# Greatest American elimination game (game thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 10, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423 "2010-02-10T15:08:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/261 "2010-02-24T18:15:49Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > This is painful… And oooo, ouch, it’s not going to get any easier. My votes: Henry Bergh Chief Joseph Ralph Waldo Emerson Robert Frost George Gershwin Langston Hughes Helen Keller James Madison John J. Pershing Upton Sinclair ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/262 "2010-02-24T18:17:28Z")
Thomas Edison x2 George Gershwin x2 Langston Hughes Eleanor Roosevelt x2 Harry Truman Daniel Webster Orville and Wilbur Wright > [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Maybe after that we’ll go with five votes each, and no more than one on any individual. What do you think? This sounds like a very good change for future rounds. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/263 "2010-02-24T18:32:00Z")
All of these were undoubtably great American figures, but it’s time they went. And losing Jefferson–not to mention Einstein, especially after the History Channel program on the Manhattan Project last night–still smarts. Henry Bergh Chief Joseph John Franklin Enders Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. John J. Pershing Will Rogers William Seward Upton Sinclair Jim Thorpe Daniel Webster I don’t see me moving these around much–unless some jackasses decide it’s time to evict Lincoln or some fool thing. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/264 "2010-02-24T19:24:00Z")
Since von Neumann was the only one of my six picks to go in the last round, I’ll just double down on each of the remaining ones: Helen Keller 2 Will Rogers 2 Jonas Salk 2 William Seward 2 Daniel Webster 2 ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/265 "2010-02-24T19:35:09Z")
Helen Keller 2 Jim Thorpe 2 Ralph Waldo Emerson Chief Joseph Henry Bergh William Lloyd Garrison Jackie Robinson Harriet Tubman ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/266 "2010-02-24T21:51:17Z")
Interesting so far. It seems that most Great Americans left have someone who wants them off. Henry Bergh: Saved children, animals 9 Helen Keller: Redefined language, mind 6 Chief Joseph (Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt): Leader, peacemaker, tactician 5 George Gershwin: Prolific, versatile composer 5 John J. Pershing: Top WWI general 4 Will Rogers: Humorist, social commentator 4 Jim Thorpe: Native American athlete 4 Daniel Webster: Orator, advocate, statesman 4 Ralph Waldo Emerson: Philosopher, writer 3 William Seward: Diplomat; bought Alaska 3 Thomas Edison: Inventor, workaholic 2 Robert Frost: Greatest American poet 2 Langston Hughes: Harlem Renaissance poet 2 Eleanor Roosevelt: Reformer, writer, advocate 2 Jonas Salk: Polio vaccine inventor 2 Upton Sinclair: Author, muckraker 2 John Franklin Enders: Modern vaccines pioneer 1 William Lloyd Garrison: Abolitionist, writer 1 Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.: Supreme Court Justice 1 James Madison: President, Framer, statesman 1 Edgar Allan Poe: Poet, writer, critic 1 Jackie Robinson: Athlete, activist, inspiration 1 Harry Truman: President, statesman 1 Harriet Tubman: Civil rights advocate 1 Earl Warren: Chief Justice, governor 1 Walt Whitman: Civil War poet 1 Orville and Wilbur Wright: Aviation pioneers, inventors 1 Those without votes–see how long this lasts: Susan B. Anthony: Suffrage activist George Washington Carver: Agricultural botanist Frederick Douglass: Abolitionist, orator Dwight D. Eisenhower: President, war hero Benjamin Franklin: Scientist, statesman, inventor Martin Luther King Jr.: Preacher, orator, humanitarian Lewis and Clark (Meriwether and William, resp.): Louisiana Purchase explorers Abraham Lincoln: President, emancipator, writer George Marshall: General, diplomat, statesman John Marshall: Fourth Chief Justice Thomas Paine: Political theorist, pamphleteer Franklin D. Roosevelt: President, reformer, statesman Theodore Roosevelt: President, conservationist, statesman Sitting Bull: Indian leader, warrior Henry David Thoreau: Poet, naturalist, philosopher Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens): Humorist, “Huckleberry Finn” George Washington: President, general, statesman Roger Williams: Statesman, religious leader ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/267 "2010-02-24T21:53:09Z")
My votes: Henry Bergh: Saved children, animals Robert Frost: Greatest American poet (X2) George Gershwin: Prolific, versatile composer Langston Hughes: Harlem Renaissance poet Helen Keller: Redefined language, mind (X2) Will Rogers: Humorist, social commentator William Seward: Diplomat; bought Alaska Upton Sinclair: Author, muckraker This is getting tough ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/268 "2010-02-25T00:16:39Z")
Henry Bergh 4 John Franklin Enders 2 William Lloyd Garrison 2 Roger Williams 2 ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/269 "2010-02-25T00:41:16Z")
Five votes for George Gershwin. Five votes for Sitting Bull. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/270 "2010-02-25T00:54:32Z")
Upton Sinclair x3 William Lloyd Garrison x3 Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. x2 Ralph Waldo Emerson x2 ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/271 "2010-02-25T00:58:37Z")
Lewis and Clark (Meriwether and William, resp.) – 4 Robert Frost – 3 Jim Thorpe – 3 ---
**Author:** ![Stowed\_Bob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stowed_bob/32/3312_2.png) [@Stowed\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stowed_Bob)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/272 "2010-02-25T01:27:14Z")
Thomas Edison x2 Robert Frost x2 Orville and Wilbur Wright x2 Henry David Thoreau x2 Helen Keller x1 Lewis and Clark (Meriwether and William, resp.)x1 ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/273 "2010-02-25T02:17:42Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Five votes for George Gershwin. > > Five votes for Sitting Bull. You likely missed this, but up-thread it was requested that you provide multiple votes in the following format, to make it easier on the tallyer: Joe Schmoe 5 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/274 "2010-02-25T16:29:51Z")
Standings update: 1 Henry Bergh 14 2 George Gershwin 11 3 Robert Frost 9 3 Helen Keller 9 5 Jim Thorpe 7 6 Upton Sinclair 6 6 William Lloyd Garrison 6 8 Sitting Bull 5 8 Ralph Waldo Emerson 5 8 Chief Joseph 5 8 Lewis and Clark 5 8 Will Rogers 5 Thomas Edison 4 John J. Pershing 4 William Seward 4 Daniel Webster 4 John Franklin Enders 3 Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. 3 Langston Hughes 3 Orville and Wilbur Wright 3 Eleanor Roosevelt 2 Jonas Salk 2 Henry David Thoreau 2 James Madison Edgar Allan Poe Jackie Robinson Harry Truman Harriet Tubman Earl Warren Walt Whitman ---
**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:** [February 25, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/275 "2010-02-25T16:35:05Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Maybe after that we’ll go with five votes each, and no more than one on any individual. What do you think? If we change to five votes each, then each vote becomes the equivalent of two, unless a bunch of new people start voting. So I say keep it at 10. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/276 "2010-02-25T16:42:32Z")
Sitting Bull x2 Chief Joseph x2 Lewis and Clark x2 Will Rogers x2 John J. Pershing x2 ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/277 "2010-02-25T16:42:55Z")
Both of these ones I feel have made it as far as they should go. Also, Webster was on the list but Clay wasn’t, strange. Eleanor Roosevelt 5 Daniel Webster 5 ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/278 "2010-02-25T16:44:00Z")
Odd that Emerson seems to be going before Thoreau. Thoreau is more romanticised, but Emerson was far more influential. Also a little sad that Gershwin is going so early. It certainly does suck that the guy who probably did more than anyone to define America’s musical culture is getting bounced, but I guess he had to go sometime. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/279 "2010-02-25T16:45:36Z")
> [@Red\_Skeezix](#): > > Both of these ones I feel have made it as far as they should go. Also, Webster was on the list but Clay wasn’t, strange. Clay was one of the ones Elendil specifically considered adding after all the nominations were in (along with US Grant). I’d throw George Kennan in as an oversight. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/280 "2010-02-25T16:45:52Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > If we change to five votes each, then each vote becomes the equivalent of two, unless a bunch of new people start voting. So I say keep it at 10. I disagree. The wholesale culling we’ve been doing was good to get the game to a managable size, but now it’s time to be more selective. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423.md?page=15)