King of Diamonds: Pitching a message
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Admitting a personal problem to yourself is tough enough. Admitting a problem in a small group meeting is even tougher. Imagine admitting your drug and alcohol problem to audiences hundreds of times a year throughout the world.
Welcome to the world of Rich Hoppe. Hoppe, one of the top trick-pitch softball pitchers in the world, paid a visit along with fellow King of Diamonds founder and teammate Charlie Dobbins to Southern Wayne High School Friday to talk with some students about bad choices Hoppe had made in his life many years ago.
He focused primarily on the dark world of drugs and alcohol. Hoppe hopes his life-and-death message will help save lives < something far more important than who won or lost a game or match.
It¹s a role he cherishes. As far as he¹s concerned, anyone can tell you how bad your life can become when you give in to drugs and alcohol. But coming from a guy like Hoppe who has been down the road of despair, he hopes it helps drive the point home.
He wants listeners to trust him when he urges them not to follow in his footsteps.
What makes his gatherings fun and helps ease the heavy burden of his message is the pitching exhibition that follows.
Hoppe got student volunteers from the stands in Southern Wayne¹s gym to try and hit his stuff, some of whom were afraid of being hit by high-speed pitches.
Many of the students moved to another part of the stands in fear that they would be hit by a batted ball. It turned out they had very little reason to worry. Southern Wayne baseball coach Trae McKee was singled out by Hoppe on Friday to take a few pitches. He struck out. Except for two students who softly hit a couple of Hoppe changeups, they came up empty as well.
Hoppe is now a teacher and basketball coach in Los Angeles. Friday was his third appearance in the area in the last three years and, along with Dobbins, is a founding member of the King of Diamonds, a team which tours the world talking about
making right choices at critical times in a person's life.
Hoppe and Dobbins, carry a 16-foot by 12-foot mural everywhere they visit. The mural is covered with signatures by fans from all over the world, including quite a few from North Carolina.
The logo on the center of the mural is a multicolored hand on top of a globe. Hoppe and Dobbins ask people to look beyond skin color (hence fingers which are different colors) religion, creed or gender. It¹s carrying the Big Man¹s message, Hoppe said.
Hoppe and Dobbins gave away T-shirts screened with the logo. They are simple
white shirts with the logo outlined in black. Hoppe and Dobbins encourage
the recipients to color the shirts themselves. The more colors representing diversity the better. One of the top examples of the King of Diamonds message of peace was a show the team performed in South Central Los Angeles a few years after the riots which destroyed parts of the city in the 90s. A total of 751 guns were turned in in exchange for ball gloves, and 4,000 signatures for peace were laid on the infield, which was a burned out street corner.
Some Southern Wayne students, following the speech and exhibition by Hoppe and Dobbins, added their names to the mural; names which will help carry on the message of Hoppe and the King of Diamonds.
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Hoppe makes serious pitch
A commentary by News-Argus Sports Writer GABE CORNWALL
Rich Hoppe says he doesn¹t deserve to be alive. But many people should be glad he still is. Hoppe, founding member of the King of Diamonds, fell victim to the world of drugs and alcohol. It happened more than six months into the two-year stint he served during the war in Vietnam. He was helping to clear and secure areas in the country. A few of his fellow soldiers with a little help from the enemy were killed due to what boiled down to friendly fire.
Then Hoppe and his comrades was almost overrun that same night. It left Hoppe feeling down to say the least. It was at that point the next night that I made a wrong decision, Hoppe said. He tried his first drug: a mix of marajuana and heroin.
Hoppe said it took him to another place, a place which he hopes no one else wants to be.
Today, I¹m grateful to have survived, Hoppe said.
He shows his gratitude on a daily basis to anyone who will listen. He came to Southern Wayne High School Friday morning along with fellow King of Diamonds founder Charlie Dobbins to tell some students of the pitfalls of drugs and alcohol.
Shortly after Hoppe returned home from the war, he became a successful restauranteur with a tavern. He was also a well-known athlete. Alcohol is a big part of that life, Hoppe said. Along with the drug addiction, alcoholism began to envelop him. Hoppe came
to a crossroads in life on a Thursday night in 1985. He tried to commit suicide.
Hoppe couldn¹t muster the courage to do it. It proved to be a big step toward conquering his addictions.
I said to Jesus Christ, If you exist. I never knew it, but you exist. Show me how to do it right, he said. Something happened immediately that was white and light. I knew that I was overtaken, that I was answered.
Hoppe has never had the inclination to use drugs or drink again.
I was a beat-up man mentally, physically and spiritually, he said. But as any addict who has come full circle will admit, it¹s a daily
struggle. That¹s the demon that I battle today, except that the demon is squashed by
the grace of God, Hoppe said. But I can¹t take for granted that tomorrow, the demon won¹t slay me.
So I¹ll do the same thing (to battle the demon) tomorrow morning, and that¹s too private to talk about. Hoppe now gets up every morning passionate about life and full of joy. He made that abundantly clear during his previous trips to Wayne County and he did it Friday speaking to a few dozen students at Southern Wayne High School¹s gym. I was a guy who was given a second chance, Hoppe said. I can¹t heal the world. I can¹t save it,Hoppe said. But if I can pass it on to turn one thought process around, that¹s what I¹m supposed to do.
As long as Hoppe keeps on hopping around telling his story, he¹s likely to
accomplish his goals many times over.