2008 Play-by-Play January 01 (but not confirmed until 01/25)
In most of the countries that participated in World War I, it is considered a big deal when the last surviving soldier dies. Not so in Germany. It is something they would just rather not think about. That is a pity because soldiers don't start wars, politicians do.
Second-year Gamester Slayer was whistling "I Remember You" as he celebrated his first solo ever on just the 366th day of his Game career. Slayer, from Boston, MA, made his entrance on the scoreboard with the one point hit. This leaves 62 Gamesters gnashing their teeth in Club Nula, which just announced that one Britney Spears would be the new proprietor of the Club Nula children's day care center.
January 2
A trio of Gamesters went to Bangkok, Thailand, to open the scoring for the 38th Annual Game. HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana bestowed two points upon the dreaded countenance of Gashlycrumb Tinies, the mysteriously alluring Mme. Morte, and the stone-faced High Plains Drifter. There were high-fives shared all around as they took their precious places at the top of the scoreboard.
January 3
A half dozen Gamesters climbed between the ropes and onto the canvas to ring in the new year with a powerful seven point hit on former WBC Light Flyweight champion Yo Sam Choi, who had been "in an action-packed bout" on Christmas Day against Indonesia's Heri Amol. With just five seconds left in the final round, Choi was pummeled to the floor. Choi recovered long enough to hear he had won the fight on points, but he promptly collapsed and was soon in a coma. He never awoke.
Wide awake, and all trying to squeeze into the top spot on the scoreboard, were Daisy Pusher, the King of Pain, Pontius, the Beverlys, Terminally Inconvenienced and the seemingly incurable Sick Puppies.
Same day, Fade To Black listed fellow Canadian Milt Dunnell, 102, a legendary sportswriter for the Toronto Star. Dunnell had a reputation (All his obits mentioned it.) for excellent writing and a deep love for placing a wager. Fade To Black made a wager of his own of sorts and opened his 19th season of play with a one point solo. It was the 7th solo of his career.
January 6
The Deadbolts of Missouri became the twelfth Gamester to appear on the scoreboard as he went to the Capitol Records sound booth to lay down a one point solo on country music producer Ken Nelson who introduced the world to such artists as Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Sonny James, and Ferlin Husky. It was an inspired pick that drew "oohs and aaahs" from Game Central. Mild applause is suggested.
Editor's Choice:
Here is a sample of Nelson's work with Ferlin Husky: http://youtube.com/watch?v=I_AqmBSVPpsJanuary 8
Six Gamesters, resplendent in their racing silks, saddled up in the land of koalas and wallabies for a two point hit on Australian jockey George "Cotton Fingers" Moore, OBE, who was the first rider to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame on the basis of his unmatched 2,278 wins.The Aussies even put him on a postage stamp.
The High Plains Drifter led the way as he became the first of us to pick up a second hit of the young season. He's the competitive sort and would love to add a Silver Bobcat (First to reach five hits.) to his trophy case. Scoring their first hits of the year were the Bury Pranksters (WA/IL), Farms For Sale (CT/DC), Lily Delivery (MD), Omega Travel (IA) and last year's rookie sensation Petit Mort (VA).
January 11
Twenty-six
Gamesters scored two points while riding piggy-back on the world's most famous mountain climber, New Zealand's Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, on May 29, 1953. Twenty-five of those Gamesters used the hit to climb from the hellish confines of Club Nula while the silently determined High Plains Drifter used the deuce to become the first Gamester to reach three hits. The Mary Widow of Kansas City, MO, became the first rookie to grace the scoreboard.January 13
Before Game 7 of the 1955 World Series against the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers left-handed starting pitcher Johnny Podres told his teammates to score just one run and he'd take care of the rest. The Dodgers scored two, Podres threw a shutout, and the franchise celebrated its first and only championship while playing in Brooklyn. Despite pitching his last game on June 21, 1969, for the San Diego Padres, Johnny Podres has been tagged for one last hit, his own, a three pointer, courtesy of Boneyard Dog, El Duce's Revenge, and sports maven Isadora. For Boneyard Dog it was liberation day as he scurried out the back door of the Club Nula kitchen. El Duce's Revenge and Isadora both improved to 5 & 2 and into a tie for ninth-place with only fifty weeks to go.
January 15
Three visibly dazed Gamesters shot to the top of the Standings with a stunning eight point hit on actor Brad Renfro, who made his onscreen debut at age 12 in the film The Client. Other Renfro credits include Tom and Huck, Ghost World and Deuces Wild. All alone in first place at 8 & 1 are Dr. Tomb, Worm Feast and 2 Dead Crew. While Dr. Tomb and Worm Feast stood blinking under the glare of the Game Central spotlights, 2 Dead Crew had to be administered smelling salts after nearly fainting - it was his first hit since December 8, 2004, when he scored seven points on Pantera and Damageplan heavy metal guitarist, Dimebag Darrell Abbott, who was shot to death while onstage.
January 17
After years of being on the FTD Ten Most Wanted list, the notorious Daisy Pusher has left the shadowy world of floral abuse and gone straight. Straight to the top of the scoreboard that is. Following up on a tip overheard on the Howard Stern Show, the Daisy Pusher has scored an enviable four point solo on world class chess master and American persona non grata, Bobby Fischer. The hit lifted her to a sterling 11 & 2 mark and a three point lead over her closest pursuers. It was the third solo of her fifteen-year Game career.
Same day...The Decomposers have shown they possess the virtuosity and style that typifies a great Gamester. Allan Melvin, worth two points, in an acting career that spanned decades, appeared in only one film (With Six You Get Eggroll), but he had roles in television programs that are forever etched in our memories. He was Cpl. Henshaw in the Phil Silvers Show, and Archie Bunker's neighbor Barney in All in the Family, just to name a couple. He also did voices; he was Magilla Gorilla and was Bluto in the Popeye cartoons. The deuce was the ticket out of Club Nula for the Decomposers. The Gamester from Coatesville, PA deserves a tip of the hat from all of us.
January 18
Georgia Frontiere, more than anything, liked to be the star of a wedding - she was a bride seven times. When her sixth husband drowned off the Florida coast in 1979, she inherited the N.F.L. franchise Los Angeles Rams, making her the only female owner of an all male enterprise. In 1995 she moved the Rams to St. Louis, her hometown, a move that endeared her to the people there. The good people of Los Angeles reached a different opinion. Eight Gamesters gang tackled her in her own end zone for a two point safety. Leading the way were the King of Pain and Pontius, who each improved to 9 & 2 and who moved into a tie for second-place behind the Game leading Daisy Pusher (Who probably sat this one out, out of spite, as she resides in LA.) The Bury Pranksters and the Necropolis Keepers used the deuce to reach a 4 & 2 mark. Four Gamesters were emancipated from Club Nula - Veterans Yo! Rick!, the Cedar Coffins, and Divinely Supine were joined on the scoreboard by rookie Flesh Wounds.
January 19
Six sports savvy Gamesters went to Winnipeg to collect three points from CBC Sports' premier commentator Don Wittman, who covered a variety of sports including Canadian football, hockey, the Olympics and curling. When it came to covering the stone and broom sport of curling, Wittman was the best - he was even a member of the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame!! Leading the way was Syracuse based Dr. Tomb, who reached a score of 11 & 2, which boosted him into a tie for first-place with the rehabbing Daisy Pusher. The nomadic High Plains Drifter swept into fifth-place as he improved to 9 & 4. The veteran Omega Travel and second-year phenom Petit Mort moved into a four-way tie for 12th-place as each attained a score of 5 & 2. With a surprising bit of derring-do, both Breathless and Habeas Corpse made a mad dash for the Club Nula compound fence and vaulted over, using their shuffle board sticks, leaving 85 disgruntled Gamesters behind.
Same day... Forty-one Gamesters made a complete revision of the Scoreboard with a three point hit on sultry-voiced actress Suzanne Pleshette, who is best remembered for her role as Emily Hartley on the television comedy "Bob Newhart Show," which ran from 1972 to 1978. Five Gamesters scored a Wittman/Pleshette Daily Double. Nineteen-year veteran Dr. Tomb, who in the surgery theater is affectionately known as " Doc Oopsie," claimed first-place as his very own as he improved to 14 & 3. Pontius moved into second-place. The fearsome serape-wrapped High Plains Drifter improved to 12 & 5, commandeered third-place, and claimed his first ever Silver Bobcat - the second fastest Silver Bobcat ever. Asked for his reaction (we never saw his lips move), we thought we heard him say, " I used to used to dream about hitting on Suzanne Pleshette, but it never entered my imagination I could win a Silver Bobcat."
January 26
Six style-conscious Gamesters went to the CIA (Not the one that didn't find WMDs in Iraq. We mean the CIA that finds and creates art in Cleveland.) to procure an ace from Viktor Schreckengost, an industrial designer of no small repute. "Sleeps With Fishes, from the suburbs of Philadelphia, lead the way as he used the ace to claim 19th-place as he rose to a score of 6 & 3. Dead Wait, of Albany, NY, earned her second hit of the year as did Helena Handbasket, who just so happened to earn her 101st career hit. The number of occupants in Club Nula was reduced to a mere 51 as three veteran Gamesters, Gomez (183 career hits), Greyfriars Bobby (115 career hits) and Humorbid (199 career hits) found Schreckengost to be the perfect low fare ticket to the scoreboard.
January 27
Former Indonesian dictator Mohammed Suharto, who had this annoying little habit of permanently silencing his critics (Some 500,000 of them, give or take 100,000.), was an annoyance up to final breath. He was what we call at Game Central a "pick tease." He entered a Jakarta health care facility on January the fourth and teetered on the brink of extinction for 23 aggravating days until he became the two point hit he was destined to be. Twenty-five Gamesters made the call. The deuce lifted Pontius to second-place as he reached 14 & 4, and lifted Terminally Inconvenienced to third-place as he rose to 12 & 3. Seven-year Game veteran Lily Delivery ascended to ninth-place with a score of 10 & 4. Breathless, Cedar Coffins, Death Wish Two and Gratefully Dead all scored their third hits of the young season. Felted, now at 5 & 2, and Mary Widow (4 & 2) both joined the action and lead the large rookie class. Eight Gamesters made their debuts on the scoreboard leaving 54 nervous Gamesters pacing the halls of Club Nula.
Same day... Fourteen Gamesters correctly prognosticated the demise of Mormon prophet and LDS church president Gordon B. Hinckley, who was widely credited with making the church better understood by other faiths. Hinckley, at age 97 was a one pointer but Greenville, NC, Gamester Passing Fancy lifted her voice and sang out, "Wild Thing! You make my heart sing!," as she went for the bonus and zoomed up the scoreboard to 17th-place as she reached a mark of 7 & 2. For those settling on an ace, it was Death Wish Two who led the way as he inched up to 8 & 4, which is currently good enough for 15th-place. Death Wish Two was joined by D. Beach, Habeas Corpse, Hanuman and Willie's Will for a three point Suharto/Hinckley Daily Double.
January 28
The Game spotlight panned from Utah to Greece as attention switched to the Greek Orthodox Church and their leader, Archbishop Christodoulos, who bestowed a four point blessing on eighteen grateful Gamesters. Fourteen of those Gamesters now grace the Top Twenty. Dr. Tomb and Pontius both had the pick and remain in the top two spots. The High Plains Drifter moved up to third while Worm Feast climbed to fourth. New York City's Moorebids and Sick Puppies are now all tied up in the fifth-place slot. El Duce's Revenge and Petit Mort now share eighth-place and those fabulous Beverlys found equal footing with the tragically slumping Daisy Pusher at tenth-place.
January 29
West Florida's Women With Spurs found just the ticket out of Club Nula they'd been waiting for in the form of an enviable two point solo on mystery writer Margaret Truman Daniel, who also penned best-selling biographies about her famous parents. Truman also had a brief career as a concert singer and radio host. It was the Spur Girls seventh career solo. Take a bow, Ladies, it was a delightful pick.
Same day... Heads were spinning with excitement at Game Central as two senior Gamesters, Alibi (18th season) and Tim Ormortis (19th season), went inside the Beltway for what each thought should be their one point solo entitlement, but, as is usually the case in Washington, they had to compromise - in this case, having to settle on sharing the ace from Robert M. Ball, who rose from being a clerk in the Social Security Administration in 1940, to being the Commissioner of the agency under three presidents. The hit lifted Alibi into the middle of the dog fight for the Clete's Cup with Greyfriars Bobby and Humorbid with a score of 2 & 2. For Tim Ormortis, who usually does get the solo, the one point hit carried the thrill of liberation from Club Nula before the first month of the season came to an end.
Yet again the same day... Only two current Gamesters (Ghostwriter and D. Beach) have more experience at our little sport than Skul, who is now at the onset of his 34th season of play. He seems to have learned something along the way. Many Gamesters have listed terrorists this year. Only Skul had the foresight to invest in Abu Laith al-Libi, considered by some in the intelligence community to be the fifth most wanted terrorist in the world. A Predator aircraft with Hellfire missiles delivered the brilliant six point solo. The hit lifted Skul to a score of 9 & 2 and into a tie for 13th-place with the King of Pain. It is a jaw dropping, awe inspiring hit. Take a bow sir, take several of them.
February 2
Earl Butz, who was the Secretary of Agriculture under presidents Nixon and Ford, was mainly famous for two things. It was Earl Butz who used his cabinet position to promote large scale farming, thus ringing the death knell for small family farms in America. Secondly, Mr. Butz was famous for making a racist remark that led to his resignation. It is only fair to mention that Mr. Butz later became the dean of agriculture at prestigious Purdue University. Sixteen Gamesters collected an ace while two Gamesters cashed in their Wild Card. The recently resurgent Buffalo Cup collector 2 Dead Crew led the group as he "went wild" and navigated into uncharted waters as he rose to 7th-place with a score of 13 & 2. The King of Pain, who is still kicking himself for missing Suharto, found some consolation as he climbed to 13th-place at 10 & 3. Dios de los Meurtos, who had a terrific rookie season last year, is off to a strong start as he reached 18th-place with a mark of 9 & 4. Joining him there is 2008 rookie Mary Widow, who has high hopes and an impressive list to back those hopes up. Sleeps With Fishes also reached the 4 hit mark. Early action in the Clete's Cup competition continued as Greyfriars Bobby and Humorbid both notched their third aces of the year. A bit more elbow room was created at Club Nula as three Gamesters cheerily checked out. New Mexico transplant Teen Angel led the entourage to freedom as she burst onto the scene with her Wild Card selection. Unplugged and Hare Today made their debuts at the 1 & 1 level.
February 4
A half dozen Gamesters broke out in a rousing rendition of "Over There" as they celebrated their hit on Harry Richard Landis, the oldest surviving American soldier from World War I. There is just one American veteran from that war left. Nebraska's Myra Mains lead the way with a nice burst of power as he "Went Wild" for the bonus, and escaped Club Nula while he was at it. The reckless 7th Street Irregulars and rookie Kiss of Death were just a couple of steps behind and they used the ace to reach 5 & 3. Humorbid, who collected 18 hits last season, improved to 4 & 4 and took the lead for the coveted Clete's Cup. Stenchman, who is now in his 17th season, inched up to 3 & 2. Club Nula lost yet another resident as archy & mehitabel used the ace to make their debut on the scoreboard.
February 5Sixteen Gamesters briefly came out of their trances and left their ashrams long enough to collect a one point hit on Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who made a worldwide spiritual impact in the 1960s & 1970s when he befriended the Beatles and gave the earth Transcendental Meditation. Florida's Yo! Rick! led the way up the scoreboard as he reached a state of near early season bliss with a score of 7 & 3. Gashlycrumb Tinies and J Eby, just back from a weekend of "yogic flying," were next in line as they improved to 6 & 3. D. Beach and Hanuman, found karmic balance as each attained the next step towards QPA glory with marks of 6 & 4. Three Gamesters - Farms For Sale, the Flatliners and the Penguin - discovered inner peace and change under their sofa cushions as they climbed to 5 & 3. The Penguin was so excited he emailed Game Central the following cryptic message: "I am the Walrus!" Die Uretic and Helena Handbasket showered lotus blossom petals to all below them in the standings from the 4 & 3 level. The Dada Sisters, Dante Inferno, Manolete and M. Hamilton, who all improved to 3 & 2, and who all know a thing or two about Nirvana, said, "This isn't it...but it will do for now." Alabama's Dirt Nap and Maine's Gomez, who both ascended to 2 & 2, are proof that perfection is found in many forms
February 6
Third-year Gamesters Farms For Sale went to the lovely community of Pawling, NY, and closed a one point deal on Ruth Stafford Peale, who was the chairwoman of the magazine Guideposts, author of "The Adventure of Being a Wife," and wife and editor of sermons for her husband, Rev. Norman Vincent Peale. It was career solo number two for Farms For Sale and lifted their score to 6 & 4. They missed a Yogi/Peale inspirational Daily Double by just one day.
February 8
Carloads of Gamesters turned south off of Interstate 64 at Charlottesville, Virginia, drove 20 miles down Route 29 to Irish Road, turned east, and found what they were looking for in Faber - author Phyllis A. Whitney. Whitney wrote "mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in
The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics". (Wikepedia) Seventeen of those Gamesters were granted an ace while rookie Clot Z (daughter of veteran J Eby) used her escape from Club Nula to go "Wild" for the bonus. What an entrance! Just back from a contracting job with the CIA, the King of Pain led the rest of the crew as he inched up to the bedeviled 13th-place slot with a score of 11 & 4. One step behind was newcomer Mary Widow who reached her first QPA in just 39 days of play and settled in at the 14th-place level. Farms For Sale scored their third hit in five days and found their QPA as well. Scoring fourth hits were Willie's Will and Gang Green. Scoring third hits were Cerberus, the Dada Sisters, Dead Wait and Pocketful of Posies. Joining Clot Z in liberation from Club Nula were Crimson King, Fire Ants, Pagan Babies and the Game's unofficial sartorial artist, Sweeney Todd.Thirty-six Gamesters remain scoreless.
February 10
Roy Scheider drowned in a moat of quicksand in his film debut, The Curse of the Living Corpse in 1964. It was all uphill after that in an acting career that earned him two Academy Award nominations. Nine Gamesters had him on their radar and enriched themselves by three points. At the top of the scoreboard Pontius thought the lead was his as he rose to 21 & 6, but Dr. Tomb made the call as well and held onto the top spot as he reached 21 & 5. Worm Feast could not resist an actor who starred in the 1971 blockbuster "Jaws," and moved up one spot to third-place as he improved to 18 & 4. Skul made his entry into the Top Ten as the trey lifted him into a tie for eight-place (with Terminally Inconvenienced) at 12 & 3. He found extra satisfaction as it was his 150th career hit. Divinely Supine and the 7th Street Irregulars ascended into a three-way tie (with Death Wish Two) for the 22nd-place slot with scores of 8 & 4. For the Irregulars it meant attaining the career 300 point level. Gamesters Boneyard Dog and Sector 001 each reached 6 & 2, while Mme. Morte went to 5 & 2 and scored career hit # 75. Editor's Note: The career statistics have been updated - almost. The QPAs and career averages need to be double checked. Look for their arrival in your email mailbox very soon.
February 12
Hits don't come any better than this. Imad Mugniyah (pronounced moog-ninny), one of the most wanted terrorists in the world, was walking down a Damascus street Tuesday night when a parked SUV he was passing exploded. Mr. Mugniyah, a Hezbollah security commander, who was responsible for the 1983 embassy and U S Marine barracks bombings in Beirut, to name just two of his crimes, probably never knew what hit him. Two Gamesters claimed the six point hit. Tomb Essence, who has spent his entire Game career filling his lists with monsters of this sort, burst out of Club Nula like a fireball. His 2008 list is so dangerous we thought about calling in the local bomb squad when it arrived. Skul, who just two weeks ago scored a six point solo on Al Qaeda leader Abu Laith al-Libi, blasted towards the top of the scoreboard. Once the dust had finally settled down, Skul was locked in a tie for third-place (with Worm Feast at 18 & 4) and the envy of every Gamester, past and present. Get out of that chair right now. A standing ovation for both of these Gamesters is de rigeur.
Same day... Nothing gets the juices flowing here at Game Central more than a "suspicious death," especially when it involves a Georgian opposition leader who dies unexpectedly London. Something about this sounds familiar. Last year's Gran Prix winner, Frozen Stiff, has gotten off to a slow start this season (by his standards) but this subtle, stylish hit signals that the leaders had best keep looking over their shoulders and stay on the lookout. Mr. Frosty is always a threat. Badri Patarkatsishvili, a Georgian politician and millionaire, living in exile, gave Frozen Stiff a five point solo which lifted the coal-eyed, carrot-nosed Gamester to 17th-place as he rose to 9 & 2. It was his 35th career solo. The sun shy Gamester earns extra style points just by spelling the name right too.
February 18
North Florida's Pontius nudged Dr. Tomb off the top of the scoreboard with an artistic two point solo on French novelist, screenwriter and filmmaker Alain Robbe-Grillet, who is best remembered for his novels "Le Voyeur" and "La Jalousie." Pontius confesses he never read those but he has seen (and was mystified by) the film Robbe-Grillet wrote for director Alain Resnais, "Last Year at Marienbad." In any case, Pontius improved to 23 & 7 and collected his 46th career solo.
February 19
Lydia "Fei Fei" Shum, an entertainer/actress/comedienne, had a career in Hong Kong that spanned forty years that ranged from films to television (mostly game and variety shows). But she is best remembered for her sit-com "Living with Lydia." One obit described her as Hong Kong's answer to Roseanne Barr. Five Gamesters decided "Scoring with Lydia" was more to their tastes and cashed in for four points each. The gun-slinging High Plains Drifter rode "Fei Fei" to third-place as he improved to 20 & 7. Last year's Rookie of the Year Petit Mort used the opportunity to slide into sixth-place with a score of 16 & 5. Coal-eyed Frozen Stiff scored his ninth point within one week as he reached 13 & 3 - which took him to tenth-place. Iowa's Breathless got a piece of the action as he rose to 12 & 4 and California's Frank Merriwell zoomed past 40 disappointed Gamesters in the standings as he found his way to 6 & 2.
February 23
Four Gamesters, all familiar names in the Top Ten, went to Zaplana, Slovenia, to collect five points from the former President of that fair nation, Janez Drnovsek. Old peg-leg Pontius held onto the top spot in the standings as he improved to 28 & 8. He is used to holding that lofty spot this early in the season but he is also getting used to seeing that lead evaporate somewhere down the line. In the meantime he'll just keep his eyes glued to his rearview mirror. The merciless High Plains Drifter used the hit to confiscate the second-place spot from the stalled Dr. Tomb. The High Plains Drifter reached a score of 25 & 8 and this cold-blooded, callous Gamester celebrated the hit by, in his own steely-voiced words, "taking my four year-old son out to eat for pancakes." The Sick Puppies served notice that after barely making it into the Top Ten last season, they have reloaded and again will be force to be reckoned with. The twelve time world champions are flexing a lot of muscle early as they rose to fourth-place with a score of 19 & 4. Schrodinger's Cat, who more often that not finish in the Top Ten, shook off some early season rust and flew past a score of Gamesters in the standings as he reached 7 & 2, which at this point is right outside of the Top Twenty.
Same day.. The 7th Street Irregulars, who for years have been causing mayhem as a race car driver on the dirt tracks of Pennsylvania, exhibited his wild abandon in our own forum as he went after one of his own breed, sliding into a one point solo in the form of Paul Frere, a former Formula One driver and widely acclaimed automotive journalist. The ace lifted the dangerous 7th Street Irregulars to 22nd-place as he reached a score of 9 & 5. It was his first solo of the season and the sixth of his Game career.
Yet again same day... Pontius, ever wary of the determined cold blooded group looking to knock him of the top of the Standings, snuck off to Chateauvieux, Loir-et-Cher, France, and pilfered a one point solo on Pearl Cornioley, a WWII French Resistance fighter who, after years of waiting, was awarded the CBE (Commander of the British Empire) medal by the Queen of England in 2004. Cornioley led a large group of Resistance Fighters who harassed the German Army in Occupied France. With the hit Pontius improved to 29 & 9, four points more than the second-place High Plains Drifter. It was his second solo of the season and the 47th solo of his Game career. It also gave him a Drnovsek/Cornioley Daily Double.
February 24 (But not discovered until March 4th)
Seven-year veteran Gamester Omega Travel redefined the meaning of the phrase "stylish hit" with his five point solo on John Phelps, who twice won the World Championship of Hairdressing. In addition to that, Phelps was also a technical consultant for the 2001 film "Blow Dry," and was one of the subjects of the 2007 BBC documentary series "Hair Wars." The hit vaulted Omega Travel to third place and a score of 25 & 6. Phelps was his second solo of the season and the eighth of his career. Omega Travel is currently ranked third for career hits per year with a 14.00 average. A tip of the hair net is certainly due.
Same day (But undiscovered until March 5th)...
Cedar Coffins
scored a dazzling diamond studded, but to be sure obscure, one-point solo on Harry Rodman, who, with his step-son, created the world famous Aurora Collection and the Aurora Butterfly of Peace. They have been exhibited not only at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., but at the Museums of Natural History in both NYC and London. The ace improved Cedar Coffins to a score of 17 & 6 which solidified his hold on tenth place. It was his first solo of the season and the seventh solo of his Game career.February 26
Sixteen-year veteran Gamester Boneyard Dog scored a very stylish four point solo on musician/singer Buddy Miles, who is best remembered as the drummer for Jimi Hendrix's second group the Band of Gypsies. Miles' musical talents went well beyond that (as you can read below). Most of the world heard of Mr. Miles as the voice of the California Raisins in those funky tv commercials. And you thought that was Marvin Gaye. The hit rocked Boneyard Dog up to 10 & 3 and into 18th-place. It was his first solo of the season and the thirteenth of his legendary Game career. All I can say is, "Give that Dog a bone!"
February 27
Seven Gamesters, waving their "Terrible Towels," went to Pittsburgh, PA, assembled by the old Gate D sign of the former Three Rivers Stadium and collected a three point hit from former Steelers radio announcer Myron Cope. He was a legend in his business but before that he had gained fame as a writer for Sports Illustrated and The Saturday Evening Post. The High Plains Drifter, gunning for his first Gran Prix, took a few steps closer to his goal as he reached a score of 28 & 9, just one point behind the leader and into a tie for Most Hits. Those heart-rending Sick Puppies look to be on the rebound from their difficult 2007 season as they used the Cope hit to wriggle into third-place with a 22 & 5 mark that also gave them a Game high QPA of 4.40. El Duce's Revenge, who hails from Wauwatosa *, WI, ascended to eighth-place at 15 & 5, while New Jersey's talented Cedar Coffins climbed into the Top Twenty. Fourth-year Gamester Myra Mains rocketed past 20 stalled others as he arrived at 8 & 2. A complete review of security measures were ordered at Club Nula after it was discovered that both Motel Styx and Chapter E were the latest escapees.
Same day... Chapter E is a sophisticated consumer of sports journalism and literature. Game Central naturally assumed it was due to his tastes that he knew of Myron Cope since Chapter E is not from Pittsburgh. There is no assuming necessary with his pick of W. C. Heinz. Heinz is considered to be a giant in the genre of sports literature. We should mention that along the way W. C. Heinz managed to co-write a little novel titled M*A*S*H. A tip of the sports cap is due as Chapter E scored not only a one point solo on Heinz, but he also managed a stylish Myron Cope/W. C. Heinz four point sports Daily Double. It was the eleventh solo of his Game career.
Yet again the same day... Newly announced presidential contender Ralph Nader celebrated his 74th birthday, but more noteworthy, five very politically minded Gamesters earned a two-point refund from the National Review magazine, provided by William F. Buckley, Jr., it's founder. Mr. Buckley is widely considered to be, and rightfully so, the architect of the modern conservative movement in the United States. Leading the way was none other than Maryland rookie Turf's Up, who improved to 9 & 3, and into a tie for 20th-place with fellow rookie Felted. Second-year Gamester Dead Giveaway, who moved up to 4 & 2 found herself humming the theme song to "Firing Line" all day long. San Diego's Unplugged got his list fired up a bit as he reached 3 & 2. Club Nula lost two residents as Second Line and Snarletta tunneled out together from the right wing of the compound.
March 2
Eight brave Gamesters bundled up, put on their snow shoes and mushed off with their dogsleds to the frozen tundra of Toronto, which, from down here in Florida appears to be a suburb of the North Pole on the weather map. Their trek was a successful one as they found six points from Grammy nominated Canadian jazz and blues rock guitarist and vocalist Jeff Healey who was equally famous in the Land of Frostbite for hosting the popular CBC Radio series "My Kind of Jazz." The massive six point hit made for major renovations of the Top Ten and the implications drifted a bit farther as well. Whence the posse reached their destination and a camp fire was built, it was revealed in the flickering lights of the snow banks that the High Plains Drifter was the new Game leader as he had reached 34 & 10. The diminutive Petit Mort warmed up to the idea of fourth-place while El Duce's Revenge basked in the glow of the burning embers after scoring nine points in five days on his way to the sixth-place level. Dreaming of warmer climes but content with an inner joy were Omega Travel at seventh-place and Cedar Coffins at tenth. Divinely Supine, newly arrived at the twelfth-place level, threw a polar bear bone to her huskies and the newly resurgent Sleeps With Fishes found happiness upon taking over fifteenth. Stonesdoug, who has seen live performances by almost every musician scored upon this year, finally found traction and bolted out of Club Nula like he was being chased by the Hell's Angels.
March 3
Five veteran Gamesters tossed their opera glasses into the air upon arriving in Italy where they earned a melodic deuce from Guiseppe di Stefano, who was, according to the Los Angeles Times, "an Italian lyric tenor who was a celebrated singing partner of soprano Maria Callas and a role model for the late Luciano Pavarotti." The five Gamesters who scored are a very veteran group - they have a combined 97 years of play in their resumes. Dr. Tomb, who briefly held the lead earlier this season, made a move back toward the top of the scoreboard as he improved to 23 & 6, which boosted him into third place. Wordsmith Mme. Morte, who recently scored her 75th career hit, rose to 7 & 3. Flatliners, a member of the notorious Arkansas Gang, who should reach 400 career points this season, climbed to 7 & 4. Demento Morte, who resides just down the road from Bellevue (WA), scored her second hit of the year. El Chileno, now in his twenty-third season of play, ended sixty-three days of utter frustration as he escaped from Club Nula.
Detailed Hits and Standings for 2008 [January] [February] [March] [April] [May] [June] [July] [August] [September] [October] [November] [December]
Take me back to Play-by-Play.
Take me back to 2007.
Take me Home.