Derek D. Dickinson
(Basketball, 1958)
An outstanding four
sport star from the 1950s was 1958 graduate Dick Dickerson. Even though
he had a good career in football, baseball and track it was on the
hardwood where Dick’s star shone brightest. As a double digit scorer in
tenth grade, a twenty point per game scorer as a junior and a
twenty-seven point average as senior Dick was the first Danbury High
basketball player to score 1000 points for his career with 1001. His 41
points against Bassick in 1958 tied Bill Cruise for most points in a
game. The list of basketball records he held is long as he had most
points in a season with 468, most field goals in a game with 17 in 1958,
and most field goals in a career with 390. In all he held eight school
records in basketball. On the gridiron Dick was both a co-captain and a
solid receiver for “Copper” Crotty’s eleven, compiling a 17-2 record
during his junior and senior seasons. Following high school Dick entered
the Marines and continued his playing career in both football and
basketball. In 1963 he was named to the All Atlantic Fleet Team and All
Marine Team. Dick’s service record in the Marines was exemplary as he
was awarded numerous medals most particularly for his service to our
country during the Thirteen Days of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
After his discharge from the Marines Dick entered Ohio Northern
University where he continued to tear up the nets and becoming the 3rd
highest career scorer for Ohio Northern with 1097 points. He also had
569 rebounds in his career and was named Outstanding Senior Athlete in
1967. For his efforts at Ohio Northern he was inducted into their
Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005. In 1968 Dick became a graduate assistant
at Bowling Green University. Starting with coaching basketball at
Bowling Green he stayed on at Bowling Green for over thirty years
serving in various administrative capacities, most recently that of Dean
at Bowling Green.