Local 'Jeopardy!' whiz finally falls
(Photo courtesy of "Jeopardy!" Productions)
By Jillian Jorgensen, Globe Correspondent
Don't call Dan Pawson a loser.
He lost on "Jeopardy" tonight, but he's walking away with $170,902 and a spot in the show's Hall of Fame.
He was on his game tonight, ahead of the pack until the very last minute.
Then came the "Final Jeopardy" clue: "First mentioned in a letter by Clement IV in 1265, this item worn by the pope features an image of St. Peter in a boat." Pawson answered his miter. The correct answer, provided by Kristen Welsh, who was then in second place, was the pope's ring.
Welsh, from Geneva, N.Y., doubled her score, while Pawson plummeted from from first to third place.
Thus ended the Allston legislative aide's "Jeopardy!" winning streak last night in his 10th appearance on the show (on WSBK-TV).
He is the fourth biggest money winner on the quiz show, excluding tournament wins, ranking behind Ken Jennings, who earned $2,520,700 over a record-setting 74 days, David Madden, who earned $430,400 and Tom Walsh, who edged out Pawson with $184,900.
Pawson said he plans to spend the money "probably in this order: car, loans, house fund, Vegas."
Even after the loss, Pawson, 26, a legislative director for Senator Bruce Tarr, Republican of Gloucester, has reason to be cheerful: his wife, Andrea, is due to deliver their first baby this week. And, he no longer has to keep secret how long his streak lasted.
"It's kinda nice to be able to be honest with people," he said.
Pawson may also have a shot to win more money: he could appear on the show's Tournament of Champions, held in Las Vegas, next year.
Reached at work last night, he said he wasn't hurt by the loss. "It's hard to have any regrets about what happened since it went so well," Pawson said. "I've been watching the show for 20 years and so to be part of Jeopardy history is just fantastic. It feels really good."
