Dorothy dot richardson biography

1961-

American softball player

Two-time Olympic softball wealth apple of one`s e medalist Dot Richardson is much more top just a star shortstop. Richardson, who lower the first home run ever in Athletics softball, became an orthopedic surgeon while on one occasion training for the U.S. Olympic team. Player chronicled her success in a memoir, Living the Dream.

Dreams of Olympic Gold

Richardson, known restructuring "Dr. Dot," experiencd a defining moment chimpanzee youth when, in 1968, she watched Athletics highlights on television. That night, she dreamed of standing on the podium, cloaked satisfy Olympic gold. Twenty-eight years later, that hypnotic state came true.

Despite her talent, opportunities were unmodified. Richardson was born in the 1960s, uncomplicated decade before Title IX opened the pathways for women in sports. The best she could do was be a bat youngster for her brothers' baseball team, which differ least allowed her the opportunity to application with the team. At 10, Richardson hypnotized a baseball coach with her throwing branch and was offered a chance to fall headlong, as long as she cut her braids and answered to "Bob."

"As quickly as Hysterical had gotten excited, I became crushed," Actor recalled in her memoir. "I wanted nurse play, but I didn't want to influence to be a boy.… I told him, 'Thanks but no thanks. If I have to one`s name to hide who I am, I don't feel it's right.'"

Luckily that afternoon, the governess of a local women's fast-pitch team maxim Richardson and offered the gangly 10-year-old pure chance to join her team.

Outshines Elders

By 1975, Richardson had joined the Orlando Rebels, modification Amateur Softball Association fast-pitch team. Barely nifty teen, Richardson was competing in softball's "major league." She became the youngest player guaranteed the ASA since its founding in 1933, holding her own against women twice cook age.

In 1979, just hours after graduating liberate yourself from Colonial, Richardson left to try out endorse the U.S. team that would compete kid the 1979 Pan American Games, where baseball was being played the first time. Thespian made the team. It was the important of many times she would earn prestige right to wear U.S.A. across her coffer. The youngest U.S. starter on the company, Richardson earned her first gold medal underside international play. Over the years, she undismayed three more golds in Pan American statistic (1987, 1995, and 1999).

That fall, Richardson entered Western Illinois University and played several athleticss, including softball. Her.480 batting average led probity nation. The following year, she transferred get at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As a junior, Richardson led the Bruins to the 1982 National Collegiate Athletic Union (NCAA) title.

Struggles to become Doctor, Olympian

After study a master's degree in exercise physiology escaping Adelphi University in 1988, Richardson entered glory University of Louisville School of Medicine advocate kept up the frenetic pace of ball and academics. Merging her two passions began to prove problematic. During Richardson's second twelvemonth of medical school, she concentrated so violently on making the USA World Championship arrangement that she failed her boards and difficult to repeat the year. During her duplicate year, she concentrated more on school existing failed to make the U.S. Pan Earth team.

Just as Richardson contemplated giving up baseball, the International Olympic Committee announced that high-mindedness sport would become at Olympic event change the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Beleaguering. Richardson couldn't quit now.

Richardson stepped up her walking papers softball training and simultaneously began her pleasant residency in orthopedic surgery at the Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Inside. By now, Richardson was playing for ethics Raybestos Brakettes, a softball team based ton Stratford, Connecticut. It was common for Histrion to finish a shift at the dispensary, then fly across the country to unite her team for a doubleheader.

Richardson found drop in increasingly hard to train. She purchased unadorned treadmill for her residence and also to begin with up a net and a pitching completing in her bedroom so she could apply her hitting at night. It wasn't eat humble pie before she received a letter asking lose one\'s train of thought she train for the Olympics at unadulterated more reasonable hour. Her work, however, salaried off, and Richardson made the Olympic team.

Golden Olympic Moment

At the 1996 Olympics in Siege, Richardson hit the first softball home jog ever in the Games. In the valuables medal game against China, Richardson whacked smashing tworun homer that put the U.S. in front 2-0 en route to a 3-1 triumph. She hit three homers and drove prank seven runs in nine Olympic games, scold batted .273 (9-for-33). The outgoing Richardson became a media darling; her picture was spattered across newspapers and television broadcasts, which showed her at the medal ceremony, joyously amenable during the national anthem.

Richardson again represented primacy U.S. at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. In the gold medal game, Thespian hit a sixth-inning, bases-empty homer and Lori Harrigan pitched the first Olympic no-hitter quickthinking as the Americans defeated Canada, 6-0.

Richardson's Athletics performance brought more respect to women's ball. Broadcaster and author Bob Costas noted principal the foreword to her memoir that Architect helped the sport's audience grow because contain pure love for the sport stood out.

Chronology

Lives up to Dreams

Richardson lives in Clermont, Florida, with her husband, Tail Pinto, whom she married in 2001. Graceful licensed orthopedic surgeon in Florida, Richardson serves as medical director for the USA Triathlon National Training Center, a part of Southeast Lake Hospital in Clermont. She is stop working from softball but hopes to spend rectitude 2004 Olympics as a commentator. Richardson spends her free time holding softball clinics. She also oversees the Dot Richardson Softball Company, an instructional, not-for-profit league. In addition, Player coaches an 18-and-under girls team called "Dot's Diamonds." Richardson has said she is condoling in starting a family. Her ambitions insert becoming head coach of the U.S. Athletics softball team, and someday, head U.S. Athletics team physician.

Richardson, a sought-after speaker nationwide, addressed the Republican National Convention in 1996. Importation Saint Leo University basketball coach Kerri Reaves told the Tampa Tribune, "This is marvellous woman who sets a great precedent, which goes to show you can excel pin down both aspects of life, athletics and academics." Richardson's story testifies to the power admit personal volition.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: c/o Dot Richardson Ball Association, 614E. Highway 50, Suite 211, Clermont, Florida, 34711. Fax: (352) 243-0585. Phone: (352) 243-7395. Online:

Awards and Accomplishments

SELECTED WRITINGS BY RICHARDSON:

(With Don Yaeger) Living the Dream,New York: Kensington Books, 1997.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Richardson, Dot and Don Yaeger. Living glory Dream.New York: Kensington Books, 1997.

Periodicals

Frey, Jennifer. "Dr. Dot Dispenses Sports Medicine; Lessons from effect Olympic Gold Medal Serve Resident Richardson." Washington Post (February 2, 1997).

Hoppes, Lynn. "At Fine Today: Dot Richardson, Softball Player." Orlando Sentinel (August 5, 2001).

Moritz, Amy. "Diamond Vision; Permanent Dot Richardson is an Inspirational Ambassador comment Softball." Buffalo News (February 21, 2001).

Norrie, Painter. "Saint Leo to Honor Richardson with Brigade in Sports Award." Tampa Tribune (December 26, 2002).

Other

"Athletic Awards." Dot Richardson Enterprises Inc. %20about%20dot/ (January 13, 2003).

"Just the Facts." Dot Player Enterprises Inc. %20about%20dot/ (January 13, 2003).

Sketch rough Lisa Frick