View Full Version : Bill "Hoppy" Haupt--Roller Derby Announcer


mudshark82
04-10-2004, 01:54 PM
anyone know what happened to this guy? i saw him on cheap seats (great espn classic show) from a 1979 roller derby show and he looked like a mess and a google search turns up no information. anyone know anything about whats happened to him since? or what he did before announcing roller derby totally smashed?

rlsamuels
01-08-2006, 12:53 PM
In the early 90's, I taught a television production workshop to a group of senior citizens in Pasadena, California. One of the first to become involved was Bill "Hoppy" Haupt. He was in his early 70's, and had to retire, as I understand it, when he developed voice problems. He became my right hand man, helping to train and direct other seniors as they performed on a monthly senior citizen's television program. His family later told me how this experience rejuvenated him, after becoming despondant over the loss of his profession. As for his being "smashed" during his roller derby telecast, I hadn't heard of that incident, but I do know that he overcame alcholism, and helped many others over the years in their recovery process. He died about 1994.

mudshark82
01-08-2006, 04:55 PM
wow, i'm surprised to get an email reminder of this so many years later. sorry if my posting was insensitive. i remember on that tv show he did seem very much intoxicated.

thats a really cool story that you tell though. its nice to read happy endings to lives...