A tribute to Rhode Island basketball legend Dick Hole

TAke a look y’all:

Yes, in the 1945-46 college basketball season, American hero Dick Hole plied his trade for Rhode Island. And he was pretty good! In what appears to be six games (though the arrow covers it), he scored 91 points, good for 15.2 points per contest.

Dick Hole actually had an incredible career, becoming an All-American before playing professionally for “several seasons.” That is, of course, according to his bio in the Rhode Island Hall of Fame, which can be found in its entirety below:

The late HENRY R. "DICK" HOLE '47, an all-time great in basketball for Rhode Island State College, ranked thirty-third in Rams scoring with 1,152 points at the time of his induction. He was an All-American who later played professionally for several seasons.

Here are some pictures of Dick Hole in action, thanks to William Woodward’s book Runnin' Rams: University of Rhode Island Basketball:

Dick Hole was not only an All-American, but also he apparently saw the face of God and it left him eternally scarred.

Here’s a game story of the big Rhode Island vs. Yeshiva game, where Dick Hole dished out work to the tune of 35 points.

And here’s how the book Day by Day in Jewish Sports History covered that game.

Here’s Dick Hole shooting a foul shot.

Some Dick Hole facts:

• The first google image result for “Dick Hole Rhode Island Basketball” is a picture of Manute Bol and Spud Webb
• Dick Hole’s senior portrait cannot be found in the 1947 Rhode Island Yearbook, The Grist, despite that supposedly being his graduating year. Here, instead, is a questionnaire that proves that your grandparents spat way better game than you do.

The moral of the story here is that your favorite could never. Could never give Bernie Scharfstein the two-piece meal with a biscuit on the low block. Could never rock that 1-2 pick and roll with Ernie Calverley to such perfection. Could never look so confident shooting a foul shot while also curtseying. Could never go on dates “often, or twice a week” while balling on a $2 budget. Dick Hole forever. Long live Dick Hole.

Dick Hole.

D i c k H o l e.