From a kid’s birthday party to Americade: Jeopardy, for fun and smiles

Growing up, my oldest daughter loved birthday parties. We tried very hard to make them fun and exciting for her. My wife made up all kinds of games for the kids to play, and we had a lot of food and cake.

These parties were a ton of work, but the kids all had a blast. Every year, we tried to outdo ourselves. It’s so great to have that kind of energy when you’re young, haha.

One year, we rented a pony for her. Having that pony in the backyard giving her and all her friends rides was a lot of fun. Kids love animals. I’m sure the pony rental business does real well.

Another time we did a pool party at a local health club. That was fun too, especially for the kids who knew how to swim. Anything that gets kids moving around is good.

Then one year, I got the idea to play Jeopardy — America’s favorite TV game show — at my daughter’s birthday party. What a decision that has turned out to be.

I never was and am not now a TV game-show fan. So many better things to do than watch game shows. But I always liked Jeopardy. I used to turn it on after school, when Art Flemming was the host.

The thing I always liked about Jeopardy was that you actually had to know stuff to win. It wasn’t based on luck or stunts or goofy stuff. Plus, if you paid attention, you could even learn some things from watching. I thought that the educational aspect of it was terrific.

So I got a four-by-eight-foot sheet of plywood. I cut it in half the long way, to make it easier to transport. Then I painted it and installed some hooks, which allowed me to have removable panels that would cover the answers.

The idea was, just like in real Jeopardy, you’d call out a category and an amount, the panel would be removed, and then you’d see the answer. Then you’d have to give the correct question to get the points.

My wife and I sat down and thought up suitable categories for the young kids who would be at the birthday party. Well, we must have done something right, as the Jeopardy game was a huge hit. So much so that we used it for other birthday parties, then for bridal showers and other special events. I had a hit on my hands for sure.

There are several motorcycle rallies I go to on a regular basis. Seeing how well my daughter and her friends liked playing Jeopardy, I decided to do it at the motorcycle rallies as well.

Now, motorcycle rallies have a lot going on: music, rides, tech sessions, bike judging, field events, and more. But I tell you the truth, at any rally that I did my homemade Jeopardy game, it was by far the most popular event at the rally. Yes, it really was. Fun, prizes, entertainment; what’s not to like?

Last year, my wife and I were riding in the car somewhere, and somehow we got to talking about the big week-long Americade motorcycle rally that happens every June in Lake George. We’d been going there, usually for a day or two, for many of the 40 years that it’s been happening.

Then, out of nowhere, my wife says, “You ought to offer to do Jeopardy at Americade.”

Holy cow, why hadn’t I thought of that? Probably because Americade is a really big deal, attracting thousands of riders from all over the world for one intense week of wall-to-wall motorcycling: demo rides, guided tours, boat rides, comedy shows, a huge trade show, fireworks, and much more.

How could my little, homemade birthday party Jeopardy game fit into something so huge? Well, it turns out my wife had a very good idea after all (just one more of many, I might add).

Once I presented the idea for an Americade Jeopardy game to the folks at Americade, they were all in. So on the Thursday night of the rally, under beautiful clear Adirondack skies, many folks came inside to watch and play the game.

Know that, even though I was competing against many other activities — including a chartered boat ride for veterans — I still had at least 50 people in the audience. That was a great turnout for an inaugural event.

Americade provided many extras as well: custom-made contestant lecterns, prizes, top-notch audio/video equipment, and two beautiful assistants to work the board. If it sounds like we had a barrel of fun, it’s because we did.

Half the fun of doing my own version of Jeopardy is coming up with the categories, answers, and questions. Just to give you a taste for the game, here is one category from Americade Jeopardy, The Blues (anybody who rides motorcycles, by default, loves this quintessentially American form of music).

Try covering up the questions as you read the answers, so see how many you can get (the numbers are the point values):

— 10 A) He called his guitar “Lucille.”
10 Q) Who is B. B. King?

— 20 A) He is most certainly “Bad to the Bone.”
20 Q) Who is George Thorogood?

— 30 A) This blues instrument is known as a “harp.”
30 Q) What is a harmonica?

— 40 A) His classics include “Rollin’ Stone,” “Hoochie Coochie Man,” “Mannish Boy,” and “Got My Mojo Working.”
40 Q) Who is Muddy Waters?

— 50 A) This blues act started as a skit on “Saturday Night Live.”
50 Q) Who are The Blues Brothers?

The last part of Jeopardy is always Final Jeopardy. I thought I had come up with a very easy one. See if you can get it:

Category:Interstate Highways

Answer: The longest interstate highway

Here’s a hint: It runs from Seattle, Washington to Boston, Massachusetts.

Doing my homemade Jeopardy game at Americade was a blast. Based on the feedback I heard from all involved, I wouldn’t be surprised if it became an annual event. What fun.

Also, a special thanks goes to my lovely wife, Charlotte, for coming up with the idea, and for keeping score during the game. Who would have thought all of this would have come about out of a simple kid’s birthday party activity?

P.S. The answer to Final Jeopardy is I-90.