Dan McShane with “Jeopardy” host Alex Trebek.
Former St. Anthony’s quiz bowl champ goes on to win at ‘Jeopardy’
Dan McShane with “Jeopardy” host Alex Trebek.
If this were television’s “Jeopardy,” the answer might be: “Former St. Anthony’s High School quiz bowl captain who won big on a major TV game show.”
The question would be “Who is Dan McShane?” McShane, a 2006 graduate of St. Anthony’s, South Huntington, was a four-day champion as seen on “Jeopardy” last week, winning $64,000 before being edged out on his fifth day.
“It was incredible but it’s almost a blur,” said McShane, who had wanted to be on “Jeopardy” for almost a decade. “When I watched the episodes on TV last week it was like I was seeing it for the first time. I couldn’t remember most of it.”
“I’m also surprised by how many people watch ‘Jeopardy,’” McShane said. “I’ve gotten so many phone calls, texts, and e-mails.”
McShane said that he has taken the test for “Jeopardy” ever since he was at St. Anthony’s, where he competed on the school’s quiz bowl team for three years.
“My senior year I was captain,” when the team won “The Long Island Challenge” on News 12. He was also swim team captain and a member of the National Honor Society.
Still, he never got the call back from “Jeopardy” either at St. Anthony’s or while he attended Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. After graduating college a semester early in December of 2009 with a degree in international relations, he traveled for several months around Latin America — Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile and Peru.
“I studied for a semester in Buenos Aires,” McShane said, where he honed his Spanish language skills. His experiences included “almost getting mugged” in Brazil but managing to flee his assailants, and taking 20-hour bus rides. “That was interesting, to say the least.”
“The high point was hiking to Machu Picchu,” a 15th-century Incan fortress city in Peru. “That was incredible.”
On returning in May of 2010, McShane began job hunting, but found nothing until about a year later when he began working as a game watcher for Major League Baseball, selecting highlights. He continued working throughout the World Series. Later, he began an internship with the website, everydayhealth.com.
Last January, McShane took another online test for “Jeopardy,” but heard no word until June, when he was called for an interview. “I had to take another written test and play a mock round,” he said. They told him he might hear back, but made no commitment.
In September, he was out for dinner one night with his family when he received a call. “They wanted to know when I could go out to Los Angeles to appear on the show. Everyone in the car cheered.”
He went, paying his own way, and won his first round against a six-time winner, McShane said. The show paid for him to go back for subsequent tapings.
McShane is grateful to St. Anthony’s for helping him compete. “There were plenty of history questions that I got that I learned in classes at St. Anthony’s,” he said.
“I think being on the quiz bowl team was particularly important in preparing me,” said McShane, noting the influence of quiz bowl coaches Denise Creighton and Philomena Clement.
Denise Creighton, alumni director and quiz bowl coach, said that his “success at ‘Jeopardy’ is no surprise,” because he is both bright and quick in competition. His two brothers, John, 2003, and Kieran, 2008, were also on the quiz bowl team. His mother, Anne, works for the school as well. “I view the McShane family as our own brain trust.”
“Dan would go to early swimming practice but then come in at seven in the morning for quiz bowl practice,” said Philomena Clement, chair of the English department, who coached him in quiz bowl as a sophomore and a junior. “That shows his dedication.”
“I taught him for advanced placement English and he is one of the most gentlemanly, kind persons I have ever taught,” Clement said. “I couldn’t be happier for him and I’m proud if I made even a small contribution.”
After leading going into the final round, he lost on his fifth day on “Jeopardy” when he missed a question about women nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature.
McShane is happy with the $64,000 he won, though “I won’t be getting the check for a few months. I’ll probably use some of it for more traveling,” while saving the rest.
Plus, he is hopeful that he might be asked back for the tournament of champions.
“Dan is a guy who is consumed with learning,” said Franciscan Brother Gary Cregan, principal of St. Anthony’s. “It is nice to see this passion pay off on the national scale.”
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