Dickie Hemric
Ned Dixon "Dickie" Hemric (August 29, 1933 – August 3, 2017) was an American collegiate and professional basketball player for Wake Forest University (1952–1955) and the NBA's Boston Celtics (1955–1957).
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 29, 1933 Jonesville, North Carolina |
| Died | August 3, 2017 (aged 83) North Canton, Ohio |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Jonesville (Jonesville, North Carolina) |
| College | Wake Forest (1951–1955) |
| NBA draft | 1955 / Round: 2 / Pick: 10th overall |
| Selected by the Boston Celtics | |
| Playing career | 1955–1957 |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 20 |
| Career history | |
| 1955–1957 | Boston Celtics |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 863 (6.3 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 703 (5.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 102 (0.7 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Hemric played the first two college years at Wake Forest when the school was a member of the Southern Conference. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Male Athlete of the Year was created at the start of the 1954 season, and he played his last two seasons in the ACC, setting conference records for scoring and rebounding that were untouched for the first 50 years of the conference's existence. He was honored as the second recipient of the ACC Athlete of the Year in 1955. In 2002 Hemric was selected to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team, honoring the 50 greatest players in ACC history.
Hemric's ACC scoring record of 2,587 points was untouched from 1956 until it was finally broken in 2006 by Duke University's J. J. Redick and in 2009 by Tyler Hansbrough of the University of North Carolina.[1] Hemric held the NCAA record for free throws made in a career with 905 for 54 years until it was passed by Hansbrough.[2] Hemric still holds the Division I record for most free throw attempts (1,359) in a career.[3]
Hemric's ACC record of 1,802 career rebounds may never face a serious challenge - for four decades the nearest runner-up was his contemporary Ronnie Shavlik who is now third on the list with 1,567 rebounds from 1954 to 1956. Second is legendary NBA power forward Tim Duncan, who pulled down 1,570 rebounds at Wake Forest from 1994 to 1997. With most of today's elite ACC players leaving for the NBA before completing four seasons, it is difficult to project a scenario in which Hemric's record could ever be broken. Nationally Hemric is still fifth all-time in Division I career rebounds.[4]
Hemric died on August 3, 2017 at his home in North Canton, Ohio nearly four weeks shy of his 84th birthday.[5]
See also
References
- Duke Blue Devils vs. Temple Owls - Recap - February 25, 2006 - ESPN
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. North Carolina Tar Heels - Recap - February 28, 2009 - ESPN
- 2011-12 NCAA Men's Basketball Records - Division I, p.3 – Individual Records & p.16 – All-Time Individual Leaders
- 2011-12 NCAA Men's Basketball Records - Division I, p.17 – All-Time Individual Leaders
- Dan Collins (August 3, 2017). "Wake Forest basketball scoring leader Dickie Hemric dies at 83". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved August 3, 2017.