Behind the Scene of Jeopardy
Jun 10, 2022
Leslie Frates
Behind the Scene of Jeopardy

Attended public schools in Hayward from grades one through twelve

Graduated Mt. Eden High School, 1972 (Valedictorian)

B.A., Summa Cum Laude, Spanish, California State University, Hayward, 1976

M.A., Spanish, University of California, Berkeley, 1979

Teaching Assistant/Associate, University of California, Berkeley
1977-81

Instructor, Spanish, Chabot College, 1981-1998
Lecturer, Spanish, California State University, Hayward, 1992-2009

Hobbies:  counted cross-stitch embroidery, crossword puzzles, playing recorder, singing, rabid Jeopardy fan since 1964

Married since 1981 to Robert Frates (attorney, San Francisco)

Mother of 36-year-old Leland and Grandmother of Liam and Luke

Fluent in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Latin and a smidgen of German

Winner of $56,099 on five regular Jeopardy episodes broadcast February 1-7, 1991.  Winner of $5,000 in Jeopardy Tournament of Champions (Semi-finalist).  (Almost winner of Semi-Final broadcast November 11, 1991, but best showing by a woman in three years).  Winner of $7,500 in Jeopardy 10th Anniversary Tournament broadcast week of November 29-December 3, 1993 (finalist, 3rd place).  Participant in “Battle of the Bay Area Brains” Charity Tournament for KGO/Red Cross (3rd place), March 20, 1998.   Winner of $25,000 in Jeopardy Million Dollar Masters Tournament at Radio City Music Hall in New York (Semi-finalist), May 1-14, 2002.  Participant in the "Ultimate Tournament of Champions," February 2005.  Participant in the "80's Battle of the Decades Tournament," February 2014