Although I haven’t done as many bar and tavern trivia events of late, I’m still eligible to participate in the Capital Region’s “championship” tournaments. And that includes the Summer Bowl, which my Street Academy team has won FOUR TIMES.
I remember winning Summer Bowl I way back in 2010 on a question regarding holidays in Japan.
Two years later, my bud Jeremy and I went back in and snagged Summer Bowl III on a question about the number of stars on the flag that flew over Fort William McHenry and inspired the composition of “The Star Spangled Banner.”
After losing the championship the next year – on a frickin’ tiebreaker question, no less – the Silver Shaker returned to the Street Academy on a question involving a famous home run ball.
A few years later, I teamed up with the POW All-Stars – a group of trivia experts from Putnam, Orange and Westchester Counties – to claim this precious trophy for a FOURTH time, on a question involving a comedian having a record-breaking sell-out streak at Madison Square Garden.
And now … here I am … on a Monday night at Fort Orange Brewing, hoping to claim the Silver Shaker for an unprecedented FIFTH time.
Again, the POW All-Stars were willing to join me, and three drove up – Tim Rich, Jeffrey Seguritan and Paul Lococo. Champions of the Hudson Valley bar trivia scene.
But I had a hunch. I wanted to introduce my trivia family to my Albany Patroons family. And after a couple of Facebook messages, Paulie Walnutz and Sam Clifford, two owners of the Patroons, agreed to join my trivia team for a fun night.
We aced the first of six rounds, only to completely crumble in the second round – for some reason, we could not identify the two actors that starred in the movie “Taps” (Tom Cruise and Sean Penn), and we talked ourselves out of correct answers that we should have known cold. After the second round, we were in tenth place, 30 points out of the lead.
The Street Academy team did better in the “huddle round,” where one question has multiple answers – we were able to name four of the five cities that were the first to host Super Bowls (Los Angeles, Pasadena, New Orleans, Miami) but said Dallas instead of Houston. Oops. Still 30 points behind.
But then we crawled our way back into the fight. A few questions here, a few questions there … and in the end, we were in fourth place with a reasonable shot to do well in the finals.
The final question was “Famous Photos.”
We had already put all our points in the pot. Go big or go home.
“In a famous photo taken during the construction of the Empire State Building, how many workers are sitting on the girder in the photo?”
All of a sudden, Sam Clifford’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “I know this,” he said. “I know this cold.”
He told me the number. I submitted it.
Anyway … here’s the photo, you count them.
Yep, there were ELEVEN men on that skyscraper. And not only did we get that answer correct …
The three teams above us in score – any one of whom could also get that answer correct and lock us out – whiffed.
Which means, boys and girls …
For the fifth time in Capital District bar trivia history, the Silver Shaker trophy from the Summer Bowl goes to …
THE STREET ACADEMY!!
Yeah. And we get medals, too!!
First all, much thanks to my teammates. There was no way this tournament would be won without their help. And much thanks to Steven Murray and “Fast Eddie”, who operated the trivia game as well as the Fort Orange Brewing wi-fi would let it.
But, yeah … the Summer Bowl title returns to the Street Academy for another year.
Now I want a matching set of hardware. And that means … Trivia Bowl 2024. The Street Academy has won that championship twice, but not in a very long time.
That needs to be rectified. ๐
Yeah. The trophy’s home.
This feels great.
Chuck The Writer 
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