by Duke Doering
On June 28, 1968, South Dakota National Guardsman Spec. 4 Dick Green, who played in three World Series, was playing professional baseball for the Oakland A’s. Besides being a star athlete he was also a member of the South Dakota National Guard. Green joined Headquarters Battery, 4th Howitzer Battalion in Rapid City as a Private on July 12, 1962. When the 4th Howitzer Battalion deactivated in 1963 he transferred to the 85th Engineer Detachment where he remained until his ETS on July 11, 1968. During the 1960’s there were no full-time National Guard recruiters and the units were responsible to recruit Soldiers. So in addition to his National Guard M-day position in the unit, Dick Green willingly devoted his efforts to assisting Chief Warrant Officer Vince Fitzgerald in Recruiting and Retention for the 85th Engineer Detachment and its subordinate units. Green lived in Rapid City, during and after his big-league career.
Dick Green was described as a slick-fielding second baseman for the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won World Series titles in 1972, ’73 and ’74. Green hit for a .333 percentage in the 1972 Series. The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder hit .240 for his career. His best season was 1969, when he hit .275 with 12 home runs and 64 RBI’s for Oakland.
In 1974 Green tied a World Series record in game three by starting three double plays in one game. He started the first two by catching line drives and the third was a ground ball double play to end the game. In game four, Green also started a game ending double play. In the eighth inning of the clinching game five, Green made a perfect relay throw to get Bill Buckner representing the tying run, out at third base. Overall the six double plays Green participated in during 1974 World Series tied the record for most defensive double plays in a five game series.
Green attended grade school in Yankton. He then moved with his family to Mitchell for his high school years. He was All-State in football and also excelled in basketball, baseball and track. Green was named South Dakota’s prep athlete of the year as a senior. Following high school, he played shortstop for the Mitchell Kernels in the Basin League, and his play there earned him a bonus contract from the Athletics.
