Background
He is the son of Dick Pope Senior, the founder of Cypress Gardens theme park. Pope was born in Long Island, New New York
He is the son of Dick Pope Senior, the founder of Cypress Gardens theme park. Pope was born in Long Island, New New York
Pope was an important innovator in the sport of water skiing, including the development of barefoot skiing in 1947. Water Skiing In 1947, Pope was one of the first people to successfully barefoot waterski. Photographs and newsreels of Pope barefoot waterskiing at speeds in excess of 40 mph became an international sensation at the time.
This media attention was produced by his father, Dick Pope Senior, to generate publicity for Cypress Gardens, but it also helped popularize water skiing worldwide.
In 1949, Pope competed in the first Water Skiing World Championships. He skied all out at the first World Championships, taking youthful risks, and losing out to more conservative European skiers.
He was particularly for tricks. He was one of several skiers from that era who would "climb the rope" in order to get greater height on a jump.
This practice is banned in the sport today because of its extreme danger.
In 1952, he became the first person to successful complete a 540 jump off a ramp. In addition to his skiing career, Pope succeeded his father, Dick Pope Senior as president of Cypress Gardens in 1962. He took the company public in 1972, and was elected chairman of the board in 1982 before the company was sold to Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Incorporated.
1950 World Jump Runner-up
1950 World Tricks Fifth Place.