Eric Berman, who won four games of Jeopardy! in July 1987 and reached the semifinals of that November’s Tournament of Champions, has passed away following a lengthy battle with cancer, as reported by Eric’s longtime employer, Indianapolis radio station 93 WIBC.
Eric’s tenure on the show began on July 2, 1987 by preventing Doug Molitor—who recent fans may remember from his appearance in the 2025 Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament—from getting a fifth win; three of Eric’s four victories were runaways. Unfortunately, his attempts at a fifth victory were derailed by a Triple Stumper Final Jeopardy about Kennedy Center honorees, and having to bet everything in a game that was tied entering the game’s final segment.
Returning in November for the Tournament of Champions, Eric was defeated by Bob Verini, one of the game’s all-time greats, in the semifinals.
After Jeopardy!, Eric became a very well-respected reporter covering the Indiana State House; he also became legendary for his exploits in the puzzle community. Social media was filled today with tributes from both spheres. He also won the top prize of $20,000 in the 2024 LeVar Burton-hosted revival of Trivial Pursuit.
Eric Berman, as he was first introduced on Jeopardy! in July 1987. Eric passed away this week. Courtesy of a VHS recording of the July 2, 1987 episode of Jeopardy! provided by the National Archives of Game Show History.
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I was fortunate to have crossed paths with Eric online a few years back, and helped him with digitizing his J! collection of appearances. He was a true delight to chat with, as we shared a number of interests (trivia, puzzles, and our Cubbies).