Richard Foley
Ballplayers Wounded in Combat
| Date and Place of Birth: | October 1, 1924 Stamford, CT |
| Date and Place of Death: | May 29, 1989 Needham, MA |
| Baseball Experience: | Minor League |
| Position: | Catcher |
| Rank: | Private First-Class |
| Military Unit: | US Army |
| Area Served: | European Theater of Operations |
Richard T. Foley was born on October 1, 1924, in Stamford, Connecticut.
He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers organization and assigned to the
Olean Oilers of the Class D PONY League. However, military service
intervened before the young catcher had an opportunity to play.
Inducted in March 1943, Foley served in Europe with the army and was
seriously wounded by shrapnel to the spine in the Netherlands. This
resulted in him being paralyzed from the waist down.
Foley was returned to the United States on Thanksgiving 1944, and
underwent treatment at Cushing General Hospital in Framingham,
Massachusetts.
In March 1945, Branch Rickey, president of the Dodgers, and Branch
Rickey Jr., director of the Brooklyn club's farm teams, sent to every
one of their players in service a leather wallet each bearing the
receiver's initials. Foley was among the 300 players, scouts and those
who had held office jobs, who received a wallets. The Rickey's soon
received a repley from Foley:
Just a few lines to let you know I received that swell wallet and
season pass that you sent me for Christmas, and I want to thank you very
much for them.
I am coming along all right so far. I'm able to get up in a wheelchair
now and in another month or so I hope to start to learn how to walk
again.
Well, Mr. Rickey, that's all, I guess, and thanks again for the swell
Christmas gift.
Most sincerely yours,
Richard Foley
Foley remained at Cushing General Hospital until 1946. During that time
he helped organize the first wheelchair basketball team, the Cushing
Clippers, later the New England Clippers. He settled in Massachusetts,
and worked as an administrative assistant for the Needham Fire
Department from 1952. He was a founder of the region's first wheelchair
basketball team. He helped organize other wheelchair teams around the
country and played the sport for 35 years. In 1968, he was voted the New
England League's most valuable player.
In 1948, Shotwell was presented with a lifetime pass to all major and
minor league games. George M. Trautman, president of the National
Association of Professional Baseball Clubs announced in May of that
year, that passes would be made available to "all players whose careers
were ended because of injuries or illness received in the line of duty."
Richard Foley passed away at the Lahey Clinic in Needham, Massachusetts,
on May 29, 1989. He was 64 years old.
The Richard T. Foley, Sr., Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a member
of the Needham High School graduating class who has: 1) C average or
better, 2) has received a varsity letter in baseball and/or softball, 3)
has been accepted at an institution of higher learning.
Date Added January 30, 2018
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