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 to 2007 by Siegfried Baboon and Rude Kid. From 2008 to 2009, it was run by Octopus of Odstock, and from 2010 The Man in Black. 2016 marks the Twentieth Anniversary!

Latest Stiffs: 7th November 2016 by The Man in Black

[Picture of Jimmy Young with Terry Wogan]

"Nice to see you so soon again, Terry..."

You're only young once, Jimmy

Sir Jimmy Young, one of Britain's most popular radio broadcasters, has passed away. Young started off as a pop singer, scoring notable hit singles in the 1950s such as "Unchained Melody" and "The Man from Laramie" before becoming a radio disc jockey with Radio Luxembourg. In 1967, Young became a presenter on the newly minted Radio 1, alongside Terry Wogan, John Peel and Kenny Everett amongst others. But it was on Radio 2 from 1973 where Young cemented his status amongst the public. His afternoon mix of music and current affairs lasted the best part of 30 years, with Young interviewing every British Prime Minister from 1964 to 2010, although he had retired by 2002, replaced by Jeremy Vine. Young was 95 and like Jimmy Perry, a hit for a surprisingly small number of teams, considering his age...

(11 teams) = 5pts

The Derby-Lewis Dead Pool!

Clive Derby-Lewis was a right-wing South African white nationalist politician who was jailed in 1995 for his role in the murder of the South African Communist Party general secretary Chris Hani in 1993. Derby-Lewis was released in 2015 on compassionate grounds. He died aged 80 and was a hit for 19 teams, with a joker hit for theme team Tri Not To Survive 2016. Several of those teams scoring are big hitters but none threaten David Quantick's Showbiz Pals lead at the top, with the days ticking away... Janet Reno was appointed America's first female Attorney-General in 1993 when Bill Clinton became President. Among the issues covered during her time in office was the Waco siege in 1993, the Oklahoma bombings in 1996 and the impeachment of the President in 1998. Reno died aged 78 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease with a pair of teams picking up the points. Kay Starr was a popular jazz singer of North American Indian and Irish heritage who worked with the likes of Glenn Miller and Bing Crosby before enjoying chart success in the 1950s with 'The Wheel of Fortune' and 'The Rock And Roll Waltz'. The latter single gently poked fun at the musical style just as it was breaking through to mainstream success. Starr was 94 and a hit for 4 teams. Takahito, Prince Mikasa was a member of the Japanese royal family. He was the youngest son of Emperor Yoshihito and thus younger brother of Hirohito, who reigned from 1928-89. Mikasa served as a staff officer during World War 2 and even suggested that his brother step down and take responsibility for defeat in 1945. Mikasa died aged 100 having outlived all three of his sons. He was a hit for 8 teams, with DDP veteran Riding The Jesus Train getting the joker. BFN!

(Derby-Lewis) (19 teams) = 6pts (1 team) = 12pts

(Reno) (2 teams) = 7pts

(Starr) (4 teams) = 5pts

(Mikasa) (8 teams) = 4pts (1 team) = 8pts

Latest Stiffs: 26th October 2016 by The Man in Black

It Ain't Half Hot (in the crematorium) Mum!

One of Britain's most successful sitcom writers, Jimmy Perry has passed away. Perry's experiences in World War II, first on the Home Front and then when posted to Burma at the back end of the conflict inspired two of the biggest sitcoms of the 1970s - 'Dad's Army' (1968-77) and 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum' (1974-81), written in collaboration with TV producer David Croft. Perry's spell as a Redcoat at Butlins when training to be an actor was the spark for Croft & Perry's 1980s hit show 'Hi-de-Hi'. But it's the timeless antics of Mainwearing and the boys which Perry will be remembered for, with 'Dad's Army' on continual rotation on the BBC. Perry was 93 and a hit for four teams.
Bobby Vee was an American pop singer who prospered in the interregnum between the Rock 'n Roll explosion of the mid/late 1950s and the rise of the Beatles. Vee, who once toured with the young singer-songwriter Robert Zimmerman (later to be Bob Dylan) enjoyed his biggest success with 'Rubber Ball' in 1961, as well as several other hits, often accompanied by what would later be considered promo videos .Vee died aged 73 from Alzheimer's disease and was a hit for two teams. No bouncing back for him... Jorge Batlle Ibáñez was a Uruguayan politician who served as his country's President from 2000-2005. Batlle, part of a predictably familial political dynasty, led the country through economic strife with a distinctly free market approach (when does this not happen?). Batlle died aged 88 after a fall, so Sir Candy's All Stars gets an extra Unnatural death bonus. Talking of which, I've appended the blog to include Fo & Adulyadej's Unlucky 13th bonus, which will be one of the last times (only two opportunities left) this will be enacted before being replaced by the Drop 40 picks bonus from next year...

(Perry) (4 teams) = 5pts

(Vee) (2 teams) = 7pts

(Batlle Ibáñez) + + = 12pts

Sigmund fried

Sir Sigmund Sternberg was a Hungary-born philanthropist and donor to the Labour Party during Harold Wilson's time as leader, leading to a knighthood in 1976. Sternberg was mainly concerned with the peaceful co-operation between religions and his work led to a papal knighthood in 1985. Sternberg was 95 and a unique hit for old favourite Grobler's Stiff Ones.
Steve Dillon was a comic book artist whose resume included early strips for Doctor Who Magazine, Judge Dredd and Preacher amongst others. Dillon died aged 54, a unique hit for One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. Alistair Urquhart's experiences at Japan's infamous "Death Railway" during World War II were published in 2009 under the title 'The Forgotten Highlander'. The book became best-seller. Urquhart was 97 and a hit for three teams as the hit rate edges towards the record of 247 from 2014...

(Sternberg) + = 8pts

(Dillon) + = 12pts

(Urquhart) (3 teams) = 5pts

Latest Stiffs: 15th October 2016 by The Man in Black

You wont be needing that mop anymore, Hilda...

Hilda Ogdead

One of British soap's great icons, Jean Alexander has passed away. Alexander played the role of the gossipy Rovers Return cleaner Hilda Ogden in 'Coronation Street' from 1964 to 1987. Instantly recognisable with ther head scarf and curlers (and those three flying ducks on her living room wall!), Alexander's creation was arguably the most popular character in the shows history, with viewers enjoying her bickering but loving relationship with her idle husband Stan, played by Bernard Youens. Alexander left the show in 1987 and took on an equally long-running part as the crafty junk shopkeeper Auntie Wainwright in 'Last of the Summer Wine'. Alexander was 90 and a hit for only 11 teams, somewhat of a surprise that... If it wasn't for your host deciding to watch a documentary on skinheads, it's likely that King Bhumibol Adulyadej would have been the "cover star" for this missive! US-born Adulyadej reigned as King of Thailand for 70 years, after ascending to the throne in somewhat mysterious circumstances in 1946. In 1957 there was a military coup, but the monarchy remained and has had a lengthy and controversial relationship with the military ever since, although there have been many attempts to restore democracy, often ending in more coups. Adulyadej was 88 with 7 jokers among the throng to pick him, making him hit number 11 in the Drop Forty and our own dear Queen as the current longest-reigning monarch in the World, fancy that... Another controversial figure to bow out is the Italian playwright Dario Fo. The satirical writer and actor was avowedly left-wing but nontheless joined Mussolini's fascist army during World War II. After the war Fo turned to the theatre, reviving the ancient form of 'Commedia dell'arte' to express dissent with the Italian government, often leading to censure from said state. In 1997, Fo was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Fo was 90 and a unique hit for Nobel Laureates.

(Alexander) (11 teams) = 5pts

(Adulyadej) + (63 teams) = 8pts (7 teams) = 16pts

(Fo) + + = 10pts

Wadja gonna do now, Andy?

Now from theatre to film. Andrzej Wadja was an acclaimed Polish film director, operating during the uneasy period of Communist rule. Like Fo, Wajda's work rubbed up against the establishment. His 1981 film 'Man of Iron' about the emerging Solidarity movement, won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. Wadja was awarded an honorary Oscar for his contribution to world cinema in 2000. He was 90 Two score, with film directors theme team Cut! Take(n)! getting a joker. Keeping the film theme, we have the death of cinematographer Wolfgang Suschitzky, Austria-born Suschitzky escaped Nazi rule and pitched up in the UK, gaining a reputation as a photograher before moving into film. His naturalistic, gritty portraits was harnessed to striking effect by director Mike Hodges for his seminal cult thriller 'Get Carter' in 1971. Suschitzky was 104 and a hit for two teams. John Gleeson was an Australian test cricketer, known for his tricky spin bowling action. Gleeson competed in 29 tests between 1967 and 1972 and was Australia's top wicket taker in their 1970/71 home Ashes series defeat to England. Gleeson was 78 and a unique hit for Pity da Foolz.

(Wadja) (2 teams) = 5pts (1 team) = 10pts

(Suschitzky) (2 teams) = 4pts

(Gleeson) + = 10pts

Mottram serves out

Now a trio of unique hits... Tony Mottram was Britain's number one men's tennis player in the years following World War II. In 1947 with Bill Sidwell, Mottram reached the Men's Doubles final at Wimbledon and reached the quarter finals in the singles event the following year. Mottram was 96 and another hit for IBetYouWon'tPrintCunt. Two more hits from September, which was a relatively slow month. Lord Ronald Murray was a Scottish judge and politician who was Lord Advocate in Scotland during the Labour goverment of the 1970s. He represented the parliamentary seat of Edinbugh Leith before stepping down in 1979 to be replaced by the controversial Ron Brown. Murray later became a leading campagner against Trident. Muarry died aged 94 and was a unique hit for The Honourable Member for DDP North. Hazel Douglas had a long acting career but only became recognised in her 80s, when she appeared in the 'Harry Potter' film series as Bathilda Bagshot. She later popped up as Derek Jacobi's mother in the TV sitcom 'Vicious'. Douglas was 92 and was a unique hit for hit for Harry Potter theme team I Hope They Don't Have Horcruxes.

(Mottram) + = 8pts

(Murray) + = 8pts

(Douglas) + = 8pts

List of the Lost - Latest Entrants

Lord Tanamo, Ralph V Whitworth, Pierre Tchernia, Tony Adamowicz, Helen Kelly, Charles J. Pilliod Jr, Bobby Bragg, Yawar Hayat Khan

List of the Missed - Latest Entrants

Stylianos Pattakos, Simone Schaller, Jack T. Chick, Pete Burns, John Zacherle, Silvio Gazzaniga

Player of the Month - September

Whole In Won - 20 points

Latest News

I'm sick of talking about Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton so let's mention that Sir Bruce Forsyth is none too good at the moment... The Theme Team League is updated for October with Shameless on course for victory...

Message to all current competitors: There will be no more regular emails except in certain circumstances, such as rules and invitation to next year's competition.

Further Information

Derby Dead Pool is hosted by The Man In Black with contributions from Big-Iain, Rude Kid, Siegfried Baboon, Octopus of Odstock, WEP 2.0 - World's Eternity Prophet Reloaded, The Grey Horde, Thomas Jefferson Survives, Bibliogryphon, David Quantick's Showbiz Pals, Dickie's Gone the Way of the Dinosaurs & The End Of The World As We Know It

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