SPACE STATION 10

DICK CRIPPEN - "COMMANDER ASTRO"

"Space Station 10" was a hosted children's show with Dick Crippen as "Commander Astro", presenting cartoons and television serials on WLCY-TV Channel 10 in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, in 1965, till 1966. Some of the shows included "Roger Ramjet" and "Flash Gordon". Dick Crippen also personal appearances in costume as "Commander Astro", meeting his young audience and spreading goodwill for the fledgling WLCY-TV Channel 10. "Space Station 10" replaced "Submarine 10" hosted by Don Jones, who died in a motorcycle accident. Commander Astro & Johnny Weissmuller Dick Crippen said this about the show: "We didn't really have any script - I'd just get in there and start doing this show, and guys from the radio (WLCY-radio) would all of a sudden show up. They would come in and we'd do a bit. All adlib and just a lot of fun for everybody that was involved. Dick Crippen From "Where Are They Now": Dick has been a staple of Tampa Bay Area broadcasting for better than four decades. For more than 35 years he has been sports director at both the NBC affiliate (19 years - WFLA-TV) and before that at the then ABC affiliate (16 years - WTSP-TV). He has also worked extensively in radio and was best known as part of the Q Morning Zoo on Q105 Radio. His sports broadcasting also included several years with NASCAR's Motor Racing Network and 17 years doing the radio broadcasts for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also served as stadium announcer and television broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Crippen's work has taken him around the country as he broadcast the Unlimited Hydroplane Circuit on ESPN for ten years and is currently associated with the APBA Offshore Racing Circuit. He has also done a drag boat series, the 12 hours of Sebring, motorcycle racing and is host of Boattest Reports that just recently moved from Speedvision to the Outdoor Life Network. He has been an integral member of the Super Bowl Task Force that landed three Super Bowls for Tampa Bay and has also been part of the birth of NFL Football, NASL Soccer, NHL Hockey and Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay. His job in sports took him to ten Super Bowls as well as Final Four's; Sugar, Orange and Fiesta Bowls; years of Florida/Florida State match-ups and several World Series. He was named Florida Sportscaster of the Year four times in the 90's by the National Sporstcasters and Sportswriters Association. Dick was Executive Director of Community Development for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and also heads up their Rays of Hope Foundation. He serves on eight board of directors including the St. Petersburg YMCA; PARC (Pinellas Association for Retarted Children); United Way of Tampa Bay; Florida Blood Services; CASA; Pinellas Education Foundation; and the Salvation Army Advisory Board. He is also a lifetime member of the board for the Suncoast Ronald MacDonald Houses and serves on the Board of Counselors at the University of Tampa and the President's Council at the University of South Florida. Dick and wife Penny, reside in St. Petersburg. The station's (Channel 10 WTSP-TV) weatherman, veteran Tampa Bay broadcaster Dick Crippen, was designated to take over the time period. The new show "Space Station 10" was hosted by "Commander Astro". Dick Crippen says "It was interesting because we were closely tied with WLCY Radio at the time and it was 'king' over all Tampa Bay. A lot of the WLCY air personalities would come on the show and ad-lib. In fact, the whole thing was ad-lib right down to a talking rock. It was wild and I have to admit, a lot of fun!" There are no known clips from the show.

LINKS

Internet Movie Data Base "Space Station 10"	Where Are They Now? "Dick Crippen"	Internet Movie Data Base "Dick Crippen"
Catalyst "Dick Crippen"	Big 13 "Commander Astro"	Linkedin "Dick Crippen"

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