# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/61 "2010-02-13T05:59:22Z")
PT Barnum 5, cruel man Tesla 5 American? ---
**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 13, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/62 "2010-02-13T14:03:57Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > …Tesla 5 American? Yes. Born to Serbian parents in the then-Austrian Empire; moved to New York to work for Edison and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1891 at the age of 35. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/63 "2010-02-13T14:04:24Z")
Bruce Catton John Coltrane Walt Disney Robert Frost George Gershwin Jim Henson Walt Kelly Babe Ruth Carl Sagan Frank Lloyd Wright ---
**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 13, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/64 "2010-02-13T15:34:44Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > PT Barnum 5, cruel man > Tesla 5 American? Tesla did all of his work here. He was a great electrical engineer and inventor. He lived most of his life in America and of course died in NYC. Sadly after his years of great invention he veered into benign madness but what he did over a 20 year period is still breath-taking. Not in my top 5 by any means but surely deserving to remain a while in this game. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/65 "2010-02-13T16:03:41Z")
I know all about Tesla, but to claim someone who was born and raised outside America and didn’t move here until he was 21 and didn’t become a citizen until he was 35 just doesn’t fit my person criteria so that is why I voted that way. ---
**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 13, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/66 "2010-02-13T17:25:19Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I know all about Tesla, but to claim someone who was born and raised outside America and didn’t move here until he was 21 and didn’t become a citizen until he was 35 just doesn’t fit my person criteria so that is why I voted that way. From the OP in the setup thread: “Naturalized (but not honorary) U.S. citizens are eligible for nomination, even if they were more famous for things done as citizens of another country.” ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/67 "2010-02-13T17:28:37Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > From the OP in the setup thread: “Naturalized (but not honorary) U.S. citizens are eligible for nomination, even if they were more famous for things done as citizens of another country.” That’s fine. My votes are by my criteria. ---
**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 13, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/68 "2010-02-13T18:26:11Z")
Nixon **X4** Walt Kelly **X3** PT Barnum **X2** Frank Lloyd Wright **X1** ---
**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 13, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/69 "2010-02-13T22:16:43Z")
One vote each against: Henry Bergh Daniel Bliss John Coltrane John Franklin Enders Kurt Gödel Jim Henson Walt Kelly Jesse Owens Carl Sagan Walt Whitman ---
**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 14, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/70 "2010-02-14T00:24:31Z")
3 votes each: John Coltrane: Musician, composer Langston Hughes: Harlem Renaissance poet Walt Kelly: “Pogo” creator, humorist 1 vote: Richard Nixon ---
**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 14, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/71 "2010-02-14T02:12:21Z")
Five on Margaret Sanger-racist eugenicist Five on Tecumseh-fought America and thus not really American. Equivalent to having Benedict Arnold or Jefferson Davis on the list. ---
**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 14, 2010, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/72 "2010-02-14T08:00:08Z")
Richard Nixon Richard Nixon Richard Nixon Richard Nixon Richard Nixon Cesar Chavez Joshua Chamberlain Richard Feynman Jim Henson John Coltrane > [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Equivalent to having Benedict Arnold or Jefferson Davis on the list. You may want to do a little digging before casting such a heavy hand against Benedict Arnold. Arnold’s skills before his treason were instrumental in the American routing of Burgoyne at Saratoga which some believe led to French support for the American Revolution. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/73 "2010-02-14T08:18:25Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Five on Tecumseh-fought America and thus not really American. Equivalent to having Benedict Arnold or Jefferson Davis on the list. Does this mean you’re basically going to go out on a little crusade to get rid of all three of the Native American Leaders since each of them stood up or fought vs. the US Government in some form? Starting your own little trail of tears are you? ---
**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 14, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/74 "2010-02-14T17:36:09Z")
George Patton George Patton George Patton George Patton George Patton Orson Welles Orson Welles Orson Welles Orson Welles Orson Welles ---
**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 14, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/75 "2010-02-14T20:37:26Z")
**John D. Rockefeller** x10 ---
**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 14, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/76 "2010-02-14T21:55:10Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **John D. Rockefeller** x10 For this second round, you may use no more than five votes for any individual. ---
**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 14, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/77 "2010-02-14T22:08:57Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > For this second round, you may use no more than five votes for any individual. **John D. Rockefeller** x5 Andrew Jackson x4 Nixon x1 ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/78 "2010-02-15T10:45:28Z")
**Daniel Bliss Bruce Catton Robert Frost Andrew Jackson Helen Keller Audie Murphy Richard Nixon John D Rockefeller Babe Ruth Orson Welles** ---
**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 15, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/79 "2010-02-15T13:53:42Z")
Vote count as of Gyrate’s post: 1 Richard Nixon 25 2 PT Barnum 13 3 Andrew Jackson 10 3 Walt Kelly 10 5 Jim Henson 8 5 Frank Lloyd Wright 8 7 Daniel Bliss 7 7 Nikola Tesla 7 9 John Coltrane 6 9 John D. Rockefeller 6 9 Babe Ruth 6 9 Margaret Sanger 6 9 Orson Welles 6 John Adams 5 George Patton 5 Tecumseh 5 Carl Sagan 4 Bruce Catton 4 Langston Hughes 3 Joshua Chamberlain 3 Henry Bergh 2 Carrie Chapman Catt 2 Walt Disney 2 Richard Feynman 2 Robert Frost 2 Jesse Owens 2 Elvis Presley 2 Cesar Chavez John Franklin Elders George Gershwin Kurt Godel Helen Keller John F. Kennedy Audie Murphy Jim Thorpe Walt Whitman ---
**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 15, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/80 "2010-02-15T13:55:39Z")
As a side note, I think the 5 vote limit works pretty well; nobody on the current to-be-eliminated list was placed there by a single voter, and several of them accumulated their votes mainly in 1s and 2s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423.md?page=5)