Richie played basketball for Holy Trinity School in Nanticoke in the Knights of Columbus Parochial School League (grades 4 through 8), averaging approximately 20 points per game. He also played for the Catholic Youth Center under Coach Dick Fraley, averaging 27 points per game and made the All-State Biddy team. Rich played on the Nanticoke High School boys basketball team for two years and was first team varsity for both years. The school won three straight Wyoming Valley championships, with Rich being responsible for two of the three. He also played on the Wyoming Valley First Team All Stars for two years and received honorable mention All State for high school basketball. He played on the 1961 PIAA Class A State Championship Nanticoke team. Rich averaged about 15 points per game and scored almost 700 points during his two years at Nanticoke. On the PA high school boys basketball website “Hoops”, Rich has been named one of the best players under 5’10” to play PA High School Boys Basketball. Rich also played four years of varsity baseball, winning the batting title with an average of .444 during his last two years. From 1957 to 1964, Rich played semi-professional baseball with the Wyoming Valley League, batting an average of .375. In the mid 1960s, Rich had a tryout with the Philadelphia Phillies. Rich is retired from the US Steel Corporation and is currently working part-time for a local restaurant. Rich and his wife of 46 years, the former Patricia Krasson, presently reside in the Fairless Hills, PA area. They are the parents of two – Richard, Jr. and David. Rick and his wife Michele have a son Eric. David has two sons, David and Ryan.