RIP - Captain

Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart, died from complication from MS. He was 69 and worth 31 points. No where near enough to win the pool but hopefully late enough for me to get the last death money.

Death on the Pile

Simon MacCorkindale,the dashing British actor who turned heads in the star-studded 1978 film Death on the Nile and went on to play villains and charming Englishmen on numerous television shows in Britain and the United States, died on Thursday in London. He was 58.

His big break came at age 25 when he was cast in Death on the Nile, a big-budget screen adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel, in which he played the trophy husband of the heiress, played by Lois Chiles, who is murdered aboard a Nile River cruiser. His co-stars included Peter Ustinov, Maggie Smith and Bette Davis.

He later had a recurring role as the conniving lawyer to Jane Wyman’s equally conniving Angela Channing in the prime-time CBS soap opera Falcon Crest. He also appeared on Dynasty, Hart to Hart and The Dukes of Hazzard, on which he played the snobby British cousin to the country bumpkin Duke brothers.

Here is the NY Times obit for Simon Charles Pendered MacCorkindale.

Some Don't Like it Hot

On Wednesday evening actor Tony Curtis died at his home in Las Vegas. He was 85 years old. Curtis was known for such movies as "The Defiant Ones", "Sweet Smell of Success" and "Some Like it Hot." His death gives Jim three on the year and adds 15 points to his second place total.

It also needs to be pointed out that a death was missed this summer. Senator Robert Byrd passed on June 28 at the age of 92. His death gives Jacob another eight points and gives him three on the year as well.

8 Seconds - 50 Points

Laurent Fignon, the Frenchman who won the Tour de France in 1983 and 1984 and lost to American Greg LeMond in 1989 in the race's closest finish, died Tuesday of cancer. He was 50.

In 1989, Fignon lost to LeMond by eight seconds. The two dogged each other for weeks, the leader's yellow jersey passing back and forth. Finally, with only the last-day time trial left, Fignon had a 50-second lead that appeared decisive.

But LeMond, riding with an aerodynamic helmet and new triathlon handlebars that Fignon maintained were illegal, set a blistering pace. It was the fastest full-length time-trial stage ever ridden at the time.

To read more about Fignon's career see:
Fignon the Champion

Fignon in Photos

Lead Change

Long-time Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died of a massive heart attack on Monday night. He was 80 years old. The 20 points gives Jim the lead in this year's pool. There is also a three-way tie for most deaths at two a piece with the passing of John Wooden that was missed here recently.

Not So Golden

Actress Rue McClanahan has died at the age of 76. McClanahan was best known for her role as Blanche on the 80's sitcom "The Golden Girls". She is the third 'Golden Girl' to pass in recent years leaving only Betty White.

This is the first death for Jacob in 2010 and the 24 points puts him in a close third place.

A Black Day

Legendary heavy metal rocker Ronnie James Dio has died. Dio took over for Ozzy Osbourne as lead singer for Black Sabbath in 1980. He also enjoyed a successful solo career. Last summer he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Dio was 67 years old.

This is just the third death of the year in the Circling Buzzards. But the 33 points from Dio's death makes things all tied up as we near the halfway mark.

Links & Stats

I have linked all of our selections to their Wikipedia page. I have also calculated the average age of each Buzzard's draftees. Much like last year, Jim went for the aged and decrepit, whereas I went with a younger, cancer-ridden strategy. Beware the lingerer!

Famous Enough?

When people learn that I am in a death pool, they are oddly fascinated by this "sick" behavior. While most people seem to think that my participation demonstrates an obvious moral flaw in my character, they usually alert me to famous deaths. I wish that they would tell me about people who are really really sick and about to die - but no, just deaths.

The most common question that I get is, "How do you decide if a person is famous enough?" I usually have two answers: 1) My fellow buzzards and I vote during the Reaper's selection (i.e., the December draft); and 2) My personal rule is - if a person gets an obituary in the NY Times, then they are famous enough for me.

Hence, I present the following NY Times obituaries:

Zelda Rubinstein, Clairvoyant in 'Poltergeist,' Dies at 76
Zelda Rubinstein, a 4-foot-3-inch character actress best known for playing the indomitable ghost-purging psychic in “Poltergeist,” died on Wednesday in Los Angeles...

J. D. Salinger, Literary Recluse, Dies at 91
J. D. Salinger, who was thought at one time to be the most important American writer to emerge since World War II but who then turned his back on success and adulation, becoming the Garbo of letters, famous for not wanting to be famous, died on Wednesday...

Typical Izzy

In typical fashion, Izzy has quickly jumped into the lead with back-to-back deaths. The first was his top pick Zelda Rubinstein. She was best known as the psychic in the movie Poltergeist. Rubinstein was 76 years when she died on Wednesday.

On Thursday author J.D. Salinger died. He was best known for for the novel Catcher in the Rye. Salinger was 91.

The two deaths give Izzy a combined 33 points for the early lead this year. He also gets the side bet for the first death.

The Lists Are Now Available

It is a little late but I finally got everything entered. Please scroll down to see the results of the 2010 Death Draft! You may notice that only four players entered this year - Dave was not able to make the draft and dropped out (for now.) The draft took place on January 1 and as of yet, no one has died. But Teddy Pendergrass would have been a nice choice!

2010

I've run into a snag putting up the draft results for the 2010 season. Please stand by.