Honoring style, power and an avoidance of bush play. A look at the Game's first four official seasons, 1971-1974, will tell you why it is called "Doc's Diploma."
1970 - J. Buffalo
Janis Joplin solo, in Game's first unofficial/incomplete year.
1971 - Dr. Death
Duet on Jim Morrison, two race car crashes, Reaper Ribbon with record high 5.71 QPA that stood for 20 years, Gran Prix, Perriman Pennant, Silver Bobcat and Wild Card. Became the first and only gamester to ever lead in Points, Hits and QPA -- the Game's Triple Crown -- a feat he repeated in 1973 and 1974.
1972 - Dr. Death
Scored January 1st and led Wire-to-Wire; hit three solos and the first National Disaster with Earthquake/Iran, 5035 deaths -- just 35 more than needed to qualify; Gran Prix, Perriman Pennant, Silver Bobcat and Wild Card.
1973 - Dr. Death
Five solos, a record that would stand for 22 years, including Wild Card Solo, plus Reaper Ribbon, Gran Prix and Perriman Pennant.
1974 - Dr. Death
Reaper Ribbon, Wild Card, Daily Double, Gran Prix and Perriman Pennant in a stirring come-from-behind victory to close out his career with four victories in four official seasons of play.
1975 - R. Gilbert
Rookie of the Year, Reaper Ribbon, Silver Bobcat, four solos.
1976 - D. Perriman Sr.
Four hits in 12-day June rally, Wild Card, hit on December 31st.
1977 - D. Heath
Reaper Ribbon; assassination solo.
1978 - Ghostwriter
Won Reaper Ribbon with 5.0 QPA; Wild Card Solo.
1979 - Ghostwriter
Tied for Reaper Ribbon with 5.33 QPA; Wild Card Solo.
1980 - J. Batterson
Four stylish solos.
1981 - The Hepners
Strong QPA and inspired list.
1982 - The National Health
Four solos including Wild Card Solo.
1983 - D. Trageser
Three solos including assassination.
1984 - D. Trageser
Let '83 list ride and scored a 5.0 QPA.
1985 - Dead Letter Office
Wild Card; editor cited list's "charm."
1986 - Toujours la Morte
Fielded a list "delighting in flights of fancy."
1988 - e. mcgrath
Inspired, stylish contribution.
1989 - Pontius
Wild Card Solo.
1990 - The National Health
Three solos.
1991 - e. mcgrath
Four solos and National Disaster.
1992 - Dr. Doornail
Reaper Ribbon with 5.2 QPA and Wild Card Solo.
1993 - Sweeney Todd
Four great solos.
1994- Tim Ormortis
Three great solos.
1995 - The National Health
Six solos set a new record for most in one season.1996 - Morituri te Salutamus
One hit, one solo, on Martin Balsam, with their "My Favorite Martin" list, consisting entirely of people with Martin in their name, plus Wild Card, Ray Walston of "My Favorite Martian," and National Disaster, "Volcano/Martinique."1997 - Yule Iggy
Yule Iggy began the year with a solo on author Bohumil Hrabal falling out of a window while trying to feed birds, complemented that hit with John Denver falling out of the sky over Monterey Bay, then capped his year with Chris Farley falling over. He sported a pumped-up 4.17 QPA and showed style all the way.1998 - The Depopulators
In 1998, the Depopulators did something no one else had ever managed -- stroking four hits in one day, including their Wild Card, a solo, and two more hits for good measure. It was the Game's first Grand Slam for a grand total of 16 points in one day, another Game record, and six (6) Daily Doubles.1999 - El Chileno
A shoo-in. El Chileno's list included five solo hits -- on a prince of the church in Chile, a poet in Spain, an educator in the U.S., an author in Argentina, plus a Wild Card Solo on a scheming general -- and a Daily Double that included Joltin' Joe DiMaggio. Just one short of the world's record for solos (6) in a single season, El Chileno showed us great versatility, power and style!2000 - Willie's Will
In a year when QPA's were at an all-time low and homework at an all-time high, plenty of gamesters fell short of this honor. Willie's Will, while not a powerhouse or multiple soloist, managed to finesse it with one-two-three Daily Doubles -- a new Game record -- the last coming on a duet and a solo.2001 - OPEC
OPEC's muscular but stylish list took them into the Top Ten and included great solos on singer/songwriter/riverboat captain John Hartford and on Lorenzo Music, the voice of Garfield and Carlton the Doorman.2002 - Isadora
Isadora could not be denied -- solos on two Baseball Hall of Famers, a solo on the inventor of the running one-handed shot in basketball, a duet on a shortstop who played with eight World Series championship teams, a trio on a college football All-American who led the NFL in rushing in its first two seasons and went on to the U.S. Supreme Court, a duet on the inventor of the three-point seatbelt, and a Wild Card Solo on the "First Lady of Yoga." Varied, robust and stylish, this was a list for the ages.2003 - Tim Ormortis
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2004 - Frozen Stiff
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2005 - Tim Ormortis
2 in 3 years, very stylish. [COLOR FORTHCOMING]
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