Jeopardy! Battle of the Decades

The Jeopardy! Battle of the Decades was a special 5-week tournament airing throughout the 30th season of the television game show Jeopardy! to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the daily syndicated version of the show, hosted by Alex Trebek. The tournament involved 45 previously successful Jeopardy! contestants split into three groups based on the time period of their initial appearance on the program.[1] Though the groups roughly represented 1984-1993, 1994–2003, and 2004–2013, they were referred to as the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, respectively. The tournament's 1980s round began airing on February 3, 2014 with the tournament's final episode airing that year on May 16, covering 25 shows in total.[2] The tournament's grand prize was US$1,000,000.[1] Brad Rutter won the $1,000,000 cash prize, once again giving Rutter the highest game-show winnings in history.

Background

The Battle of the Decades was conceived by Jeopardy! executive producer Harry Friedman. Knowing that the Trebek version was nearing its 30th anniversary, he and other producers of the program contacted every still-living Jeopardy! contestant who had ever participated in a Tournament of Champions to see if they would be interested in making another appearance on the program. The many people who expressed interest were asked to submit a video and an essay of several paragraphs, discussing why they should reappear.[3] In the end, the list was narrowed down to 45 contestants, with 15 players from each "decade" the Trebek version had been airing.[1]

For each "decade," one participant was selected by the viewers in an online poll on the show's Twitter account and official website, with the choices coming from a producer-created shortlist.[4]

The tournament was played in four separate rounds. Three preliminary rounds were played, one per "decade"; in each round, the 15 participants from that "decade" competed against each other in a series of five games. Only the winner of each game advanced, while the other players received $5,000 each. The fourth and final round was played according to the show's traditional two-week tournament format, with a week of quarterfinal games between the 15 winners from the preliminary rounds. Each of these five games included one player from every "decade." The winners advanced, as did the four non-winners with the highest scores (the "wild card" positions). The nine remaining players competed in three semifinal games (though the decades were now ignored for the seeding), and only the winners advanced to the two-game final match. The finalists' scores over both games were added to determine the overall standings, with $1 million awarded for first place, $100,000 for second, and $50,000 for third. Players eliminated in the semifinals and quarterfinals received $25,000 and $10,000, respectively.

Contestants

1980s bracket

Contestants in the 1980s bracket of the tournament initially appeared on Jeopardy! from 1985 to 1993.[5]

Name Season(s) Original J! Winnings BotD Finish
& Winnings		 J! Career
Winnings
India Cooper 8 (1991) $68,400 Invitee ($5,0001) $129,400
Richard Cordray 3 (1987) $40,303 Invitee ($02) $45,3032
Tom Cubbage 5 (1989) $26,600 Semi-Finalist ($25,000) $161,600
Chuck Forrest 2 (1985) $72,800 Semi-Finalist ($0) $253,000
Leslie Frates 7 (1991) $56,099 Invitee ($5,000) $103,599
Phoebe Juel 9 (1993) $28,000 Invitee ($5,000) $43,000
Mark Lowenthal 4 (1988) $49,901 Quarter-Finalist ($10,000) $169,901
Tom Nosek 9 (1992) $65,640 Quarter-Finalist ($10,000) $194,240
Leszek Pawlowicz 8 (1991) $75,400 Semi-Finalist ($25,000) $205,400
Jim Scott 7 (1990) $49,300 Invitee ($5,000) $159,300
Leslie Shannon (Miller) 9 (1992) $64,300 Invitee ($5,000) $99,300
Frank Spangenberg 6 (1990) $102,597 Invitee ($5,000) $274,596
Jerome Vered 8 (1992) $96,801 Invitee ($5,000) $499,102
Bob Verini 3 (1987) $46,802 Invitee ($5,000) $276,802
Andrew Westney 7 (1991) $25,000 Invitee ($5,000) $36,000

1990s bracket

Contestants in the 1990s bracket of the tournament initially appeared on Jeopardy! from 1993 to 2002.[5]

Name Season(s) Original J! Winnings BotD Finish
& Winnings		 J! Career
Winnings
Dave Abbott 14 (1998) $68,599 Invitee ($5,000) $178,599
Robin Carroll 16 (2000) $64,100 Quarter-Finalist ($10,000) $299,100
Jill Bunzendahl Chimka 18 (2002) $85,099 Invitee ($5,000) $101,099
Mark Dawson 18 (2001) $52,599 Quarter-Finalist ($10,000) $385,849
Mike Dupée 12 (1996) $66,401 Invitee ($5,000) $203,901
Bob Harris 14 (1997) $58,000 Invitee ($5,000) $174,400
Fritz (Ryan) Holznagel 11 (1994) $49,413 Invitee ($5,000) $184,413
Dan Melia 13/14 (1997) $75,600 Invitee ($5,000) $252,801
Pam Mueller 17 (2000) $50,000 Semi-Finalist ($25,000) $182,201
Claudia Perry 13 (1997) $45,303 Invitee ($5,000) $80,303
Brad Rutter 17 (2000) $55,102 Winner ($1,000,000) $4,455,102
Rachael Schwartz 10 (1993) $37,499 Quarter-Finalist ($10,000) $162,499
Babu Srinivisan 17 (2001) $75,100 Invitee ($5,000) $100,100
Eddie Timanus 16 (1999) $69,700 Invitee ($5,000) $94,700
Shane Whitlock 12 (1996) $32,800 Invitee ($5,0001) $98,200

2000s bracket

Contestants in the 2000s bracket of the tournament initially appeared on Jeopardy! from 2003 to 2012.[5]

Name Season(s) Original J! Winnings BotD Finish
& Winnings		 J! Career
Winnings
Vijay Balse 26 (2010) $82,400 Invitee ($5,000) $339,400
Colby Burnett 29 (2012) $100,000 Semi-Finalist ($25,000) $375,000
Roger Craig 27 (2010) $230,200 3rd Place ($50,000) $531,200
Celeste DiNucci 22 (2006) $83,601 Invitee ($5,000) $339,601
Michael Falk 22 (2006) $59,403 Invitee ($5,000) $315,403
Stephanie Jass 29 (2012) $147,570 Invitee ($5,000) $164,570
Ken Jennings 20/21 (2004) $2,520,700 2nd Place ($100,000) $3,422,700
Vinita Kailasanth 18 (2001)5 $50,000 Invitee ($5,000) $90,000
Tom Kavanaugh 22 (2006) $142,602 Invitee ($5,000) $154,602
Larissa Kelly 24 (2008) $222,597 Invitee ($5,000) $328,597
Tom Nissley 27 (2010) $235,405 Invitee ($5,000) $341,405
Dan Pawson 24 (2007) $170,902 Quarter-Finalist ($10,000) $431,902
Russ Schumacher 20 (2003) $64,800 Semi-Finalist ($25,000) $345,800
Maria Wenglinsky 22 (2005) $122,300 Invitee ($5,0001) $139,300
Keith Whitener 29 (2012) $147,597 Invitee ($5,000) $253,597

Tournament and game results

1980s week results

Game Air Date 1st Place 2nd Place ($5,000) 3rd Place ($5,000) Clues and Summary
(from the J! Archive)
Name Score Name Score Name Score
6766 February 3, 2014 Chuck Forrest $33,400 Jim Scott $6,200 India Cooper $2,000 Game Summary
6767 February 4, 2014 Leszek Pawlowicz $28,000 Andrew Westney $27,200 Leslie Frates $3,999 Game Summary
6768 February 5, 2014 Tom Nosek $7,201 Richard Cordray $5,200 Leslie Shannon (Miller) $0 Game Summary
6769 February 6, 2014 Mark Lowenthal $9,000 Frank Spangenberg $7,199 Phoebe Juel $2,100 Game Summary
6770 February 7, 2014 Tom Cubbage $16,801 Jerome Vered $10,000 Bob Verini $1,999 Game Summary

1990s week results

Game Airdate 1st Place 2nd Place ($5,000) 3rd Place ($5,000) Clues and Summary
(from the J! Archive)
Name Score Name Score Name Score
6786 March 3, 2014 Rachael Schwartz $7,900 Eddie Timanus $7,700 Babu Srinivasan $0 Game Summary
6787 March 4, 2014 Pam Mueller $17,000 Fritz (Ryan) Holznagel $11,603 Dan Melia $9,700 Game Summary
6788 March 5, 2014 Robin Carroll $11,200 Shane Whitlock $7,999 Bob Harris $0 Game Summary
6789 March 6, 2014 Mark Dawson $15,599 Claudia Perry $11,600 Dave Abbott $5,199 Game Summary
6790 March 7, 2014 Brad Rutter $30,600 Mike Dupée $28,300 Jill Bunzendahl Chimka $03 Game Summary

2000s week results

Game Air Date 1st Place 2nd Place ($5,000) 3rd Place ($5,000) Clues and Summary
(from the J! Archive)
Name Score Name Score Name Score
6806 March 31, 2014 Colby Burnett $16,201 Celeste DiNucci $14,801 Tom Nissley $13,400 Game Summary
6807 April 1, 2014 Roger Craig $17,601 Vijay Balse $17,600 Stephanie Jass $15,600 Game Summary
6808 April 2, 2014 Russ Schumacher $15,400 Larissa Kelly $14,799 Tom Kavanaugh $0 Game Summary
6809 April 3, 2014 Ken Jennings $23,600 Michael Falk $2,400 Vinita Kailasanath $1,600 Game Summary
6810 April 4, 2014 Dan Pawson $12,700 Maria Wenglinsky $3,100 Keith Whitener $1 Game Summary

Quarterfinal results

Game Air Date 1st place 2nd place ($10,000) 3rd place ($10,000) Clues and Summary
(from the J! Archive)
Name Score Name Score Name Score
6831 May 5, 2014 Roger Craig $22,078 Leszek Pawlowicz $15,000 Robin Carroll $0 Game Summary
6832 May 6, 2014 Russ Schumacher $16,700 Pam Mueller $14,798 Tom Nosek $2,400 Game Summary
6833 May 7, 2014 Brad Rutter $32,400 Dan Pawson $399 Mark Lowenthal $300 Game Summary
6834 May 8, 2014 Ken Jennings $40,000 Tom Cubbage $19,500 Rachael Schwartz $7,600 Game Summary
6835 May 9, 2014 Chuck Forrest $11,900 Colby Burnett $11,000 Mark Dawson $8,600 Game Summary

Semifinal results

Game Air Date 1st Place 2nd Place ($25,000) 3rd Place ($25,000) Clues and Summary
(from the J! Archive)
Name Score Name Score Name Score
6836 May 12, 2014 Ken Jennings $30,401 Chuck Forrest $26,200 Russ Schumacher $0 Game Summary
6837 May 13, 2014 Brad Rutter $32,800 Leszek Pawlowicz $10,399 Tom Cubbage $8,592 Game Summary
6838 May 14, 2014 Roger Craig $12,799 Colby Burnett $4,099 Pam Mueller $1,595 Game Summary

Final results

Game Air Date 1st Place ($1,000,000) 2nd Place ($100,000) 3rd Place ($50,000) Clues and Summary
(from the J! Archive)
Name Score Name Score Name Score
6839 May 15, 2014 Brad Rutter $10,000 Ken Jennings $7,000 Roger Craig –$8004 Game Summary
6840 May 16, 2014 $11,800 $599 $4,000 Game Summary
Total $21,800 $7,599 $4,000  

Notes

^1 Cooper, Whitlock, and Wenglinsky were selected as the standby players for the quarter-finals and were part of the traveling contingent for the quarter-finals taping. In Jeopardy! tournaments, standby players usually are the next highest scoring player on eligibility lists. For this tournament, one eliminated player from each of the 3 preliminary weeks was chosen by producers as the standby player.
^2 Politicians and political appointees are ineligible to participate on Jeopardy! Since Richard Cordray was director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at the time of taping and broadcast of the show, he was ineligible to receive the $5,000 consolation prize all invitees who lost their preliminary game received. It is unknown if the money was donated to a charity of the producer's choice (which is typical for politicians that play during Power Players Week) or forfeited. Although ineligible, Cordray's $5,000 count towards his career earnings total.
^3 This contestant did not qualify to play Final Jeopardy! because he or she had a zero score at the end of Double Jeopardy!.
^4 This contestant did not qualify to play Final Jeopardy! because he or she finished Double Jeopardy! with a negative score.
^5 Vinita Kailasanth originally competed on Jeopardy! in 2001, which was part of the "1990s decade" for the first round groupings, but as her Tournament of Champions appearances weren't until 2004, she was included in the 2000s decade games.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bowe, Jillian (September 16, 2013). "Jeopardy! Stages Battle of the Decades Tourney for 30th Anniversary". Zap2it. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  2. ↑ "80's Week kicks off Jeopardy! Battle of the Decades Tournament". WDBJ. February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Here's How We Created the Most Exciting Jeopardy! Tournament in 30 Seasons!". Jeopardy! News on Tumblr (Sony Pictures Digital/Jeopardy Productions). August 10, 2014.
  4. ↑ Sharp, Darinda (September 16, 2013). "Arkansas 'Jeopardy!' Champion One of Five Fan Favorite Candidates for Decades Tournament". University of Arkansas Newswire. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Darinda. "Jeopardy! Battle of the Decades: About the Tournament". Sony Pictures Digital/Jeopardy Productions. Retrieved February 26, 2014.

External links

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