Before being admitted into the Olympics in 1996, softball had an Olympian. But it wasn’t for softball. It was for luge, and Ida Jean (Hoppy) Hopkins, a National Softball Hall of Famer, from Cleveland, OH, earned that destination. “John Nagy (former ASA Cleveland Metro Commissioner and president) thought I could do anything,” said Hopkins. “So he suggested I try out for the luge team.” Hopkins made the 1972 team, but unfortunately never competed in the Olympics. She bruised her back in practice and “was disappointed” she never competed in the individual competition. She still attended the competition in Japan, however, and considers the experience “one of the highlights” of her career. Another highlight was winning the ASA Women’s Major Slow Pitch Championship with Ridge Maintenance of Cleveland, OH in 1967. That year Hoppy also captured her first of three MVP awards. She also was National Tourney MVP in 1968 and 1970 In 1970, Hoppy won her third MVP award as well as earning another All-America award plus leading the national tourney in batting (.704 average, 19-for-27).
