Richard "Dick" Crews, the first Black player on the Washington men's basketball team, died Monday, May 5. He was 89.
Crews joined the University of Washington team in 1955 as a sophomore walk-on. He earned three varsity letters and became a starter for the Huskies.
He faced racial barriers during his time on the team. On a trip to Oklahoma City, the team was initially refused service at a restaurant because of Crews' presence. He was eventually allowed to eat in a separate back room.
Crews was a 1954 graduate of Garfield High School in Seattle. He grew up in Bremerton after his family moved from Lincoln, Nebraska, as part of the Great Migration.
Beyond his contributions to Washington basketball, Crews served as the University of Washington's first Black student body vice president. He graduated with a history degree in 1958.
After graduation, Crews maintained close ties with the university. He worked as an assistant director of development and served as a trustee with the UW Alumni Association. He also presided over the UW Quarterback Club Board.
He and his wife, Norma, who died in 2011, were avid supporters of Husky athletics and hosted prospective and current players for years. They were season ticket holders for five decades.
Crews was recognized for his dedication to the athletic department with the Don H. Palmer Award in 2018. He spent his professional career in the paper industry.
"It’s safe to say that he is one of the most important players in our program’s history who truly paved the way for future generations of Huskies,” current UW coach Danny Sprinkle said.
