Hopefully y'all have been watching Eddie Timanus,
Jeopardy!'s first blind contestant, having an amazing run. If
not, be sure to check him out on Monday.
Eddie
played for the Wake Forest College Bowl team in the
mid-1980's. The only thing that prevented them from making a
splash nationally was that they were in the same region
with emerging Vanderbilt and Virginia programs, and
powerhouses at UNC and NC State who were at their
peak.
The early stage of the invitational boom began as
Eddie was ending his undergraduate career. Although I'd
known him casually, I got an extensive chance to talk
with him at a tournament at James Madison University
about 1987 or '88. He impressed me as both a very
talented competitor and a really nice guy.
Tom