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He was an outstanding athlete for Salem High School in the 1950s, but Dick Norton will be better known for his exploits after his career was over. Dick passed away this past week after a long battle against cancer. Dick is best known to several generations of local prep athletes as that “white-haired loud guy” who seemingly showed up at every major high school sporting event in the Salem-Keizer area. His booming voice was as piercing as the public address announcer without the aid of electronic amplification. He normally greeted everyone by last name and was able to remember some factoid about their latest performance. Dick and I had an usually large number of personal connections. He worked with my grandfather at the old Boise Cascade Paper Mill for several decades. His son, Jerry, and I attended the same high school. Later, Jerry and I lived just blocks apart and his kids and mine frequently spent summer days and nights together. Dick even took my kids to a playoff football game. His passing leaves a void in my heart. I was like most of you in dealing with Dick. A quick exchange of pleasantries, maybe a handshake. He moved quickly among the crowd—eager to chat with as many people as possible. If Dick knew you well enough, he might even call you at home. I got a message or two asking about the start time for a few games I was broadcasting. Dick had a schedule to keep, you see. The Salem Sports and Breakfast Club honored Dick at their final meeting in late May with a plaque. It was an extremely emotional moment. Tears ran down Jerry’s cheeks as he wheeled Dick to the front of the crowd to receive his award. The audience stood and applauded the man that had cheered for their children for so many years. I also applaud Dick Norton. He didn’t donate thousands of dollars for any athletic facility or to establish a scholarship fund in his name. But he did donate one of his most precious resources—his time. Thanks, Dick.
Mark Gilman can be contacted at mark@fullaccesssports.com
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