Year Inducted – 2001

In the outstanding history of Kent State University baseball, Rich was one of the brightest stars. Told in his younger days that he could not run, hit, field, was not big enough, Rich proved all his critics wrong as he leftParma High and moved on to KSU as a second baseman who became a three-time All-Mid-American Conference first team selection, posted the second best career batting averagein Kent history: .383 behind Thurman Munson’s .390. His best hitting season atKent was in 1959 when he stroked a .429 average. In 1961 he signed with the WashingtonSenators franchise which was moved to Minnesota. By June he made his big league debut with the Twins and in ’62 was the Twins starting third baseman. he spent 8 years with the Twins with his best year in ’63 as he hit .307 with 16 homeruns. He helped the Twins get to the 1965 World Series against the Dodgers and he also played for the Brewers, Indians, and Seattle Pilots. Finishing with a career .269 batting average with 77 homeruns, Rich was inducted into KSU (1977) and Summit County (1999) Halls of Fame.