Fayetteville’s place in history has earned the city several mentions on Jeopardy over the TV game show’s 61-year run.
Whether it’s Fort Bragg, Fayetteville or the city’s world-renowned celebrities, the area has produced plenty of historical facts. Each episode of the show’s 41 seasons in daily syndication is documented on the website J Archive, a fan-created database that has archived 546,720 Jeopardy! clues.
Fort Bragg alone was mentioned in 26 questions or answers, including twice when video clues filed at Fort Bragg were used on two episodes in 2006.
J Archive also catalogs eight Jeopardy! contestants from the Fayetteville area — including one with ties to The Fayetteville Observer.
- Joe Schmitz, a helicopter pilot and maintenance officer from Fort Bragg, appeared as a contestant May 14-15, 1986.
- Rob Pierce, a minister from Fayetteville, appeared May 30, 1988.
- Mark Moral, an Air Force technical sergeant, appeared May 3, 1989.
- Roger Antaki, a Fort Bragg airborne infantryman, appeared as a contestant June 20, 1997.
- Brian Keenan, a Fort Bragg paratrooper, appeared March 25, 1999.
- Catherine Pritchard, a Fayetteville Observer columnist, appeared Dec. 17. 2002.
- Jennifer Czechowski, an English teacher from Fayetteville, appeared Sept. 15, 2006.
- Dino Alexander, a medical lab scientist from Fayetteville, appeared Sept. 21, 2018.
Here are 12 times the Fayetteville area was mentioned (or alluded to) on Jeopardy.
July 5, 2024 — Category: Pop Music
Clue: “‘Might Delete Later’ is a 2024 mixtape from this rapper, first name Jermaine.”
Answer: J. Cole.
Jan. 6, 2022 — Category: The Carolinas
Daily Double Clue: “This Army post northwest of Fayetteville ‘boasts’ of being ‘Home of the Airborne & Special Operations Forces.’”
Answer: Fort Bragg.
March 25, 2019 — Category: Let’s Head North
Clue: “Going north from Florida on I-95, it’s the third state you’ll enter & soon you’ll reach Fayetteville.”
Answer: North Carolina.
Jan. 10, 2017 — Category: Fortitude
Clue: “This ‘boastful’ N.C. fort is home to the Army’s psychological warfare dept., which once trained Manuel Noriega.”
Answer: Fort Bragg.
Feb. 15, 2016 — Category: Where Ya From?
Clue: “Sticky nickname for someone from Fayetteville or Charlotte.”
Answer: Tar Heel.
July 1, 2015 — Category: The Marquis de Lafayette
Clue: “In March 1825, while touring the U.S., Lafayette visited Fayetteville in this state, the first U.S. town named for him.”
Answer: North Carolina.
May 7, 2014 — Category: The South
Clue: “Passing through Fayetteville in this state, U.S. Highway 301 is known as ‘The Tobacco Trail.’”
Answer: North Carolina.
April 19, 2010 — Category: Mississippi, My Love
Clue: “Hiram Revels of Fayetteville made history in 1870 as the first black member of this U.S. government body.”
Answer: The U.S. Senate.
Nov. 10, 2009 — Category: Whatever
Clue: “This city named for a marquis was North Carolina’s capital from 1789 to 1798.”
Answer: Fayetteville.
May 22, 2006 — Category: Lafayette You Are Here
Daily Double Clue: “In 1783 Cross Creek & Campbellton in North Carolina merged to form this town named for the Marquis.”
Answer: Fayetteville.
June 27, 1997 — Category: Annual Events
Clue: “Spivey’s Corner near Fayetteville in this state is the site of the National Hollerin’ Contest each June.”
Answer: North Carolina.
Oct. 25, 1985 — Category: North Carolina
Clue: “Fayetteville was 1st American city named for this Revolutionary War hero.”
Answer: Marquis de Lafayette.
Public safety reporter Joseph Pierre can be reached at [email protected].