Hall of Fame
Richard Woodridge, Jr. ‘94 - Class of 2009
Beating the odds…
Many alumni, particularly in the accounting program, have completed their Le Moyne degree after building their academic background at Onondaga Community College. Though a common route to an academic credential, the odds against it leading to this Hall of Fame – even for a Junior College All-American -- are high.
It has been said that hitting a baseball soundly is the single most difficult challenge in athletics. Meeting a ball squarely requires astounding hand-eye coordination and reflexes; hitting it with authority demands strength and technique honed over uncountable repetitions. A top-quality player might reach base 30 percent of the time; the odds against reaching base more than half the time are high.
Joining an established, conference-champion team as a junior and fitting into the chemistry of the squad is a challenge. The odds against taking a leadership role on such a team are high.
In 1993 he led all Division One hitters with a .476 batting average; recording an astonishing on-base percentage of .580 and stealing 21 bases. His statistics pepper Le Moyne’s Division One statistical leaderboard. His career average of .403 and on-base percentage of .503 top the Dolphin charts, complimented by top-ten marks in career slugging percentage and stolen bases.
The statistics do not reflect his value to his team as a stabilizing force at second base and as a player who lead by example. His coach recalls a critical juncture of an ECAC final, when he fought off stomach spasms and walked to the plate; singled; stole second; and scored. The odds against that are high.
He was drafted by the San Diego Padres and after several years in their organization, joined his father in an entrepreneurial career built around his baseball skills and business acumen.
A young man who consistently overcame high odds to represent the best of the Le Moyne athletic tradition,
Richard “Dickie” Woodridge ‘94
is inducted to the
Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame
September 26, 2009.
