LOS ANGELES – Jeopardy! contestants generally have a wide range of knowledge on a variety of topics. Perhaps that’s even more so for the select few competing in this year’s Tournament of Champions field.
But one St. Louis Cardinals-inspired answer Wednesday serves as a reminder that everyone is human, even the best of the best.
Three contestants, Tyler Rhode, Brian Chang and Margaret Shelton competed in Wednesday’s episode, the third of six quarterfinal rounds.
In the first round of topics in Wednesday’s game, the contestants were tasked with providing answers on the “Team of the MLB Hall of Famers.” With five prizes worth between $200 and $1,000, it was this $400 selection that stumped the field of players.
“Ozzie Smith, Lou Brock.”
Three seconds after host Ken Jennings introduced their names, none of the contestants provided an answer. Jennings then stated it was the St. Louis Cardinals and noted that, based on facial expressions, it might have crossed Rhode’s mind just after the buzzer.
Avid Cardinals fans and Jeopardy! viewers on Twitter were quick to comment on the swing-and-miss.
“There was a Cardinals question on the Jeopardy Tournament of Champions and nobody got it. Shameful,” said @QuinnSTLCards.
“St. Louis Cardinal fans gonna be very disappointed with the contestants on #Jeopardy tonight,” said @Beerbythepool.
“The people on Jeopardy just now didn’t know Ozzie Smith and Lou Brock were Hall of Famers for the @Cardinals and I feel like I’m in some kind of alternate reality. Really people, the Wizard?!?!?! And Lllloouuu?!?! I’m just speechless,” said @stlbeckster.
Contestants didn’t just miss a question on the St. Louis Cardinals either. Another selection in that category asked fans to name the primary team of Hall of Famers Ron Santo and Frank Chance, two longtime Chicago Cubs.
The $200 question, the final one revealed in that topic after the Cardinals, was answered correctly. That was the “Who are the Pittsburgh Pirates?” for Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell.
Rhode ended up advancing in Wednesday’s episode behind a second-round comeback.
The Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions will continue with the quarterfinals through Nov. 7, the semifinals from Nov. 8-10 and the championship game on Nov. 11. For the remaining field of contestants, click here. For the Jeoprady! TOC programming schedule, click here.