one of the organized sport's first champions (NBA National Champion in 1976) is almost a footnote. Many of the sport's early stars can trace their career beginnings to Breithaupt's Long Beach B.U.M.S. course. In 1978 at the track in Carson, California, called the Runway because it was next to the skateboard park, Breithaupt ran NBS-sanctioned races. He did all the work—from promoting to setting up the track to recording results. He held the first Pro race at the Runway sanctioned by the NBA, which Harry Leary won, riding for factory JMC. The first National held at Saddleback in 1979 was won by Stompin' Stu Thomsen fresh on the SE Racing team. He may not have been the very first to put on a BMX race, but it would be very difficult to come up with any other single person who has left a bigger mark on the sport. On July 4, 2015, he was found dead at age 57 in a vacant lot in Indio, CA. He was a drug addict, primarily cocaine, who started in his early 20s and aside from brief periods of sobriety he never stopped; it was Breithaupt's downfall. His addiction had led him to homelessness, and he was found in 106 degree (F) heat in a makeshift tent. As an entrepreneur, Breithaupt ventured into many industries, creating over 25 entities. Most were "sports related" and involved Breithaupt's passions. Besides being "The founding Father of BMX," he's considered a pioneer in promoting, marketing and televising extreme sports such as BMX, Skateboarding, Karting, Mixed Martial Arts, Snowboarding, Mountain Biking and Extreme Sports. Breithaupt's 400 + TV shows, commercials and videos include: 1st TV production of BMX racing distributed internationally; 1987 IBMXF World Championships from Orlando, Fl. thru Prime International, HNK, STAR, TSN, BSN, and on Nickelodeon in the U.S. and others through Breithaupt’s cable syndication of over 60 million homes. 1st Mountain Bike TV program; 1988 SWATCH World Championships from Mammoth Mountain Resort, distributed through ESPN & international networks. 1st BMX Freestyle TV show with ESPN & International distribution; The 1987 AFA SOCKO Finals. 1st to televise the ABA Grand Nationals for ESPN and distribute internationally 1987–1992. 1st to televise Snowboarding; 1988 SIMS/VISION STREET WEAR – SNOWDAZE. 1st to televise Skateboarding; 1987 ESPN/VISION STREET WEAR-ROCK –N-ROLL JAM, then broadcast through international networks. 1st to televise GPV and Luge racing; 1987 GPV RAMP JAM on ESPN, PRIME SPORTS,