Story Archive

Serving the Pople

When Dale Pople was 29, he was a professional wrestler. His moniker was “Super Hero” — he even wore a super hero costume. When he got hurt, he considered what to do next. “So, I’m a broken down wrestler with a superhero gimmick,” said the resident of Clearwater, Fla. “I wondered what would happen if I did it for real.” He dressed up and started patrolling in town, came across a minor car crash, and stopped to help. He says an “old English couple” told him, “Super Hero, we’re so glad to see you!” — and Pople was hooked. “It was like they expected me to be there because this is America and superheroes are everywhere.” He worked about three hours every evening, seven days a week — but ramped that down in recent years. After 20 years in the suit he has retired, he told a reporter. “I don’t care how good of shape you are in,” he says, “you are not going to break up a fight between 21 year old kids at 50.” And, he says, he learned early on that super hero costumes shouldn’t include a cape. “It’ll get caught in the toilet.” (RC/Tampa Bay Times) ...Real super heroes don’t use toilets.