The Derby Dead Pool

The online competition to guess which famous people won't make it to the end of the current year. If they're elderly, ill, or just live a high-risk lifestyle, stick 'em in your team, and for each one whose death you correctly predict, you'll score points. DDP was dreamt up in Derby, England (hence the name...) by Big Iain back in 1996, then was run from 2003-2007 by Siegfried Baboon and Rude Kid. From 2008-2009, it was run by Octopus of Odstock, but from 2010 onwards it's the turn of The Man in Black to run the DDP.

Latest Stiffs: 1st April 2012

Rich pickings for Grim

Feminist poet and essayist Adrienne Rich has died. Rich wrote extensively on women's rights, homosexuality, racism and the economy. She was 82. Drop Dead Celebration claim a total of 9 points for a unique hit.

Sugar rush to the grave

Bert Sugar, the cigar chomping, hat wearing boxing commentator and writer has died aged 74. Sugar wrote wrote over 80 books on the noble art and believed that Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest boxer of all time. What he didn't know about boxing wasn't worth knowing. This obit means that the reigning champion The Living End takes the lead with 55 points after gaining 10 for a unique hit. No team has ever won the DDP three times, but The Living End are going all out to take the record...

Giacometti Spaghetti

Swiss architect Bruno Giacometti had died aged 104. Born from a family of artists, Giacometti chose to become an architect and was of the modernist school, most notably designing the Swiss pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Dutch team If I Win, I'll Buy Every DDP Contestant A Beer! has his first hit of the year and gets 7 points. The road to 545 pints of premium Dutch lager starts here!

Elyse knocks on Death's door

Hollywood actress Elyse Knox, has died aged 94. Knox had a largely unremarkable career, despite appearing a few Abbott and Costello films. She married war hero and American football star Tom Harmon after a somewhat protracted romance complicated by Harmon's involvement in the Second World War. Knox died on February 16th but it's only recently that an obit emerged, courtesy of the Telegraph. Garf Wants You To Die is the happy chappy and gets 8 points.

Latest Stiffs: 25th March 2012

Jocky Wilson said "I'm in Heaven when you smile..."

Iconic Scottish darts player Jocky Wilson has thrown his last dart. Wilson was a familiar face in the 1980s, winning the BDO World Darts championships on two occasions and had many an epic battle during the sports golden era with the likes of Eric Bristow and John Lowe. However the rather unathletic lifestyle of being a professional darts player took it's toll and when he retired from the game he became a penniless recluse. But he remained fondly remembered. He died aged 62. 8 teams hit the bullseye with 8 points each.

Now a quick notice about Whitney Houston. The coroner deemed that Ms Houston died through drowning, probably after taking a large dose of cocaine. Which means she qualifies as an unnatural death and thus the extra bonus of three points are added. This doesn't change the lead, which is jointly held by 'arry-Kiri and The Living End.

Abdullahi, make Yusuf useful

Former Somalian president Abdullahi Yusuf has died in Dubai aged 77. A former warlord in the troubled state, Yusuf was elected president of the interim government in 2004, serving for 4 years before being forced out. Here's the obit. Two teams (A Taste Of Thursday Afternoon and Poker & Tetas Killjoy Extravaganza) grab 7 points.

Fin for the French Don Vito

One hit which threatened to slip under the Man In Black's radar was French actor Michel Duchaussoy who says au revoir. Duchaussoy had mainly comedic roles on film but on television he was best known for dubbing the voice of Don Vito Corleone in French. He was 73 and died on the 13th, meaning a 2 point bonus for Rotters along wih the unique bonus, 12 in all...

Latest Stiffs: 20th March 2012

Stynes' goal referred to the umpyre

What was it I said about it being quiet lately? The Grim Reaper responds with four deaths which alter the leaderboard. Jim Stynes was born in Ireland but became a legend in Australian Rules football. Stynes emigrated to the land of Oz in 1984 as part of a cross-pollination with Gaelic sport. He became the only non-Australian to win the prestigious Brownlow Medal after a succesful career with Melbourne Football Club. He died after a long battle with cancer aged just 45. 40 teams picked Stynes, enough for him to take his place in this year's Drop 40 and he's the second hit from that illustrious list, after Etta James. Five teams get 20 points for their joker, the rest get 10. This big hit has shaken up the leaderboard, with 'arry-Kiri regaining the lead but jointly with DDP champ The Living End, who's had a good month...

The Pope must die

The holy leader of the Coptic Christians in Egypt, Pope Shenouda III has died aged 88. Born plain Nazeer Gayed in 1923, Shenouda rose to become the leader of the largest Christian group in the middle east in 1971, succeeding Pope Cyril (and there's me thinking that name was worth mocking when it was used in Monty Python's 'Life of Brian'). With the treatment of Coptic Christians in the wake of the Arab Spring in the news, an obit was inevitable. A holy trinity of teams receive 6 points each.

Dead Man, yuk!

Convicted war criminal John Demjanjuk has died. Demjanjuk was convicted in 2011 for being an accessory to the murder of over 20,000 jews during World War Two whilst serving as a guard for the Nazis despite being born in Ukraine. He died in a nursing home in Germany whilst awaiting appeal. Not exactly the circumstances his prosecutors wanted him to shuffle off. He died aged 91. 19 teams each gain 5 points.

Motion of Censu

Censu Tabone former president of Malta has died aged 98. Tabone served as Foreign minister before getting the top job in 1989. This obit enables DDP veteran Inquilinekea/Simfish to nab 8 points.

Latest Stiffs: 16th March 2012

Hobbs all black and blue

It's been a relatively quiet time recently with one hit to report. Jock Hobbs was a former captain of the New Zealand rugby team. He retired from the game at the age of 26 after suffering concussion, missing out on the All Black's 1987 World Cup triumph. He later became a top administrator, eventually becoming chairman of NZRU in 2002. He died aged 52 after a long battle against leukemia. Hobbs died on the 13th March which means an extra 2 points for the half dozen teams that picked him - 11 in all. Defending champion The Living End move up to joint 3rd...

Latest Stiffs: 6th March 2012

Madoc's deadly attachment

Veteran Welsh character actor Philip Madoc has died aged 77. Madoc appeared in many TV shows and films over the years but is best remembered for his appearances on 'Doctor Who' and 'Dad's Army'. In the latter, he appeared just once, as a captured German U-boat captain. It was he who didn't like soggy chips and wanted to put people on his list. In the former, he was best known as mad scientist Solon in the 1976 classic 'The Brain of Morbius' with Tom Baker as the venerable time lord. The obit was a formality, with even a mention on the 10 o'clock news, which is nice. Dr Who-based theme team Who's Dead scoop up 10 points for a unique hit.
David Quantick's Showbiz Pals still lead...

Deep in McQuarrie

Ralph McQuarrie, the Oscar-winning conceptual designer has died after a long battle against Parkinson's disease. It was McQuarrie's work on the designs for 'Star Wars' that convinced 20th Century Fox to greenlight the movie in 1975. He later worked on the two sequels and other hit films, such as 'ET: the Extra-Terrestial' and 'Cocoon'. McQuarrie was 82 and a hit for two teams, Wikipedia's Random Article and Star Wars theme team Wretched Hive Of Scum & Villainy. Both teams pick up 6 points.

Singeing Stevas

Colourful politician and one of Margaret Thatcher's wets, Norman St John-Stevas has died. Lord Fawsley served under Thatcher as Leader of the House until 1981, when he was dismissed for disagreeing with the PM's controversial monetarist policies. It was St John-Stevas who instituted the committee scrutiny process by which MPs could question government decision-makers on policy. He was a prominent catholic and constitutional expert, often appearing on television. He was 82. Another theme team - Iron Lackys - pick up 9 points.

List of the Lost - Latest Entrants

Violet Wood, Leonardo Cimino, Jan Goossenaerts, Warren Stevens

List of the Missed - Latest Entrants

Kelly Taylor, Davy Jones, William Heirens, Estanislao Basora, King George Tupou V, Alan Pegler, Earl Scruggs

Player of the Month - February

Star Dust - 29 points

Latest News

Doubts are raised over the guilt of murder suspect Shrien Dewani as his extradition to South Africa is delayed. Pope Benedict XVI visits Cuba and their erstwhile leader Fidel Castro where they discussed politics, religion and who will win points first on the DDP. Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi takes part in the first free elections in Burma for over twenty years. Rupert Murdoch's media empire takes another hit as his nemesis the BBC accuse News Corp of hacking into a rival TV provider's smart cards. Naughty naughty...

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Further Information

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