h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Welcome to the h2g2 Deathlist Game 2018!

After one of the closest contests in years, I’m happy to announce that the winner of the 2017 contest is The Groob, with a score of 60. The Groob clinched this with the report of Robert Guillaume’s death, which was claimed with two days left of the competition to run.


On to the 2018 game, and here are some stats on this years entries:


For the 2018 contest, 10 entrants have selected a total of 121 celebrities, 24 of which were chosen for the first time.

There are 88 men on the list and 33 women, and the average age is 80.2 years. The oldest picks are Nabi Tajima (117), Herman Wouk (102), and Kirk Douglas & Olivia de Havilland (both 101). The youngest pick is Justin Bieber (23).

Sequences:

Eight celebrities picked in the 2018 game have remained on the same list for 11 years. One is Coelacanth’s pick of Olivia de Havilland, and the other seven are on Mol’s list: Alan Bennett, Barbara Bush, Michael Barrymore, Pete Doherty, Prince Philip, Rolf Harris and Tom Baker.

Deaths in 2017:

Of the celebrities who died in 2017, 44 had been picked at some time or other in the Deathlist game, and 19 of these were correctly picked in 2017. Of those we missed, three were last picked in 2016 (David Rockefeller, Johnny Hallyday and Peter Sallis). Two (Brian Cant and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson) had not been picked since 2007.

The 2006 Originals:

A total of 41 celebrities picked in the first Deathlist game in 2006 are still alive, and 20 were picked again this year. Seven celebrities have been picked in every year since 2006: Barbara Bush, Kirk Douglas, Olivia de Havilland, Pete Doherty, Prince Philip, Stephen Hawking and Vera Lynn. We lost originals Ian Brady, Bruce Forsyth and Liz Dawn in 2017.


And so, without further ado, I declare the 2018 Deathlist Game … open!

Homepage: A87902021
Scoreboard: A87902030
Archive: A87874582

Icy

Hold on, my under 50 isn't right. After Abousamra turned out to be non-qualified, I switched to Daniel Andreas San Diego.

Thanks Bob. Well spotted. I’ll correct that shortly.

Corrected now

I still have a few minor formatting tweaks to make (it's always a rush to get these pages out on 1st Jan). Bear with me. I'll also subscribe the players to the pages, so the entries appear on their home pages.

Before I forget, just a reminder that you announce the deaths of picked celebrities on this thread. Announcements for celebrities not on the list can be recorded here: F22152910?thread=8319026

Icy

Icy. I was just going to request that you add players to the editor list so the game is on our homepages but I see that's on your list of things to do

Happy New Year to everyone, hope it's a healthy one

I'm beginning to feel my picks should be paying me protection money.

Mol

Deathlist Stats Bulletin

A few stats while we wait for the first score of 2018. Today I’m looking at whether we’re collectively getting better at our picks. The answer is a comprehensive ‘yes’ by many measures.

High Scores

Of the 12 players who entered the 2017 contest, 5 players recorded their highest scores in a year (Bluebottle, paulh, Just Bob, Logicus & MMF) and 2 more players recorded their equal highest scores (TC & The Groob). Galaxy Babe’s score of 35 was her highest since 2009.

Shut-outs

MMF, TC and Logicus have never recorded a zero score. Long-standing players The Groob and Coelacanth have one each, but not since 2007 and 2008 respectively. In the past, Demon Drawer played for 10 years (2006-15) without recording a zero.

Rising Average

The average player’s score in a year is just over 18 points, but in the last 3 years the average has been 28.3 (2017), 23.5 (2016) and 27.4 (2015).

***

Icy, all very interesting!

Billy Graham - predicted by logicus

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-43142263

First points this year go to Logicus.

Billy Graham was picked 25 times in this game, including 6 times by Logicus and 4 by Demon Drawer. He had dropped off Bluebottles 2017 list.

Homepage updated: A87902021
Scoreboard updated: A87902030

Icy

It feels like a really late start to the Game. Did you work out which Game had the earliest/latest starts Icy? Doesn't matter if you didn't

I missed this last week. Film director Lewis Gilbert, aged 97.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43217513

We all missed it!

Points to Coelacanth

Homepage updated: A87902021
Scoreboard updated: A87902030

Icy

Stephen Hawking "modern cosmology's brightest star"

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/mar/14/stephen-hawking-professor-dies-aged-76

I have no words

Given all of the problems that he faced, it is amazing that he lived to be 76. And he was never knighted! What an omission.

PP.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43396008

>>In his 2013 memoir he described how he felt when first diagnosed with motor neurone disease. "I felt it was very unfair - why should this happen to me," he wrote. "At the time, I thought my life was over and that I would never realise the potential I felt I had. But now, 50 years later, I can be quietly satisfied with my life."<<

What a legacy - truly one of the greatest minds of all time. I'm honoured to have breathed the same air.

Stephen Hawking, CH, CBE, physicist, accepted CBE and CH but turned down a knighthood because he "does not like titles" (according to Wiki)

And quite an acting career, appearing in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation', 'Futurama', 'The Simpsons', 'The Big Bang Theory', 'Monty Python Live Mostly – One Down Five To Go' and 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Hexagonal Phase'.

<BB<

"What a legacy - truly one of the greatest minds of all time. I'm honoured to have breathed the same air. "

Yes indeed - we are so lucky to have been able to witness his achievements from his incredible books to his media appearances including The Big Bang Theory and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Hexagonal Phase

He is an icon for disabled people, too - not in the sense that the powers that be liked to use him: "if Stephen Hawking can work so can you" - in the sense that he was able to do what he wanted to do because he received the support he needed, so he helped to show that appropriate support makes a great difference to people's quality of life...

Sad loss - I thought he'd go on forever

Here's the Roger Penrose obituary:

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/mar/14/stephen-hawking-obituary

Hawking had been picked 21 times in the past, and in every year since the game started in 2006.

Points to MMF.

Homepage: A87902021
Scoreboard: A87902030

Icy