# 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:** 6
**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 17, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/101 "2010-02-17T15:10:10Z")
**Gyrate** , Jimi Hendrix was voted off in the first round. I’ll put a word in to save John Marshall, the greatest Chief Justice of the United States. Through persuasion, legal skills and intellect, he forged the early Supreme Court into a coequal branch of government and, in writing _Marbury v. Madison_, established the Court’s power to rule on the constitutionality of laws. Over the long term, his work has done more to preserve American liberty than just about anyone else on the list. Anyhow, here’s who remains: John Adams: President, writer, statesman Susan B. Anthony: Suffrage activist Henry Bergh: Saved children, animals Leonard Bernstein: Composer, conductor, educator John Brown: Righteous, inspirational abolitionist Andrew Carnegie: Industrialist, philanthropist Willis Carrier: Air conditioning pioneer George Washington Carver: Agricultural botanist Carrie Chapman Catt: Women’s rights suffragist Bruce Catton: Civil War historian Joshua Chamberlain: Civil War hero Cesar Chavez: Civil rights activist Chief Joseph (Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt): Leader, peacemaker, tactician Aaron Copland: Composer, musician Frederick Douglass: Abolitionist, orator Thomas Edison: Inventor, workaholic Albert Einstein: Scientist, activist Dwight D. Eisenhower: President, war hero Ralph Waldo Emerson: Philosopher, writer John Franklin Enders: Modern vaccines pioneer Philo Farnsworth: TV piorneer, inventor Richard Feynman: Physicist, Renaissance man Benjamin Franklin: Scientist, statesman, inventor Robert Frost: Greatest American poet William Lloyd Garrison: Abolitionist, writer George Gershwin: Prolific, versatile composer Kurt Gödel: Mathematician, incompleteness theorem Alexander Hamilton: Financier, economist, statesman Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.: Supreme Court Justice Langston Hughes: Harlem Renaissance poet Thomas Jefferson: President, Declaration writer Helen Keller: Redefined language, mind John F. Kennedy: President, “New Frontier” Martin Luther King Jr.: Preacher, orator, humanitarian Lewis and Clark (Meriwether and William, resp.): Louisiana Purchase explorers Abraham Lincoln: President, emancipator, writer Douglas MacArthur: WWII general James Madison: President, Framer, statesman George Marshall: General, diplomat, statesman John Marshall: Fourth Chief Justice J.P. Morgan: Financial giant, tycoon Audie Murphy: Decorated soldier, actor Edward R Murrow: Broadcaster Thomas Nast: Editorial cartoonist, muckraker Jesse Owens: Famed Olympic athlete Thomas Paine: Political theorist, pamphleteer George S. Patton: WWII general, orator John J. Pershing: Top WWI general Edgar Allan Poe: Poet, writer, critic James K. Polk: President, statesman Elvis Presley: Rock and Roller Jackie Robinson: Athlete, activist, inspiration Will Rogers: Humorist, social commentator Eleanor Roosevelt: Reformer, writer, advocate Franklin D. Roosevelt: President, reformer, statesman Theodore Roosevelt: President, conservationist, statesman Carl Sagan: Astronomer, science popularizer Jonas Salk: Polio vaccine inventor William Seward: Diplomat; bought Alaska Upton Sinclair: Author, muckraker Sitting Bull: Indian leader, warrior Tecumseh: Indian leader, uniter Henry David Thoreau: Poet, naturalist, philosopher Jim Thorpe: Native American athlete Harry Truman: President, statesman Harriet Tubman: Civil rights advocate Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens): Humorist, “Huckleberry Finn” John von Neumann: Mathematician, scientist, polymath Earl Warren: Chief Justice, governor George Washington: President, general, statesman Daniel Webster: Orator, advocate, statesman Walt Whitman: Civil War poet Eli Whitney: Inventor, cotton gin Roger Williams: Statesman, religious leader Orville and Wilbur Wright: Aviation pioneers, inventors ---
**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 17, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/102 "2010-02-17T15:15:18Z")
… ---
**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 17, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/103 "2010-02-17T15:23:51Z")
Let’s see, [Carrie Chapman Catt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Chapman_Catt) was the president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association when the 19th amendment (giving women the right to vote) was passed; I think I’m not voting for her just yet. [Henry Bergh](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Chapman_Catt) founded the ASPCA, which you might have heard of. Not sure if I’m voting him yet or not. [John Marshall](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Marshall) was the single most influential American jurist in history. I could see someone who thinks that the centralization of the American government or the independence of the judiciary branch was a mistake voting for him; voting for him for his obscurity is just wrong. [John Franklin Enders](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Franklin_Enders) created the techniques Jonas Salk used to develop the polio vaccine. ---
**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 17, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/104 "2010-02-17T15:24:25Z")
My votes: Henry Bergh - too obscure. Leonard Bernstein - a talented musician, but out of his league here. Willis Carrier - I like A/C too, but shouldn’t be on this list. Chief Joseph - a great man but not among the greatest Americans. Kurt Gödel - a great thinker but ditto. Douglas MacArthur x5 - preening glory hound who attacked the Bonus Army marchers, defied civilian authority during the Korean War and richly deserved to be fired by Truman. ---
**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 17, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/105 "2010-02-17T15:29:42Z")
My votes: Carl Sagan 2 Philo Farnsworth 2 Willis Carrier 2 Jesse Owens 2 Jim Thorpe 2 ---
**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 17, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/106 "2010-02-17T15:36:07Z")
Richard Feynman **X2** Kurt Gödel **X2** Douglas MacArthur J.P. Morgan **X2** George S. Patton John von Neumann **X2** ---
**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 17, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/107 "2010-02-17T15:42:46Z")
And, as of Happy’s votes, the current standings: 1 Douglas MacArthur 11 2 John F. Kennedy 6 2 Willis Carrier 6 4 John Adams 5 4 Cesar Chavez 5 4 Tecumseh 5 7 Bruce Catton 4 7 Joshua Chamberlain 4 7 Kurt Godel 4 10 Henry Bergh 3 10 Carrie Chapman Catt 3 10 J.P. Morgan 3 John Franklin Enders 2 Philo Farnsworth 2 Richard Feynman 2 William Lloyd Garrison 2 John Marshall 2 Edward R. Murrow 2 Jesse Owens 2 Elvis Presley 2 Carl Sagan 2 Jim Thorpe 2 John von Neumann 2 Roger Williams 2 Leonard Bernstein Aaron Copland Chief Joseph Thomas Nast George S. Patton James K. Polk ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/108 "2010-02-17T15:51:13Z")
Whoops, missed the first two rounds. Well, here are my votes for round 3: Henry Bergh - Obscure, never heard of the guy prior to this thread. Carrie Chapman Catt - Ditto. Willis Carrier - Ditto. Elvis Presley x5 - Don’t really care for the dude’s music and think he’s vastly overrated. George Patton Douglas MacArthur ---
**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 17, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/109 "2010-02-17T17:31:15Z")
I am voting for: Albert Einstein 2 votes - he did not become an American citizen until he was 61, did not move to the US until he was 54 and did most of his work outside of the United States. A great man, for sure, but not my definition of a great American. (This is my criteria, I understand it is not a rule of this exercise) Kurt Godel 4 votes - Similar to Einstein, but not as influential, IMO. Audie Murphy 2 vote - Don’t really associate him with being among the greatest Americans. John F Kennedy 2 votes ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/110 "2010-02-17T17:43:34Z")
Bergh 2 Bernstein 2 Copland 1 Farnsworth 1 Murphy 1 Presley 2 Thorpe 1 ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/111 "2010-02-17T19:06:41Z")
I’m assuming I can chime in for round 3 if I haven’t voted before? Henry Bergh 2 Roger Williams 2 James K. Polk 1 Willis Carrier 2 Bruce Catton 2 William Seward 1 ---
**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 17, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/112 "2010-02-17T19:16:39Z")
> [@Wilson](#): > > I’m assuming I can chime in for round 3 if I haven’t voted before?.. Of course, and welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/113 "2010-02-17T20:17:58Z")
First time I’m using multiple votes for selected figures: Bruce Catton Bruce Catton Joshua Chamberlain Richard Feynman Richard Feynman Kurt Gödel Kurt Gödel Audie Murphy Carl Sagan Carl Sagan ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/114 "2010-02-17T21:02:28Z")
Bruce Catton 2 Ralph Waldo Emerson: 2 Robert Frost 2 Edward R Murrow 2 Upton Sinclair 2 ---
**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 17, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/115 "2010-02-17T21:51:01Z")
James K Polk Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Chief Joseph Tecumseh Cesar Chavez Kurt Gödel Bruce Catton Aaron Copland Langston Hughes **x2** ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/116 "2010-02-17T22:43:06Z")
Carrie Chapman Catt – 5 Mark Twain – 1 Harriet Tubman – 2 Helen Keller – 2 ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/117 "2010-02-17T23:27:36Z")
5 on Polk 5 on Marshall ---
**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 18, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/118 "2010-02-18T02:47:01Z")
Elvis Presley x2 Carl Sagan x2 George Patton x2 J.P Morgan x2 Douglas MacArthur x2 ---
**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 18, 2010, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/119 "2010-02-18T12:15:26Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > **Gyrate** , Jimi Hendrix was voted off in the first round. Oop! Gimme \*\*J.P. Morgan \*\*instead. ---
**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 18, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/120 "2010-02-18T13:27:27Z")
Current standings (through Gyrate’s re-vote): 1 Douglas MacArthur 14 2 Kurt Godel 11 2 Bruce Catton 11 2 Elvis Presley 11 5 Carrie Chapman Catt 9 5 Willis Carrier 9 7 Henry Bergh 8 7 John F. Kennedy 8 7 James K. Polk 8 10 John Marshall 7 Cesar Chavez 6 Carl Sagan 6 Tecumseh 6 J.P. Morgan 6 John Adams 5 Joshua Chamberlain 5 Richard Feynman 4 Audie Murphy 4 Edward R. Murrow 4 George S. Patton 4 Roger Williams 4 Leonard Bernstein 3 Aaron Copland 3 Philo Farnsworth 3 Jim Thorpe 3 Albert Einstein 2 Ralph Waldo Emerson 2 John Franklin Enders 2 Robert Frost 2 William Lloyd Garrison 2 Langston Hughes 2 Chief Joseph 2 Helen Keller 2 Jesse Owens 2 Upton Sinclair 2 Harriet Tubman 2 John von Neumann 2 Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Thomas Nast William Seward Mark Twain [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423.md?page=7)