Year Inducted – 1996

The highly successful Kent State University head baseball coach receives this honor in conjunction with his playing ability. Rarely is a skilled player able to impart his excellence to others. Not so for Rick, as attested by the Flashes winning of the Mid-American Conference title in 1994 and the high finishes in 1995. Rick grew up in the Cleveland area, played Little League in Morgana Park and with a number of other youth teams. At Cleveland Catholic High School he received All-Conference honors three of his four years there. During his senior year he was also accorded All-State recognition. He went to Miami of Ohio where he helped them win the MAC Championship in 1979. He played several years in the Canton AA League before joining Akron’s CP Sales team. He has the distinction of making the All-Star team in both leagues. Rick was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and played 3-1/2 years in their system prior to being traded to the Chicago Cubs organization. Spent 2-1/2 years with the A AA teams, winning a MVP award with their Winston-Salem League championship team. Feeling it was time to move on he joined the Kent State coaching staff as an assistant and was appointed head coach in 1994. His success as a coach can be documented by the number of high draft choice players he had produced, as well as his record at Kent State.