DICK WEINBERG

Richard Weinberg participated in football, basketball and track during his freshman year at Arthur Hill High School. He lettered in track his sophomore year as a pole vaulter, but injured his back. He, along with a group of friends, asked English teacher Dave Gainey to act as a swimming coach and swimming began a new varsity sport in 1943. Weinberg would go on to become one of Arthur Hill High School’s top swimmers from 1943-45. As a junior he set a state record while winning state championships in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle in 1944, as the Hillites won the Class A state championship. A year later Weinberg again won the 50 and 100-yard freestyle – racking up state and national records in both events to help lead Arthur Hill to its second consecutive state title. Weinberg was named All-America as the No. 1 swimmer in the nation in both freestyle events. Also in ’45 he captured the 50-yard freestyle in the state AAU meet in Ann Arbor, and placed third in the 100-yard freestyle in the National AAU meet in New York. The seven-time prep All-American went on to swim for the University of Michigan from 1946-49. While at Michigan, Weinberg set a national freshman record as a member of the 400-yard freestyle relay team, while placing third in both the 50 and 100 freestyles at the Big 9 championship meet. He also placed fourth in the same events at the NCAA meet. As a sophomore in 1946-47, he placed second in the 50 and 100 freestyle and anchored the 300-yard medley relay team to a first place finish at the Big 9 championship. Weinberg then won the 50 and 100 freestyle and anchored the 300-yard medley relay to set a World Record during the NCAA meet. He was named the “Outstanding Swimmer” of the meet – the first sophomore to do so in the history of the event. An illness early in his junior season took its toll and he wound up placing second in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle events at the Big 9 meet. He also was second in the 100 and fourth in the 50 at the NCAA meet. The Wolverines, however, won the Big 9 and NCAA championship and the 300-yard medley relay team which Weinberg swam a leg set a world record. As a Wolverine co-captain his senior year, he was crowned Big 9 and NCAA 50-yard freestyle champion while placing second in the 100. Weinberg earned four varsity letters at Michigan and made the All-America team three times. As an independent in 1950, he placed second in the 100 freestyle at the national AAU championship and then retired from active swimming. He was inducted into the Arthur Hill Letterman’s Hall of Fame in its inaugural year of 1961.