"Jeopardy!" great Amy Schneider won the show's Tournament of Champions in a game aired Monday, securing the title by knowing what comedic play was the talk of Washington, D.C., in 1864.
The first-to-three tournament final, which featured three California players, ended with the Oakland-based writer Schneider winning three games, San Francisco software developer Andrew He two and and Pacific Grove college professor Sam Buttrey one.
Entering the “Final Jeopardy” round on Monday's show, Schneider led with $15,600, while He was in second at $14,200 and Buttrey was within striking distance at $8,000.
The category for "Final" was "Plays" with the clue: "The January 12, 1864 Washington Evening Star reported on a performance of this 'dashing comedy' to 'a full and delighted house.'"
Schneider and He wrote down the correct question, "What is 'Our American Cousin?'"
“Our American Cousin” was the play that drew President Abraham Lincoln to Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865, when he was fatally shot by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth.
He’s wager of $2,801 took him to $17,001, while Schneider's $13,000 bet took her to a game-winning, tournament -clinching total of $28,600.
The tournament title came with a $250,000 grand prize for Schneider. In second place, He pocketed $100,000, while Buttrey won $50,000 for third place.
“I feel amazing,” Schneider said in a statement released by the show. “Earlier in the finals, I had this sudden moment of seeing myself and being like ‘I’m on stage in the Tournament of Champions finals,’ and that was crazy. And I won! It’s a great feeling.”
Schneider won 40 consecutive games in episodes aired earlier this year. Only Ken Jennings, now a co-host of the venerable quiz show, has won more regular-season matches, 74.
Schneider has used her platform to raise awareness of the discrimination faced by those in the transgender community.
