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BOSTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The battle for the title of Jeopardy's "Greatest Of All Time" officially began this week, with top contestant Ken Jennings taking the lead despite missing two questions about Boston natives.
During the first hour-long match on Tuesday night, Brad Rutter chose a question in the "architecture" category worth $2,000.
The clue stated, "This Boston-born architect designed the Massachusetts state house, and from 1818 to 1829 served as architect of the US Capitol."
Jennings buzzed in with an incorrect response; "Who is Latrobe?" before James Holzhauer put forward the correct answer; "Who is Bulfinch?"
According to the US Capitol's official website, Charles Bulfinch was born in Boston in 1763. He studied at Harvard before being commissioned to build the Massachusetts State House between 1795-1798.
About two decades later, Bulfinch did use the plans of his immediate predecessor, Benjamin Latrobe, for parts of the US Capitol.
Jennings also missed out on an $800 question when he failed to buzz in for a clue about a Bostonian athlete. Host Alex Trebek asked the contestants to name the Team USA Hockey Captain who scored the winning goal against the Soviets during the 1980's Winter Olympics.
Holzhauer managed to beat Jennings to the buzzer again with his Boston-based knowledge, correctly identifying the athlete as Winthrop-native and BU alum Mike Eruzione.
At the end of the first round, Jennings still took a slim lead with $63,400 against Holzhauer's $63,200. Rutter trailed with $10,400.
The first contestant to win three matches will win $1 million, and the two runners up will each receive $250,000.
"Jeopardy! GOAT" continues Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. on ABC.
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