|
Article Excerpt
Byline: Ron Bellamy The Register-Guard
You can glimpse the toughness that made John Dick an all-American basketball player at the University of Oregon - he was described, back in the day, as "rugged" - from this anecdote.
In late October, shortly before his 90th birthday, Dick tripped over a rug in the kitchen of his Eugene home and fell.
He was carrying a plate of bacon and eggs, about to have breakfast before driving himself to Portland for an appointment, and he had the athleticism to set the plate down on a counter, while falling, without spilling a morsel.
He suffered no broken bones and didn't lose consciousness.
"I hit several places on my head and parts of my body and bruised myself up pretty well and wound up on the floor," the retired U.S. Navy rear admiral said. "I really came down with a crash. ...
"I had a few bloody places on me, but I've had far worse playing ball, by far."
Thing of it was, Dick's legs decided to take a timeout, so he couldn't get back on his feet. He'd pull himself up on the counter and get to a certain point, then sink back down, again and again.
He did this, he said, for about 90 minutes.
"I'm a stubborn old goat," he said.
He squirmed along the floor to a phone, called for help and spent a night in the hospital because nobody "seemed to want to take my word for it that I was feeling fine."
Fine enough to continue attending basketball games at McArthur Court, where he crams his long legs behind the seat in front. Fine enough that he'll be among the honorary shovel-wielders when Oregon formally breaks ground on the Matthew Knight Arena next weekend and, yes, he believes it's time to replace Mac Court.
John Dick, dignified and discerning, is the last living starter from the Oregon team that won the first NCAA basketball title in 1939, defeating Ohio State, 46-33, in Evanston, Ill., for the first national team championship in UO history.
"Seventy years ago," The Admiral said. "My goodness."
And then he...
|
|
More articles from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)
OBITUARIES.(-)(Obituary), February 02, 2009
Ducks hoping to make most of first-half lessons.(Basketball Oregon Men..., February 02, 2009
Firefighting investment throws cash down a hole.(Local Opinion), February 02, 2009
Fix food inspections.(Editorials)(Salmonella outbreak reveals governme..., February 02, 2009
A new sheriff in town.(Editorials)(Salazar pledges major reforms at In..., February 02, 2009
Looking for additional articles?
Search our database of over 3 million articles.
Looking for more in-depth information on this industry?
Search our complete database of Industry & Market reports by text, subject, publication
name or publication date.
About Goliath
Whether you're looking for sales prospects, competitive information, company
analysis or best practices in managing your organization,
Goliath can help you meet your business needs.
Our extensive business information databases empower business
professionals with both the breadth and depth of credible,
authoritative information they need to support their business
goals. Whether it be strategic planning, sales prospecting,
company research or defining management best practices -
Goliath is your leading source for accurate information.
|
|
