The first annual AO Deadpool is over. 20 players. 50 hits. A photo-finish ending. What more could you ask for? Maybe some clearer rules, maybe some cash prizes, maybe a way to line up those damned columns better ... but, hell, it was fun, wasn't it? We chose and lost some great people, chose and lost some evildoers. Too many of the former, not enough of the latter. (Sorry, ???Guest. Better luck this year.) There was no shortage of stylish hits (John Fred from Ed Varner, Howell Heflin from Scubama, Ronnie Barker from Corby, for example) and great combos (Mark's trio of the Pope, Richard Pryor and Max Schmeling comes to mind.) Brigid and Ray Arthur only had TV star hits. I don't know how KW had Al Lopez when the other baseball nuts missed him, but he did. And we must pay homage to the best name in the deadpool: Jazz Vulture.

It's official. I've run the numbers, checked the stats, and made sure the winners are the winners. Of course, everyone is a winner in the AO Deadpool, and that's the way we like it. However, there are some folks who will be going home with some prizes, even if most of them are virtual.

First, a note: As far as I can tell Bill and I (because I ain't taking complete credit) made only one mistake. Buford seems to have finished the year with a very respectable 9 hits, not 10, as it was recorded. Even so, it was the second highest hit count. Way to go, Buford. And thanks for your end-of-the-year help. You, too, Bill.

OK, you're ready?

The MOXIE AWARD goes to none other than the great lover of antiquity, Louis Epstein. The big winner. On points (77). On hits (13). On solos (11). If you're old and decrepit with brittle bones and a recent hip surgery, Louis knows about it. As terrifying as the Angel of Death, our Louis is. He's good. Real good. And now he must drink the Moxie. Enjoy, Louis. You've earned it.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD. Only one point behind him was the clever Raven. Little-known to the people of AO, he sneaked in and showed us amateurs how to play the game. Raven had the best quality point hits. (I made that up. I can't think of any other way to say it.) He was only one point behind Louis with fewer than half the hits. Averaging about 12 points a hit, by far the highest, he certainly deserves to be Rookie of the Year. Raven's prize? He doesn't have to drink the Moxie.

The COMPANY OF STRANGERS AWARD. Say what you want about Erik, he knows how to make the most of a deadpool roster. Erik came in third only three points behind Louis with 8 hits and ... not ... one ... solo. Erik stays in the company of strangers, although there is no one stranger than Erik.

The BOBBSEY TWINS AWARD. Erik and James Neibaur hit three times as a duet. I would say they are joined at the hip, but that would be too creepy to contemplate.

ONE-HIT WONDERS. One must congratulate people who keep the people on their lists alive. King Daevid, Wendy and Bill Schenley did that quite efficiently.

We will give the DIM REAPER AWARD to Bill Schenley for the fewest points. (Notice he made sure to put Lou Rawls on his 2006 list. His pride was on the line, I believe.)

Indulge me. Let me have an award. Thanks.

I give myself the I WALK ALONE AWARD. All four of my hits were solos. I was second only to Louis in solo count. And this is NOT because I saw everyone's lists. I like to walk alone. Raven, Buford, Philip and Corby each had three solos among their hits.

The PAINFULLY OBVIOUS SOLO AWARD goes to the person who got a solo on someone the whole group should have had. This goes to Kathi Seidl for Prince Rainier. But I could see where people might have missed this. He was only dying for about 10 years.

So that's it, my friends. If anyone cares to offer their own awards, I'm open to it. All the updates can be googled. And thanks for playing our game.