In a dramatic conclusion on last Monday’s Jeopardy!, a contestant revealed a surprising relationship to the final clue's answer. Hailing from Denver, Emily Croke made it to the final write-in portion of the game show with $12,200 in earnings.
In the category of “Collections,” host Ken Jennings read the clue:
“In 1896, the Vassar-educated wife of this man wrote, 'Thousands of dollars may be paid for a copy of Shakespeare.'”
When the thirty seconds were up, contestant Andrew Brigger wagered $0 on his incorrect answer, “Who is Smith?” Brigger, a Social Studies teacher from Roseville, Minnesota, was the returning champion, with $2,000 in winnings.
The next contestant, David Spelman, a marketing strategist from Livingston, New Jersey, guessed, “Who is Rockefeller?” This answer was also incorrect, and David unfortunately wagered $5,601, which left him with $999 to take home.
Leading in first place was Croke, who surprised Jennings with her correct answer, “Who is Folger?” and wagered $1001.
You can watch the stay-at-home mom’s win in the video below:
- YouTubeJeopardy!/YouTube
The connection was revealed afterwards when Croke revealed that she was related to Henry Clay Folger’s wife, Emily Folger.
In a clip shared by the Jeopardy! Instagram account, the shocked Jennings can be heard confirming the familial connection:
“Emily Folger, the one we mentioned in the clue, is the person you, Emily Croke, are named after?”
Happily, Emily nodded and revealed that Emily Folger was indeed her “great-great-great aunt”—and that she was named after her. What a money-making coincidence!
You can watch the after-show clip below:
A brief history lesson for those unfamiliar with the Folger legacy: Born in 1858, Emily Jordan Folger co-founded the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., in 1932 with her husband, Henry Clay Folger. Together, they assembled the largest collection of books, manuscripts, art, and artifacts related to the renowned playwright William Shakespeare.
Emily Folger was also a strong advocate for the involvement of female artists in Shakespeare's works. For example, she helped Californian actress Florence Locke when she performed a lecture on Antony and Cleopatra in the Folger Library's Elizabethan Theatre. Folger died in 1936 at her estate in Long Island.
While Folger's great-great-great-niece won last Monday's tournament, Emily Croke's luck ended on Tuesday when she finished second to Micah Fritz. Fritz, a teacher from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, took home $14,200.
Fans praised—and also questioned—the coincidence.
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Located on Capitol Hill, the Folger Shakespeare Library is a free and open research collection of Shakespearean works, open daily except Mondays. So, plan your visit to Emily’s great-great-great aunt’s library today!
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