"But what a life it was! Realizing fairly early that at 5-foot-8 and 130 pounds, a desired career as an athlete was not realistic, Mike thought that if he couldn't play the games well, maybe he could write well about them and set out to become a sportswriter. And, with some fantastic breaks along the way, he became one, first at his hometown newspaper, the Waukesha (Wis.) Freeman, then on to 25 years at the Milwaukee Journal, capping his career with a 23-year stint as senior assistant sports editor at the Los Angeles Times."
"Fifty-one years of covering college and pro football and basketball, major league baseball, national auto racing, winter and summer Olympics, Super Bowls, World Series, NCAA and NBA Finals, Indianapolis and Daytona 500s, the Kentucky Derby, covering some of the greatest athletes and coaches in the world, writing game stories, news stories, features, columns and various opinion pieces, later helping promising young writers achieve their potential."
Mike Kupper died September 17 at age 88 of renal failure. He pursued a career in sportswriting after recognizing limitations as an athlete and worked at the Waukesha Freeman, the Milwaukee Journal for 25 years and the Los Angeles Times as senior assistant sports editor for 23 years. He covered college and professional football and basketball, major league baseball, auto racing, multiple Olympics, Super Bowls, World Series, NCAA and NBA Finals, Indianapolis and Daytona 500s and the Kentucky Derby over a 51-year career. He wrote game and feature stories, columns and opinion pieces and mentored young writers. He was married to Mary Ann for over 54 years and was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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