No 39 RICHARD DUKE
6 feet 0 inch (183cm) Guard
1972 Olympic Games
The youngster was playing his fourth Victorian Basketball Association game, and had yet to get on the court. His moment came against the legendary Melbourne Church Club. Ten minutes into the game he was subbed on to the court. He looked up and saw that his hero Olympian Bill Wyatt was defending him. On a fast break the youngster sprinted down the court and got the ball 20 feet from the basket. His team-mate Centre Mal Corr moved over and set a nice on-ball screen on Bill Wyatt...the youngster drove off the screen and nailed the basket. He recalls, “Bill came over to me after the game congratulated me and gave me encouragement. This meant a lot to me......coming from my hero...what sportsmanship...what a great inspiration for my basketball career!”
Richard John Duke was born May 25th, 1948 in Melbourne, Victoria. He was introduced to basketball by his brother Robert at the local Montague YMCA. In his mid-teens he was becoming a competent player and was winning junior Best and Fairest awards with his Club. He won attendance at a two day basketball camp as a prize for his play. The camp was conducted by 1956 Olympic Coach and Melbourne Church mentor Ken Watson. Richard says, “This was a great learning experience for me”.
Though he was improving Richard did not get recognition or opportunities as a junior and did not gain selection to any Victorian age teams. But he wanted to be a player. “To improve my skills I improvised training aids such as painting a black circle ten feet off the ground on a back wall at home so I could practise my shooting before and after school. I also used a chair as an obstacle to improve my dribbling skills and defensive slides,” he remembers.
In his late teens Richard joined the CYMS club and his basketball career exploded. At CYMS Richard was under the guidance of Olympian Brendon Hackwill. The Melbourne Sporting Globe writer Don Richards later recalled in an article, “Richard Duke almost drifted out of basketball in the late sixties because he was considered not good enough to play junior basketball for Victoria, but Duke was given renewed hope by former Olympian Brendon Hackwill who took over coaching of the CYMS.”Hackwill said in a subsequent interview that Duke was the best basketball player in Australia.
CYMS became a competition leader and Duke with his Nureyev-like leaping ability soon starred. He often contested centre-jumps, out-leaping opponents eight inches taller than himself.
Richard was selected to his first Victorian Team when he made the senior team in 1968 and the team went on to defeat SA in the final of the National Championships. The 1968 Olympic team was named at the completion of those championships and though he was not chosen Richard could see that if he worked hard and gained experience he might make future National Teams. The next year (1969) he was again a member of the Victorian Team that won the National Championships defeating NSW 93-70.
Although Richard and the Victorians were defeated in the Final by SA the next year Richard was named to the Australian Team to contest the 1970 World Championships in Yugoslavia.
Despite breaking his hand six weeks prior to the World Championships Richard was still able to go to Yugoslavia.
The 1970 World Championships were the first time an Australian Team had travelled overseas for a World Championships (the 1962 Australian Team travelled to the 1962 Invitational World Championships which were not recognised by FIBA) and it was a huge learning experience for the whole team and for Richard. The team came 12th in the World Championship Tournament.
In that same year Richard captained CYMS to the title at the Australian Club Championships. He played for the Victorian senior team from 1968 to 1974 winning four National Championships.
In 1971 Richard was a member of the Australian Team that won the Oceania Olympic Qualification tournament that allowed Australia entry to the 1972 Olympic Games. That same year Richard and the Australian Team travelled to the USA and Europe on a tour. This was again a very beneficial experience for the players and the new coach Lindsay Gaze.
When the 1972 Olympic Basketball Team was announced Richard Duke was named as a team member. This was despite suffering quite a severe eye injury during the Olympic Selection Trials in Australia.
The 1972 Munich Olympics were an unforgettable experience for Richard and the team. The massacre by Palestinian terrorists of Israeli team-members, the dramatic and controversial defeat of the USA by the USSR for the Gold Medal and Australia’s performances on the basketball court made them an Olympics never to forget. Richard recalls, “Munich was an unforgettable experience at the highest level. We won five games and lost four, and two of those losses were by the barest of margins. If we had won those two games that would have given Australia a high world ranking at that time which would have been great for Australian basketball.”
Richard Duke at the 1972 Munich Olympic Village (R. Duke)
Stand-out games in the Olympics for Richard were when he scored19 points (Poland), 14 points (USA and Brazil) and 11 (Cuba). This was terrific scoring against top ranked teams.
1972 was also a big year for Richard as he won the Alan Hughes Medal for the Best and Fairest Player at the Australian Championships. He was to win this award again in 1974.
In 1974 despite a suspected broken ankle Richard was selected and played on the Australian Team that contested the World Championships in Puerto Rico where the team claimed 12th position.
From his debut in the VBA Richard was among the main scorers every season as his high leaping jump-shot made him exceedingly difficult to defend.
By 1976 he was still one of the premier players in Australia and was considered by many as an excellent chance to be selected to his second Olympic team. However a spinal injury forced him to miss selection and subsequent surgery forced his early retirement from playing basketball.
Richard gives credit to coaches such as Brendon Hackwill, Alan Landells, George Mallet, Lindsay Gaze, Owen Hughan and Harry Wildman, and players such as Mel Corr, Alan Knights, Rollie Hollcomb, Robbie Stephens and his best friend who has passed away Brian Bratby for helping him become the player he did.
After his basketball retirement Richard coached a number of junior Club teams and gave basketball clinics at Clubs, Associations and schools. He also played some Club and Masters Basketball.
Richard Duke will be remembered as a high leaping, athletic and skilled player who after a slow start in representative basketball went on to become an Australian Olympic basketball player.
Richard Duke in his 1972 Olympic uniform
(Courtesy of Basketball Australia)
Richard Duke driving to the basket (Courtesy of R. Duke)