# Celebrity Death Pool 2017 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2016, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517 "2016-12-01T07:00:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/461 "2017-01-06T02:47:11Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Remember when we had two deaths on New Year’s Day? None were mine. dammit ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/462 "2017-01-06T02:59:03Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Remember when we had two deaths on New Year’s Day? [del]Pepperidge farms[/del] I remember. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/463 "2017-01-06T06:14:13Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Remember when we had two deaths on New Year’s Day? I had one of them, Jeff Golub. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/464 "2017-01-06T10:54:00Z")
I think the other was Mario Cuomo. Since we couldn’t determine who had passed first two players shared the Opening Kickoff award. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/465 "2017-01-06T12:35:58Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > I had one of them, Jeff Golub. I didn’t have the heart; I like his music. Yes, I am unworthy to play. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/466 "2017-01-06T13:25:54Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I didn’t have the heart; I like his music. > > Yes, I am unworthy to play. I understand this. It’s why I could never pick Betty White. It’s just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/467 "2017-01-06T15:48:18Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Remember when we had two deaths on New Year’s Day? Slightly related question – what is the latest date until we had the first points posted here? Did we ever make it into February before someone we picked died? ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/468 "2017-01-06T16:39:54Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Slightly related question – what is the latest date until we had the first points posted here? Did we ever make it into February before someone we picked died? [Baker’s post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19822663&postcount=21) lists all the Death Pool Threads. Not sure there is an answer unless you or someone goes through all the years and documents this… Would be interesting to have a list of “records” (by year) of: Days to first pick Total picks Total points Total unique picks ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/469 "2017-01-06T16:46:52Z")
Bollywood legend [Om Puri dies](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/om-puri-dies-east-is-east-white-teeth-actor-narendra-modi-leads-tributes-a7512406.html) at 34 points. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/470 "2017-01-06T16:48:02Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Slightly related question – what is the latest date until we had the first points posted here? Did we ever make it into February before someone we picked died? Good question. In 2014, Quartz won the Opening Kickoff award with Paul Goggins, a British MP who died on January 7 of that year. That’s a bit later than in 2015 and 2016, when the first points were scored on Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, respectively. I’m working my way back to see what happened in earlier years. ETA: 2013 was another Jan. 1 year, but in 2012, Bill Janklow didn’t kick off until January 12. Five or six players had him. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/471 "2017-01-06T17:20:42Z")
Longtime human rights activist [Jeremy Stone](http://www.pressherald.com/2017/01/06/jeremy-stone-arms-control-human-rights-activist-dies/) died at 81. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/472 "2017-01-06T17:35:36Z")
Continuing: In 2011, the Opening Kickoff was on Jan. 4. But in 2010, it wasn’t until January 21 that the first points were scored by **Registered At Last** for the death of Paul Quarrington, a Canadian novelist, playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker, and musician. 2009: Jan. 2 2008: Jan. 3 2007: Jan. 2 2006: Jan. 6 2005: Jan. 6 2004: Jan. 5 2003: Jan. 18 (Virginia Heinlein) 2002: \* 2001: Jan. 26 (Al McGuire) 2000: Feb. 12 (Tom Landry, Charles Schulz) TL; DR version: there have only been a couple of years from 2004 on when the first points weren’t scored in the first week. And before then, it was a much smaller game. - There are no posts in the 2002 thread between 12/6/2001 and 3/11/2002. I’m assuming that was the infamous Winter of Our Missed Content. So there’s no way to tell who got the first points. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/473 "2017-01-06T23:29:11Z")
I wonder if people with more obscure picks are desperately checking them. The tension sure is mounting. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/474 "2017-01-07T02:22:09Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I wonder if people with more obscure picks are desperately checking them. The tension sure is mounting. Nah, I just have Google searches on them, that inform me two days after players post the deaths. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/475 "2017-01-07T02:23:30Z")
Besides, my obscure picks were swiped, because I posted early in case management decided they were too obscure. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/476 "2017-01-07T02:56:28Z")
Shoot, one of mine is 97. All female this year, and unique I believe. They are the oldest surviving women who won the title of Miss America. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/477 "2017-01-07T04:08:09Z")
A New York City hero and well know figure (celebrity seems trite) has died Detective Stephen McDonald suffered a heart attack and my contacts in the NYPD are saying he has passed away. McDonald was shot and paralyzed in 1986. He’s been on a respirator ever since. His strength of character and resiliency were an inspiration. He remained an active member of the NYPD until his death. His son who was born a few months after he was shot is now a NYPD sergeant. Stephen McDonald was 59. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/478 "2017-01-07T10:59:29Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Besides, my obscure picks were swiped, because I posted early in case management decided they were too obscure. 🙂 Yeah, I had to make a conscious effort not to vulture your list wholesale, because the picks were so interesting; I had a fun time Googling the names I didn’t know. I did wind up swiping Angelo Bissessarsingh from your list, and took Turki al-Binali from **Clams** ’ excellent list of people we’d all really, _really_ like to see leave this world in a hurry - I wish him much success! I think that was the extent of my vulturing the picks of anyone in particular this year. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/479 "2017-01-07T15:15:26Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Besides, my obscure picks were swiped, because I posted early in case management decided they were too obscure. 🙂 It would be interesting to (Attempt to) track the appearance of follow-up picks after a list with unique picks is posted. Looking back, the only one I can think of that was potentially “poachable” was Ben Suisala, but he was disallowed. Not sure we ever discussed “posting strategies” in the history of the game. Personally, I keep a note/list on my iPhone throughout the year, hunker down in mid-December, then wait and worry until late in the evening on the 31st, setting an alarm for 30 minutes prior to the deadline. I figure that alternative picks can serve in place of contested picks, and posting a late list is better than showing my hand, so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/480 "2017-01-07T15:37:19Z")
Former Survivor Contestant, [Dan Kay](http://people.com/tv/survivor-gabons-dan-kay-dead-at-40/), dead at age 40. He was in the Gabon Season, and last 21 days. I have watched every season of Survivor but I don’t remember this guy. He is the 4th (US) Survivor contestant to have died since the series started. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517.md?page=25)