Richard D. Schnittker (May 27, 1928 – January 12, 2020) was an American professional basketball player born in Kelleys Island, Ohio.
A 6'5" forward from the Ohio State University, Schnittker played six seasons (1950–1951; 1953–1958) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Washington Capitols and Minneapolis Lakers. He averaged 8.3 points per game and won championships with the Lakers in 1953 and 1954. Schnittker's debut for the Lakers in the 1952–53 season occurred during the playoffs. He was the first player to see action in the Finals after not playing a game during the preceding regular season, a feat later equalled by Tom Hoover in 1966 and Tracy McGrady in 2013.[1]
In college Schnittker also played end on the Ohio State football team during the 1949 season. After starting end Sonny Gandee went down with a season-ending neck injury, coach Wes Fesler recruited Schnittker to take Gandee's place. Schnittker helped the team to a Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl appearance. He died on January 12, 2020, at the age of 91.[2]
NBA career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won an NBA championship |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950–51 | Washington | 29 | – | .411 | .866 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 10.2 |
| 1953–54† | Minneapolis | 71 | 14.6 | .397 | .652 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 4.6 |
| 1954–55 | Minneapolis | 72 | 25.0 | .388 | .823 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 10.4 |
| 1955–56 | Minneapolis | 72 | 26.8 | .393 | .856 | 4.1 | 2.0 | 11.3 |
| 1956–57 | Minneapolis | 70 | 14.2 | .322 | .829 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 5.5 |
| 1957–58 | Minneapolis | 50 | 19.6 | .359 | .848 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 9.1 |
| Career | 364 | 20.1 | .379 | .825 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 8.3 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953† | Minneapolis | 7 | 4.1 | .125 | .636 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
| 1954† | Minneapolis | 13 | 12.5 | .344 | .600 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 2.6 |
| 1955 | Minneapolis | 7 | 20.0 | .275 | .694 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 7.6 |
| 1956 | Minneapolis | 3 | 29.0 | .565 | .850 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 14.3 |
| 1957 | Minneapolis | 5 | 16.6 | .286 | .882 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 5.4 |
| Career | 35 | 14.3 | .333 | .731 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 4.7 | |
References
- ^ "McGrady makes his NBA Finals debut". ESPN – Elias Says. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
- ^ Watkins, Jimmy (January 22, 2020). "Dick Schnittker dies at 91; starred for Blue Streaks, Buckeyes". Sandusky Register. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
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