Lakewood Man Wins on Jeopardy!

Here is the clue: This Lakewood man won first place and brought home (at least) $2,199 in cash on the game show Jeopardy!

(Go ahead and insert whistling of that lovely theme song here) 

If you answered Alan Baltis, you’re a big winner. 

But it was Baltis, a Lakeland Avenue resident, who was the star of the show on Friday night.

He didn’t get Final Jeopardy! answer correct — no one did; it was a really difficult question about the Pulitzer Prize winning novel “Confederacy of Dunces.” 

However, Baltis still won first place and will compete again on Monday’s show.

Under a contract, he said he’s not allowed to discuss how he fared in his second appearance.

Baltis said he’s been watching Jeopardy! for decades (remember when Trebek had that mustache?) and added that it’s sort of like a dream come true.

He tried out for the show in Cleveland last December and got a call back from the producers in March.

“It was an exhilarating roller coaster ride,” he said. “I’ve always watched game shows, and I always thought Jeopardy! was the toughest one.”

Baltis, an app development consultant in his day job, flew to California with his wife, Colleen.

His parents, residents of Southern California, were also in the audience. 

“My mom and dad got to see their little boy and see how I developed such a knack for trivia,” Baltis said, adding that friends and family joined him at Pacer’s on Detroit Avenue for a watch party.

“It’s so easy to do it sitting on your couch. It’s much more nerve-racking in person.”

Tune in to watch Baltis on Monday on CBS.