Eddie Timanus is a well-known sportswriter for USA Today. For several years, he's been a favorite of attendees of a floating Game Show Fan Convention in different locales across the U.S. Eddie happens to be blind. A blind journalist and sports buff who overcomes the odds every time he writes. Eddie Timanus' sports articles appear almost daily in USA Today. But you may recognize his face from a popular television game show.
Timanus has become an inspiration to the nation after becoming an undefeated champion on Jeopardy Oct. 19, 1999. Ratings for the veteran game rose 15 percent during the final two days of Timanus' appearances. Timanus was invited to the 2002 Million Dollar Masters Jeopardy playoffs in New York. Though unsuccessful in advancing beyond the first round, his original interview with TVgameshows.net reflects on his five-day title and reaction from around the U.S.
Being a contestant on Jeopardy was something Timanus had always wanted to do. As a child, he watched the original Art Fleming version with his mother. When the revival came back, he knew it was something he would do one day, so after he got out of college, he began trying out. “My mom tried out at the same time. We both passed. They took her to be on that year. She didn't win----she ran into a guy who won four games. I passed the test again in May of 1998 and was called in December,” Timanus recalled.
Before Timanus appeared on Jeopardy, a few adjustments had to be made. The producers agreed to eliminate video daily doubles from the games in which Timanus appeared. During the first two rounds, they provided a Braille card with the category names only (not the dollar amounts). For final jeopardy, Timanus was given a Braille card with the clue as it was revealed and a computer keyboard with which to type a wager and response. Timanus primarily prepared for the show by watching the show. He would practice his timing with the buzzer by listening to the clues and repeatedly clicking a ballpoint pen.
What of Timanus’ day job at USA Today? Timanus sits at lacrosse games side by side with his father, Chuck, who provides a play-by-play account of the game's events. "I just do the game as if I'm doing it for a vast audience of millions, except I only have one person listening," the elder Timanus said. Eddie Timanus, despite his disability, writes articles on the games, so that if you missed it, you know exactly what happened.
Timanus has been seated side by side with his dad since the elder Timanus was a play-by-play announcer in the 1970s. But cancer robbed Eddie Timanus' of vision before his fourth birthday. "People seem to think that the idea of a smart blind person was unique. Truly it isn't. There are probably a lot of people who could do what I do. Maybe they kind of need an example, so people can actually see that it's being done," Timanus said.
In addition to Jeopardy, Timanus also appeared on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in 2004.
In the last issue of I-Witness, we introduced you to Amanda Lynn Swafford, who was vying to become America’s Next Top Model. Out of fourteen potential top models, Amanda made it to the top three.
It all came down to a CoverGirl photo shoot for the final three contestants, which resulted in legally-blind model Amanda Lynn Swafford being eliminated, leaving Eva Pigford, from Los Angeles, and Camara “Yaya” Da Costa, from Harlem to battle each other for the title.
Even though Amanda wasn’t officially named the top model, she will always be our top model. Good job Amanda!!
