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Tom Pipines in retirement; from FOX6 Sports to jail ministry
He is a beloved member of the FOX6 family. We recently got a chance to catch up with former FOX6 Sports Director Tom Pipines as he retired from a position that kept him busy for years.
WAUKESHA, Wis. - He is a beloved member of the FOX6 family. We recently got a chance to catch up with former FOX6 Sports Director Tom Pipines as he retired from a position that kept him busy for years after leaving the station.
Checking in with Pip
What we know:
For 32 years, FOX6 viewers turned to him for game analysis, sports scores and heartwarming stories of athletes pushing themselves to win. Tom Pipines retired from broadcasting in 2017. When we caught up with him in January 2026, the former Sports Director proved he’s still got it: "Hey everybody Tom Pipines – FOX6 Sports have a terrific Tuesday!" Pip said as he turned to the camera, giving viewers his familiar closing.
"As I look back, I appreciate it more now to know that I loved what I did – I had such a passion for it," said Pipines. "I really never worked a day in my life. But then I look back and go, ‘Where did all the years go? Where did they go!?’"
Tom Pipines
Pipines hasn’t slowed in retirement, but his goals changed.
What they're saying:
"I think a lot of people would be surprised to learn that since you left FOX6, you’ve spent a lot of time in jail," FOX6's Bret Lemoine observed with Pipines.
"To be honest with you, many times I say to myself, ‘But for the grace of God, I’m on that other side,’" Pipines said.
Tom Pipines
New outlook
Dig deeper:
Right after he left sports reporting behind, Pipines joined the leadership team at St. Vincent de Paul of Waukesha County as a volunteer Spiritual Advisor. Through video conferencing inside the Waukesha County Jail, Pipines prays with inmates as part of a group known as the St. Dismas Jail Ministry. While they are not physically in the same room, Pipines says these visits are often the only outside interaction an inmate has during the week.
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In nine years, Pipines estimates he’s met with 2,700 men and women behind bars.
"Have you ever been recognized? Do people know Tom Pipines is coming?" asked Lemoine.
"Here and there. And we’ll have a little fun with that," Pipines said. "I enjoy that because it’s a bouncing off point. You’ll see people in the jail lobby waiting to get into see family members."
Tom Pipines
Pipines greets all of them not just with a smile but with an offer to help.
Making an impact
What they're saying:
"A colleague described Tom Pipines as a bucket of sunshine. And he is that way. He lifts everyone up, he’s a really positive guy, and he is frankly just a joy to work with," said Rob Shelledy, Senior Director of Mission Engagement at St. Vincent de Paul.
Rob Shelledy
Shelledy said the program’s goal is to help people be self-sufficient after their release.
At their Waukesha office, St. Vincent de Paul gives those who were incarcerated within the last year clothes, rent assistance and spiritual support.
"One of the big things in the society is to not be judgmental," said Shelledy. "We deal with all sorts of people coming out of jail who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and others who have done some terrible, terrible things."
Jail ministry
What we know:
The jail ministry is optional for inmates and private. But we found a letter Pipines wrote to a Waukesha County judge about a young man who was ultimately sentenced to ten years in prison for a fatal drunk driving crash.
"In your handwritten note, you hoped for mercy for him. How do you balance being an advocate for someone and being respectful of victims?" asked Lemoine.
"Of course, having been a victim myself, I totally get that," said Pipines. "And it breaks my heart. There are no winners here."
The backstory:
Pip’s heart was shattered in 1983. His father, James Pipines, was murdered inside the family’s New York state home. It was a high-profile case and dominated headlines there for years.
"Someone said to me recently, ‘Do you think there is a correlation between doing what you’re doing and your own personal situation? It certainly crushed our family," said Pipines. "For whatever reason, God gave me the grace to forgive the person who took my father’s life."
Inspiring others
Big picture view:
Redemption is something James Hoffmann has been seeking since he was released from a decade-long sentence in federal prison. Hoffmann told us he wants to go back to jail – but this time to minister inmates just like Pipines.
"I’d like to show people that you can do certain things bad in your life, you can have bad things happen to you – lost hope," said Hoffmann. "But change is possible. You can have a better life if you choose to."
James Hoffmann
Kindness and compassion are weighed on both sides of the jail’s walls. Pipines and other ministry volunteers try and find the good in all of us.
"They have ruined lives," said Pipines. "But these lives are not over yet. No matter if someone never sees the light of day here in this world – they still have value in God’s eyes."
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One week after our interview, Pipines announced he’s stepping down from his work in the ministry.
Pipines told us his last jail visit was on Feb. 25, 2026. Pipines said at this stage of his life, his wife and family had to take priority over the time-consuming work at the jail. The impact he made here won’t soon be forgotten.
What they're saying:
"We are called to go to the most neglected and, unfortunately, often times people who are in jail are neglected," said Shelledy. "They have Tom Pipines coming in to say hello to them. To talk to them and give them a word of encouragement and pray for them. He’s a gift."
It’s no surprise to the people who knew him best: It was never just about just basketball or football, team trades or significant stats. For Tom Pipines, his faith has been with him for every chapter of his life. Sharing it with others is his biggest joy.
Tom Pipines
"It’s humility that I’ve taken away," Pipines said. "I hope it’s making me a better person. So when the time comes – tomorrow, 10 or 20 years from now – the Lord might just say well done. And I will say I’m so grateful you steered me to the St. Dismas Jail Ministry."
The Waukesha County Jail denied FOX6’s request to get video of Pipines further inside the building. St. Vincent de Paul tells us they are thankful for the jail’s support of their ministry program. It’s been active in Waukesha for more than 25 years.
Tom Pipines
The Source: Information in this post included an interview with former FOX6 Sports Director Tom Pipines and those who work closely with him.