Drawn After Death: Flirting with Lady Luck
Charlie Kropp lived a modest life in Bristol, Connecticut. Even in his early 80s, it was common for folks to see him driving around town in his red convertible. Charlie was said to be full of life, well-spoken, and well-dressed, a refined gentleman in every sense of the definition.
Charlie routinely purchased lottery tickets for the Connecticut State Lottery at Frank's Stationery, a small variety store in the historic Forestville section of Bristol. However, nine days before marrying 68-year-old Rose Paquette in February 1975, Charlie purchased a $25 season ticket for the Massachusetts Lottery's Big Money Game at the Southwick Pharmacy in Southwick, Massachusetts. The season ticket automatically entered Charlie into multiple drawings over an extended period. It also gave him a once-a-week chance at the million-dollar top prize.
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| Frank's Stationery |
The Big Money Game, an offshoot of The Game, was introduced in March of that year with a top prize of $500,000. Players selected six numbers out of 49 possibilities, with the jackpot increasing each time there was no winner of the top prize. In certain situations, ticket holders became eligible to enter a $1 million drawing. The Big Money Game was an instant hit. It became so popular that on September 24, the Massachusetts Lottery began airing a weekly half-hour television show based on the game. Its 7:30 p.m. time slot pitted it against well-known programs like "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "$25,000 Pyramid," "Name That Tune," "Match Game PM," and "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom."
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| Southwick Pharmacy |
After Charlie won $1,000 in the Big Money Game, the Massachusetts Lottery mailed him an invitation to enter the $1 million drawing.
Lady Luck was on Charlie's side. Shortly after winning $1,000, his numbers were picked again, this time winning the third prize of $10,000. Lottery officials again reached out to Charlie, this time inviting him to attend the live drawing on October 22.
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| The Big Money Game |
Charlie's number for the $1 million first prize was drawn during the October 22 broadcast, guaranteeing him $50,000 per year for the next twenty years. The problem was that Charlie passed away on July 26.
Officials from the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission stated that the funds would be disbursed to Charlie's estate, as the payout is associated with the lottery ticket, not the individual. Lawyers representing Charlie's estate attended the live drawing on his behalf at the urging of lottery officials, who found that he was deceased when his lawyers responded to their invitations.
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Edited Out/Author's Additional Research Notes
Charles Vincent Kropp: 07/14/1894 - 07/26/1975
Working Titles: Flirting with Lady Luck, Charlie's Last Ticket, Posthumous Jackpot, Unseen Prize, Drawn after Death, Dying to Win
Charlie was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Charlie's first wife died in 1965. They married in 1915.
Charlie lived in the Hartford area for 20 years before moving to Bristol in 1967.
Charlie retired in 1963.
Charlie won the $1,000 about seven weeks before the October 22 drawing. When his winnings increased to $10,000, lottery officials encouraged his lawyers to attend the broadcast of the $1 million drawing.
Court cases soon followed to determine who would get the $50,000 - his widow - who he had just married - or his family.
Single Big Money Game lottery tickets were 50 cents each.
The winning numbers on October 22, 1975, were Green 2779, Yellow 326, and Blue 41
The Big Money Game television show aired for about ten years.
Legendary game show host Allen Ludden was the original host of the show.