Cherokee Chronicle-Times
Cherokee, Iowa
March 4, 2010

DES MOINES - Three former basketball coaches and seven players will join the Iowa High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame at the Boys' State Basketball Tournament next week at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. The presentations will be Saturday evening at the intermission of the Class 4A championship game.

Of the new Hall of Fame class:

When Mr. RICKER graduated from Diagonal in 1951 he departed not only with virtually all of the school's scoring records but left as Iowa's second leading all-time career scorer with 1,525 points. He was a four year starter for hall-of-fame coach Dale HERRINGTON and the Maroons advanced to the substate tournament each of his four seasons and also to the one-class State Tournament in 1949. He poured in a then state record 63 points including a state best of 31 field goals a 1951 sectional tournament game against Conway. His state leading 701 points that year was second best all- time. He was named to the fourth team all-state in 1951, a year when only nine small school players were recognized on the seven teams. Remarkably Mr. RICKER'S achievements were made while competing with a hearing impairment since age three. Upon graduation he went into farming and is now retired. He and his wife Lucy raised three boys and currently make their home in Mount Ayr.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2010