A Tribute for a Great Green Goalie

Olympic goalie Dick Desmond '49 and friends returned to Hanover in 1952 to play against Coach Eddie Jer- emiah's varsity. The Olympians won, 4-2.

On October 8 Dick Desmond '49 will be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minn., joining 70 American players and coaches—seven of whom are Dartmouth alumni—who have entered the Hall during its 15 years. Perhaps Dartmouth's greatest goaltender, Dick was a starter—and allIvy—for four years, and captain his senior year. Then he was the MVP on the 1950 U.S. World Cup team, and capped his career as the starting goalie on the 1952 Olympic team. That team clinched the silver medal in Oslo, Norway, with a 3-3 tie against Canada, the team that won the gold.

Dick started playing hockey as a youngster in the mid-thirties on the frozen ponds of his native Medford, Mass. The older guys stuck him in the net—and he never played anywhere else. He helped Medford High win its first and only state championship. He took a post-graduate year at Vermont Academy, starring at both hockey and baseball. Then came the Dartmouth years, highlighted perhaps by reaching the finals of the NCAA hockey tournament in Colorado Springs. Despite a 4—3 loss to Boston College, Dick won the trophy for outstanding player. During this period Dick was also the starting third baseman.

He came close to playing with the New York Rangers after graduation—even signed a contract—but the deal fell through and Dick maintained his amateur standing. Next came service in the air force during the Korean War, with time off for the Olympics. He hung up his skates in 1952 and after his discharge in 1953 went into the textile and sportswear business. Residents of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., for the past 25 years, Dick and hi? wife, Meredith, have raised three sons.

Who are the other Dartmouth hockey stars already in the Hall of Fame? Well, there's Eddie Jeremiah '30, who coached Dick. And a couple of teammates, Jack Riley '44 and Bill Riley '46. Then there's Doug Everett '26, Myles Lane '28, Dick Rondeau '44, and Walter Bush '51. The hockey cognoscenti, in having honored so many individual Dartmouth graduates, also honor the teams they played for and their College.