Rookie of the Year goes to the newcomer who shows the most promise and style. It can go to the highest scoring rookie, but not always. A good score with a solo or two can beat a higher score from a less stylish list.
1971
R. Schooler had 28 points on seven hits for a 4.0 QPA, plus a solo, and a tie for the Perriman Pennant (Most Hits) with Game co-founder Dr. Death.
1972
(Not Awarded)
1973
B. McArdle scored 17 points on four hits in 1973, but was most notable in Game history for submitting his 1975 list entirely in rhyme. (In the era before alphabetization, this was possible, given an imagination as gifted as that of Mr. McArdle.)
1974
K. Tyner scored 24 points on six hits for a nice 4.0 QPA.
1975
R. Gilbert was style personified and had an extraordinary rookie season. His first four hits were solos -- on Thomas Hart Benton, Josephine Baker, Rod Serling and Dimitri Shostakovich -- capped by a duet on King Faisal to win the Silver Bobcat on August 9. He ended the year, and his career, with 23 points on seven hits, disappearing into the motion picture industry.
1976
N. Percia burst on the scene with a Gran Prix-winning 37 points and seven hits for a Reaper Ribbon-winning 5.28 QPA. She also hit her Wild Card, her National Disaster (Earthquake/Turkey) and the only 10-point solo in Game history (on a Siamese twin who choked on a bean). However, D. Perriman Sr., with eight hits, won the Perriman Pennant and thus thwarted her sweep of the Triple Crown.
1977
Mr. Debris had 20 points on six hits, two of which were solos and another his Wild Card.
1978
The Blacksburg Register, whose late December team meetings are the stuff of legend, debuted with 21 points on five hits, including their National Disaster, for a nice 4.2 QPA.
1979
Capt. Cadaver was one of the Game's most muscular competitors and debuted in keeping with that pattern, scoring 35 points on 8 hits, including his National Disaster, for a 4.37 QPA.
1980
G. Reaper, who became one of the Game's greatest players before his untimely death in 1994, debuted with 29 points and 10 hits.
1981
The team of Winter/Stambach scored 29 points on nine hits, including a solo.
1982
Faintly Macabre scored 19 points on six hits.
1983
Freydis scored 16 points on five hits.
1984
Melba Moorebid scored 25 points on six hits, including her Wild Card, for a nice 4.17 QPA, and went on to chair the Moorebids team, a perennial Game powerhouse.
1985
Annual Clete's Cup contender and super soloist Fire Ants made an auspicious debut with 35 points on 10 hits, two of them solos.
1986
The Obit Writers scored 26 points on seven hits. One of their number went on to become a Game favorite, Lincoln's Brain.
1987
Khmer Rouge didn't do as well as their Cambodian namesakes, but did total 33 points on eight hits, one of them their Wild Card, for a 4.13 QPA.
1988
Blunt Instrument went 25 for five with one solo and a robust 5.0 QPA.
1989
Style masters Morituri te Salutamus hit their first 10 hits in their rookie season, including a solo, for 29 points.
1990
Cala Vera scored 24 points on seven hits.
1991
The Gamesters of Triskelion, named after an appropriate "Star Trek" episode, blew the doors off the Game in 1991, winning the Gran Prix and Perriman Pennant with 42 points and 16 (!) hits, the rookie record.
1992
Nostradahmer scored 21 points on seven hits.
1993
Plug Pullers set a daunting standard for themselves with 41 points, eight hits, a 5.13 QPA and 1993's Hit of the Year, an eight-point solo on River Phoenix. Wow.
1994
Mac scored 27 points on eight hits, including two solos in one month on picks involved in the James Bond film series.
1995
Passing Fancy scored 18 points on five hits, including a very nice solo on British comic actor Peter Cook.1996
Humorbid, the former champion of the DECOMPOSE game, led the freshman class with 34 points and two very nice solos to boot.
1997
Schrodinger's Cat led all rookies with 26 points, 10 hits and a nice solo on composer Burton Lane.
1998
The New York Jets, who immediately changed their name to El Duce's Revenge for the 1999 season, led all other rookies at 35 & 11.
1999
Manolete scored on just his fourth day in the Game, and hit for the cycle as a part of two quartets, a trio, a duet, and then all alone with a solo on Frank DeVol, composer of the themes from "The Brady Bunch" and "My Three Sons." What style!
2000
With the Perriman Pennant (19 hits), a new World's Record for most solos in a single season (8) and Clete's Cup (record tying 1.00 QPA) to his credit, it would have been hard to deny Rookie of the Year honors to L. Epstein.
2001
Granted, his QPA needed some hot soup, but Greyfriars Bobby did win Clete's Cup and did score 13 hits in what was a slow year for most, making a strong run for the Perriman Pennant.
2002
[TO BE LISTED]
2003
Youth in Asia [COLOR TO BE ADDED]
2004
Divinely Supine [COLOR TO BE ADDED]
2005
Lil' Binks, daughter of Game legend Binky Brown, in her only season of play, hit on actor Pat Cranshaw 4 days from the Closing Bell to edge out up-and-comer High Plains Drifter for the honor. "You're my boy, Blue."
Take me back to the Glossary. No, wait, I'd rather go Home.