lads into the Top Ten and brought m.i. blue out of Club Nula with ten stars shining in between... Nov. 15th, Gomez soloed for one on paleontologist Edwin Colbert, who popularized the study of dinosaurs, provided evidence for the theory of Contiental Drift and authored more than 20 books and 400 articles. It was career solo #8 for Gomez... Nov. 17th, Boneyard Dog eluded tacklers and took the lead at 30 points with a solo three on College Football Hall of Famer and 1952 Heisman-winning halfback Billy Vessels of Oklahoma. The solo, his second of 2001, gave Boneyard a wafer-thin one-point lead. Same day, Schrodinger's Cat soloed for two on billiards champ Irving "Deacon" Crane, who won seven world titles between 1942 and 1972, who was the first man to run more than 300 balls in selected pockets (1939) and who always wore a suit and tie to bring respectability to the sport. It was solo #2 for the Cat-man in 2001, and a fine tribute to a great sportsman... Nov. 22nd, nine blushing gamesters piled into a pink Cadillac with Yo! Rick! at the wheel and scored two each Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics... Nov. 23rd, The National Health hit career solo #48, the record, with an ace on Mary Whitehouse, who steadfastly protected the UK against the tide of smut rolling in off its TV screens. Same day, Pine Boxer, the Morbo Chucks and Club Dead rode a live fastball, a hard curve and a baffling screwball up the standings as they scored four each on Bo Belinsky, former major league pitcher whose off-the-diamond life and loves generated more press than his rookie no-hitter... Nov. 29th, the Sick Puppies led 10 in doffing their caps for George Harrison, "the quiet Beatle," seeker, gardener, humanitarian. The five points lifted the Pups into second place, just one point off the lead with a month to go, and lifted Razor back into the Top Ten in sixth. The score also lifted Die-arrhea out of Club Nula, leaving only 2 Dead Crew and Canada Dry Bones embracing the chilly goose egg.

December '01

December 3rd, Schrodinger's Cat came back with yet another solo, #3 this year, a three-pointer on guitar great Grady Martin whose riff on Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" was one of many that made this man a legend. For the Cat Man, this hit was a lift to 19 points, within hailing distance of the Top Ten... Dec. 4th, Memento Mori hit her third solo of the year, an ace on George Hansen, designer of the swing-arm, wall-mounted Hansen Lamp. As the New York Times notes, "It is still ubiquitous, illuminating everything from suburban boudoirs to presidential libraries."... Dec. 8th, Stenchman soloed for three on George Young, New York Giant General Manager who built the Giants into a two-time Super Bowl champion; it was solo #2 in 2001 for Stenchman... Dec. 15th, Iron Maiden soloed for two on John Guedel, producer of some of early TV's most popular shows, including Groucho Marx's ``You Bet Your Life,'' and Art Linkletter's ``People are Funny.'' For Marx, Guedel created the Groucho-lookalike duck that dropped in with $100 for any contestant who said the ``secret word.'' For Iron Maiden, he created solo #2 in 2001... Dec. 20th, Deadnecks scored one on poet and statesman Leopold Senghor, the first president of Senegal. It was solo #3 for Deadnecks in 2001, and solo #8 in their brilliant three-year career... Dec. 21st, OPEC led nine in scoring two on comedian Foster Brooks; the hit moved OPEC into a tie for sixth with Razor at 25 points. And so the Game ended in 2001, with Boneyard Dog in the lead by one point at 30 for his first ever victory. (Note: In 1975 and 1977, the top score was 27; 2001 saw the lowest winning score since those years.)

Let's look at the Top Ten for 2001.

Take me on to 2002.

Take me back to Play-by-Play.