Dick played varsity basketball and track for Medford, gaining varsity letters three years in both sports. During his sophomore year he began going over the high jump bar backwards a very unorthodox jump at the time. The style evolved over the next two years placing him 2^nd at the State Meet, winning him the National Jr. Champ meet in Houston.

Dick’s freshman year at Oregon State University he broke the Rook record at 6’6 and a quarter inch. Won the Pac-8 conference meet three years following and won the NCAA outdoors in 1968 and 1969, setting collegiate records. He won the NCAA indoors in 1968 and the first Olympic trials in 1968 set a person record at 7’3” to join the Olympic team trials and won the Hayward Award of outstanding athlete in 1968.  Dick is credited with revolutionizing the high jump event by changing the way an athlete went over the bar.  Rather than the standard ‘western role’ all jumpers were doing, Dick began jumping over the bar backwards, later to become known as the Fosbury Flop, which is the standard of jumping today.

MEDFORD’S GOLD MEDAL WINNER!! Dick won the Olympic Gold Medal at 7’4 and a quarter inch, a new American record.

Dick was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1980 and the USAA National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1981. Dick says, “I am especially proud to be inducted into the Medford Sports Hall of Fame, my own town. I owe so much of my success to my coaches in Medford from Dean Benson to Chief McLean.”