Tribute courtesy of Phil Berrier, Roller Derby Forum
Jumpin' Joe Perez
Obituary
Joe D. Perez of Fremont entered into rest September 3, 2007 at the age of 58. Dear brother to Manuel E. Perez of Oakland, Robert Perez of Oakland, John L. and Eileen Perez of Fremont. Proud uncle to Manuel III, Lisa, Bonita, Monica, Jesse, Matthew, Joshua and Robert.
Born February 6, 1949 in California. Joe's passion was cooking and he enjoyed attending the Culinary School in San Francisco. In earlier years, Joe was the number 1 scorer for the San Francisco Bay City Bombers, known as Jumpin' Joe Perez. He also skated for the New York Chiefs, Pioneers, and the Red Devils Roller Derby Teams.
Bio
Joe Perez was one of those skaters that you wanted to do well. I don't remember ever seeing Perez just go through the motions during a game. He gave it 100% all the time even when he was overshadowed by his more experienced teammates.
Joe's rookie season was cut short by a call to military service. As seemed to be his fate in the early days of his career he returned to skating on a team knee-deep in talented jammers . Joe kind of got lost in the shuffle. He took his jams, did his best and that was that.
When the 1973 season rolled around things changed because Joe was the Chiefs' number two jammer, right behind Mike Gammon. Someone must have noticed the work Perez had been doing the past two years because he was given more and more jams and started racking up big points for his team.
When the IRSL opened Joe spent the early part of the season with the Manhattan Chiefs before moving over to the Pioneers. I have always thought that this was the team where Perez did his best work. Someone else must have thought the same thing because when Bob Hein retired following the 1979 season, Joe Perez was named the new coach of the Pioneers. Joe did a fine job coaching the team but gave up that position the next season to concentrate on jamming.
Over the years Joe developed into one of the most consistent jammers of the IRSL. Never a really flashy skater, he did what he had always done --- he went out on his jams, scored his points and let his skating do the talking.
It was especially sad when Joe passed away last year. Maybe it was because fans of my generation had been there since the beginning of his career and had watched Joe develop as a skater over the years. We might have identified with him a little more. He was an outstanding skater and, no doubt, a fine person. Thanks for the memories.
Bio Courtesy of Phil Berrier