Hall of Fame
Position: Quarterback
Years: 1973-1976
Place of Birth: Mineral Wells, TX
Date of Birth: May 02, 1955
Date of Death: May 11, 2023
Jersey Number: 16
Height: 5-11
Weight: 175
High School: Mineral Wells (Mineral Wells,TX)
Texas A&I had a 1-8 record going into the last game of the 1973 season. A freshman, Richard Ritchie moved up to the starting quarterback position. The Javelinas won that game, his only start as freshman. He held the starting position for the next three years, amassing a 39-0 record with successive records of 13-0, 12-0, 13-0, creating one of the greatest runs in college football history. Texas A&I (now known as Texas A&M-Kingsville) won three consecutive NAIA Division I championships as well as three consecutive Lone Star Conference (LSC) titles. The Javelinas beat Henderson 34-23 in the final in 1974, Salem 37-0 in the final in 1975, and Central Arkansas 26-0 in the final in 1976.
The captain of the 1976 team, Ritchie finished his career with 40 passing touchdowns and 19 rushing scores. His passes totaled 5,131 yards, and he rushed for 1,492. Despite the disapproval of College Football Hall of Fame Coach Gil Steinke, Ritchie was also the Javelinas placekicker - a conditional appointment he would only enjoy until he missed a kick. But Ritchie never missed, kicking 137 extra points and nine field goals. At career's end, Ritchie held eight school records as well as LSC career records for best passing percentage and most total yards.
His laurels included Most Valuable Player in the NAIA championship game in 1974, Most Valuable Player in the NAIA semifinal games in 1974, 1975 and 1976, LSC Player of the Year in 1975-76, NAIA Player of the Year in 1975- 76, Associated Press Little All-America in 1976, and a seven-time LSC player of the week.
Texas A&I had an unprecedented travel schedule during his tenure. The 1974 team played a regular-season game in Monterrey, Mexico, beating Monterrey Tech, 33-6. The 1975 team played the opening dedication game for Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, defeating Hawaii 43-0. And the summer preceding Ritchie's senior season, the 1976 team was invited to play in Europe with exhibition games throughout France, Austria, and Germany. A top student, Ritchie was also named and Academic All-American in 1975 and 1976.
After graduating with honors from Texas A&I, Ritchie was enlisted by College Football Hall of Fame coach Darrell K. Royal to bring his successful veer offense to Texas. He served as assistant football coach at Texas 1977-79, North Texas 1980, and Texas Tech 1981-84. After his coaching career, he earned his law degree from Saint Mary's University in San Antonio, eventually returning home in 1988 to Mineral Wells as a fifth-generation Texas lawyer.
Ritchie served a 12-year term as a member on the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Foundation Board of Trustees and was a member of the TAMUK Legacy Society. Along with his wife Penny, he created the Richard P. Ritchie Endowment Fund in support of Javelina Athletics. His contributions earned him the TAMUK Distinguished Alumni Award in 2019.
Born May 2, 1955, in Fort Worth, Ritchie and his family moved to Mineral Wells, TX. An all-star athlete at Mineral Wells High School, he started for the Rams' basketball, baseball and football teams until his graduation with honors in 1973. He has been inducted into the Texas A&I Javelina Hall of Fame in 1983, the Lone Star Conference Hall of Fame in 1999 and as an inaugural inductee into the Mineral Wells High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
