We have a new Kwiz Champion. Ryan M held on to take first place with 35.5 points. It went right down to the last kwiz, but after 27 questions, Ryan is your winner. Congratulations.

Second place also went down to the wire, with two-time defending champ AJM capping off an amazing comeback, ending up with 30.9 points. He passed pweezil, who played this season valiantly, ending up with 29.45 points.

Matty got fourth, and my cousin Kara rounded out the top five. Nick Smith continued his amazing streak of finishing in dead last, with 0.0 points. The full standings is at the Kwiz Page as always. Twenty-three people scored at least a tenth of a point this year, a record number. Thanks to everyone who took a shot this year. It was definitely the most fun and exciting Kwiz Season to date!

Now let's talk serious here. Ryan, I hold in my hands four cello packs of unopened 1982 Topps baseball cards. Two have Gedman showing on either the front or the back, so I'm keeping those. Your choice is between: The pack with the Fernando Valenzuela "1981 Highlights" card, honoring his 8 shutouts as a rookie, on the front, and the Expos team card on the back. OR The pack with the Pete Rose highlight card, honoring his setting of the NL career hit record, on the front, and Dave Lopes' card on the back. Each pack seems to be in pretty perfect condition, in its original shrink-wrap showing the 49 cent price. So it's your call. Don't eat the gum, though! You will also receive a signed copy of my upcoming book, "Dirty Water: A Red Sox Mystery." You'll get that in the summer at some point. You will also get some signed "artwork" I have used on this blog, and a scorecard made and filled out by me from one of the games I announced.

AJM, as second prize winner you will the book, too, and some artwork as described above.

And we'll have another winner soon, as Manny is one dong away from 500! Last night, after he hit 499, we actually had our first chance to see 500. Dan Lowe was the contestant. Since nobody picked tonight's game, and since tomorrow's an off day, Dan will still be the closest if Manny goes yard tonight. If not, we go in to the four game series in Baltimore, with the following contestants: Friday--Drew, Saturday--alclem, Sunday--Kim (not my girlfriend Kim), Monday--Matty. Of course, there was a controversy with Kim and Matty's dates. We'll cross that bridge should it be built. Also, I'm going to one of the Balty games so amazingly, after all this time and having gone through two long road trips with Manny very close to 500, I still have a shot at seeing this thing live. Here's the full contestant list.