Dick Wipperman was born in July of 1941. His parents were Gertrude and Edward Wipperman Sr. Life was tough for the Wipperman family growing-up amongst the hard times of the Lakeview Projects. Soup and day-old bread became the staple of their diet. Thus no one was surprised when Dick Wipperman left Grover Cleveland High School to go to work and begin an amateur boxing career. He was not the first member of his family to enter the ring. His father was an amateur fighter, while his step-father and older brother Ed were pro fighters. Dick, in fact, would always idolize this older brother, Ed Jr. It was also his brother who would pay Dick's gym fees early in his career.

Dick became an amateur fighter at the age of eighteen and then a professional fighter two years later in 1961. By then Wipperman had entered Sloan High School and received his high school diploma. He was one of the many fighters who trained at Singer's gym. Dick Wipperman was managed by Bernie Blanchard and trained at different times by George Smith, Tony Pinto and Prentice Hall. Wipperman was part of a stable of fighters that included his brother Ed, Vic Brown, Al and Manny Quinney, Willie Cole, Sammy Anderson, Stan Fitzgerald, Bobby Wartham and the concluding parts of the careers of Joey Giambra and Jimmy Watkins.

Due to some pressure from his job and some declining skills Wipperman lost his last eight fights. Dick Wipperman fought all corners and was never afraid of a tough opponent. He was decisioned by Oscar Bonavena and Buster Mathis. He was also knocked out by Joe Frazier, Henry Cooper and twice by George Chuvalo. His manager was also in the process of negotiating a fight with Sonny Liston when Dick Wipperman decided to retire. Wipperman felt that George Chuvallo was his toughest opponent. He fought like a bulldozer. Dick felt that Henry Cooper was his hardest hitting opponent.

Dick Wipperman is a marvelous person to talk with. He has a great sense of history, a love of the sport of boxing and a great deal for respect of all fighters that have ever entered the ring. Wipperman was a very close friend of Vic Brown and an admirer of Jimmy Ralston, Jackie Donnelly, Vinnie Cala, Tony La Barba and his boyhood idols, Joe and Phil Moscato.

Wipperman has no regrets for the direction his career went in. He got to meet Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, Lee Oma, Rocky Graziano and one of his favorite entertainers, Howard Keel. He also got to fight in Montreal, London and he also headlined two boxing cards at Madison Square Garden.

In his own words Dick Wipperman, although he lacked dynamite in his hands, he moved well and had a granite chin, a durable and darting left hand as well as an awkwardly clever style that confused a lot of fighters.

Tonight, we are very proud to honor Dick Wipperman for his achievements, love and dedication to boxing and contributions to the sport by inducting him into Ring #44's Boxing Hall of Fame.