From the Stevens Point Journal April 10, 2006:

Trivia participants, volunteers hang in there during final hours

By Brandi Pettit
For the Journal

As the clock ticked down the final hours of "Trivia 37: The Odd Contest," the 90FM studios showed no signs of slowing Sunday evening as Jim "Oz" Oliva sat in the back office, thumbing feverishly through a pile of papers.

"I've had two hours and about 10 minutes of sleep all weekend," said Oliva, who was as energetic as he was 48 hours earlier. "It's all mind over matter. I haven't had any caffeine in eight years," he said, holding up his trusty bottle of water.

Photo: Participants in the Sunday morning "running question" of the trivia contest look up to calculate the dimension of a circle on a sign at a Stevens Point restaurant. Thomas Kujawski/Stevens Point Journal

By hour 43 of the 54-hour contest, trivia players had learned that lesson as well.

"The caffeine is more psychological, really," said Mike "Kurt" Schiebel, who joined other University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point students in the basement of Pray-Sims Hall, where BASP 42 was headquartered.

"The caffeine works, but once it wears off, you crash a lot sooner than you have without it," said R.J. Kleman, founding member of BASP 42. Kleman snuck away for a few hours of sleep this contest, having gone without any sleep the previous two contests.

Photo: Volunteers Sandy Omernick, left, and Marie and Jonathan Kruschwitz answer phones Saturday during the trivia contest at WWSP 90FM. Thomas Kujawski/Stevens Point Journal

The basement had a "safe zone" for members to sleep in the corner after they were given an OK from the team, but if they fell asleep at their computers they risked penalties from their peers, including marker drawings on their face.

Meanwhile, back at trivia headquarters, event organizers and volunteers were constantly clearing the Communication Arts Center's front hallway of empty cups and pizza boxes, as the studio was gearing up for the slew of key city officials and local celebrities who would handle the phone room from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Marsha Kapchinski, better know to local residents as "The Handy Lady" on WSAW-TV, was excited at the chance to help answer phones.

"As long as they don't ask me any questions," Kapchinski said. "I think I've only known one answer so far."

Jody Baganz was holding court in his east-side home, where his team, Home of Norm's Stool, a reference to the popular television show "Cheers," was headquartered.

"Well, we're in the mid-20s right now," said Baganz of his 20-year-old team's standing. "We're unexpectedly low right now," he said.

Almost a dozen manned computer stations were set up in Baganz's basement, where Baganz and his family hosted about 34 players for this year's contest.

Home of Norm's Stool has members from several areas of Wisconsin and other states, including Arkansas and Michigan.

To keep morale high, the team gives awards to members based on their actions. Some of the awards go to the person who accidentally crashed a computer system, and person who has had the most sleep.

"I've had about four or five hours of sleep, myself," said Baganz.

The Establishment also used a computer to find some of their answers.

"We're doing OK," said team captain Dan Wheeler, whose team was in 144th place as of hour 43.

Wheeler's team consisted of 18 people, all of whom were holed up in the basement of his home.

"We are all conformists," said Wheeler, whose team began in 1985. "We've all gone on to traditional-type occupations, and so we decided to call the team "The Establishment.'"

While many 90FM volunteers looked haggard, and dreaming of the much-needed sleep they'd get after the contest ended at midnight, Oz was wired with energy, anxious to help the studio staff and volunteers any way he could.

"All things trivia emanate through me," he said.

Players also looked forward to a good night's rest before they headed back to work and school this morning. BASP 42 member AnnMarie Vanderhoof would have slept in today, but she had an early morning exam.

"Who schedules an exam the morning after trivia?" she questioned. "It's evil. That just might be the only class I'm showing up for."