Howie Schwab Cause of Death – Longtime ESPN Researcher and Trivia Star, Dies at 63!

By David Hill On Apr 24, 2024

Howie Schwab, a sports nerd who turned his passion for numbers into a long career at ESPN, best known for his role as the ultimate trivia expert on the game show “Stump the Schwab,” died on Saturday in Aventura, Florida. He was 63.

His wife, Suzie Davie-Schwab, reported his death via social media. His mother, Dona (Bressner) Schwab, stated that he died of a heart attack while in the hospital being treated for an infection. Mr. Schwab had been a researcher and producer at ESPN for 17 years before being asked to star in his own show in 2004.

On “Stump the Schwab,” three contestants competed to outdo Mr. Schwab in answering questions presented by the host, Stuart Scott, in the first rounds. In the final round, known as the Schwab Showdown, the best of the three faced off against him for the $25,000 grand prize. Mr. Schwab almost always won.

In the program that determined the 2005 season’s champion, Mr. Schwab entered the studio at the opening of the show dressed in a red boxing robe with a woman on each arm; he then removed the robe, revealing a Derek Jeter jersey and shadowboxed.

“I am ready to rumble,” he informed Mr. Scott. Mr. Schwab did not resemble a conventional television star: he was overweight, wore glasses, and had a beard.

Marc Weingarten wrote in a 2005 review for The New York Times regarding “Stump the Schwab”: “The show’s allure is derived from its meticulously cultivated reverse elitism. Observing Mr. Schwab eliminate any challengers is comparable to Homer Simpson winning a college quiz bowl against Ken Jennings, the all-time ‘Jeopardy!’ champion.

After its initial run from 2004 to 2006, the program was rebroadcast. Mr. Schwab told The Tampa Bay Times in 2007: “Everyone intends to stump me.” “In 1941, individuals inquire, ‘What size shoe did So-and-so wear?'” I feel as if someone has “got me.” It’s clear that I do not know everything.”