Athlete – Football
Richard L. Greene was one of the most versatile and successful athletes to ever come out of Lexington, KY. He attended George W. Carver Elementary School and Dunbar High School in the 1950s and 1960s. Mr. Greene started playing high school sports in the seventh grade. During that period, Mr. Greene made the high school varsity football team and subsequently starred as a triple-threat quarterback, excelling in every offensive category while also excelling on the defensive end of the ball throughout his high school tenure. During his senior year, his success at a segregated black school could not be denied when he was selected First Team All-City.
In addition to being an outstanding student and accomplished football athlete, Mr. Greene played basketball for the original Dunbar High, beginning in the seventh grade as well. He was the “muscle” and a defensive playmaker as a member of the 1961 through 1964 varsity basketball teams. His efforts were not ignored, with Mr. Greene being tapped for the state All-Tournament Team along with star Dunbar teammates Robert Washington and George Wilson. Mr. Greene and teammate George Wilson also made the state coach’s list of Kentucky’s Top 25 basketball players.
In 1963, Mr. Greene was instrumental in the success of what would be Coach S.T. Roach’s most noted basketball roster. Mr. Roach himself was quoted stating to the Herald Leader, “..our best team ever…” and “…the best team we’ve had…,” which included James “Mookie” Berry, Rodney “Prune” Bolton, Eddie Felder, James (Joe) “Mule” Hamilton, Kenneth Higgins, Russell King, Albert Lee, Jr., Eugene Perrin, Kenneth Sloan, Albert Stinson, Robert (Bobby) “Poocat” Washington, Vincent “Hooks” Williams, and George “Heads” Wilson.
Mr. Greene went on to attend Langston University in Oklahoma, being highly regarded as a bluechip freshman phenomenon sharing time at quarterback, which led to a more-than-stellar four years as a Langston Lion. During his senior college football campaign, he was selected to the exalted NAIA All-American team, which culminated in him entering the NFL and being one of the first African-Americans to be scouted and brought to training camp to compete for the position of quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys franchise. Unfortunately, based on the bigotry of the times, Mr. Greene was not provided the chance to take on the job as quarterback, even though he was invited for that purpose. Mr. Greene was offered the appointment of running back, to which he declined in protest.
After his highly successful athletic career. Mr. Greene honorably served as an outstanding visionary, administrator, mathematician, athletic coach, tutor, and mentor to countless Fayette County Public School students. He was honored by multiple factions for his acts of valor within the community. Mr. Greene retired as an assistant principal after more than forty years, but he continued to work within the school system and on multiple educational/academic endeavors to assist students and mentor educators at all levels.
Richard Greene’s commitment to individuals and the community never stopped. His contributions to generations of students, women, and men are monumental and will not be forgotten.
