Another eight to round off the second week and opening day of the competition:
Business
David Webb was a Hong Kong based financial sector guru and activist who was seen as a leading figure in the pushback against Beijing and the Hong Kong’s government ever-increasing control of the HK stock exchange. Webb was the founder of the website “Webb-site.com” *sigh*, a platform devoted to transparency of Hong Kong public data records.
Following a five-year battle with prostate cancer, he provided a poignant update on his website last February that he’d reached the “months” left stage and planned to wrap up the website. Thirteen teams took notice, and his stocks finally crashed this week after almost making it to a full year on from his announcement.
Literature
Author and convicted fraudster Erich von Däniken has hopped on a chariot to the gods after passing away at the age of 90. A leading proponent of the ancient astronaut hypothesis/nonsense (and thorn in the side of Carl Sagan) his 1968 novel Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past was released to high sales among the public, despite the scientific ridicule. Proof if ever it was needed, that people really don’t care what experts think if they can be fed made-up stories that just sound cool instead.
Music
John Wallace comes up trumps for those who picked him, passing away at the age of 76. The noted brass enthusiast from Fife was a co-principal trumpeter for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from 1974 to 1993, a period which also saw him play a solo at the 1981 wedding of then Prince Charles and Diana Spencer.
Politics
She’s not as well-known as Rosa Parks, but the earlier arrest of then 15-year-old Claudette Colvin in 1955 was the first that year to help spark the flame of the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott. Protesting the blatantly racist company policy of forcing black passengers to sit at the back or stand in favour of white passengers, the boycott was an effective and key part of the wider Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and 60’s. She went on to spend most of her career working as a carer and has passed away at the age of 86.
Our second politics related death this week comes courtesy of former Cypriot president, George Vassiliou. He was elected as an independent candidate, albeit one backed by the main communist party at the time. His term saw a doubling of the countries GDP per capita and started the ball rolling on joining the European Union. He died following a hospital admittance for a respiratory infection, landing a unique hit for world leader theme team, Complications from a Fall.
Royalty
Princess Irene of Greece has passed away nearly a year on from her last public appearance following an unspecified “cognitive impairment” diagnosis. She was briefly the heir to the now-abolished Greek throne, though spent most of her adult life in the Spanish court where her older sister Sofia was Queen consort. Despite renouncing her Greek citizenship, it seems even death can’t get you out of tradition as she’s due to be interred at the Palace of Tatoi, alongside the rest of the deceased Greek royals.
Sports
It’s full time for Chelsea legend Eddie McCreadie, who has passed away at the age of 85. The left back spent nearly his entire playing career with the club, winning one each of the FA and League Cup. He was also part of the inaugural “Unofficial World Champions” Scotland side of 1967, having been the first team to beat England following their victory in ’66.
Television
And it’s black cab time for Derek Martin to round us off for the week. Best known for playing Slater family patriarch Charlie in Eastenders, his character was generally famous for being a useless plate of jelly who was always the last to find out about whatever tragic storyline was happening to one of his kids each week. Outside of his decade on the soap he also had multiple credits and bit parts across British television, particularly in the early days of Doctor Who.
Scores
| Name and Age | Date of Death | Points and Teams |
| Derek Martin, 92 | January 10 | 4 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀 = 5 Points |
| Erich von Däniken, 90 | January 10 | 3 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀 = 5 Points |
| John Wallace, 76 | January 11 | 2 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀= 7 Points |
| Eddie McCreadie, 85 | January 12 | 2 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀= 6 Points |
| Claudette Colvin, 86 | January 13 | 2 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀= 6 Points |
| George Vassiliou, 94 | January 13 |
Complications from a Fall 💀💀💀💀💀+👻 = 9 Points |
| David Webb, 60 | January 13 | 13 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀 = 8 Points |
| Princess Irene of Greece, 83 | January 15 | 2 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀= 6 Points |