Long before two sports stars like Bo Jackson and Dion Sanders, there was Richard Marrow Groat, an exceptionally talented baseball and basketball player at Swissvale high school, Dick Groat headed south for college and Duke University where he was an all American in both sports. In 1952 on the basketball court, he became the first and only player to ever lead the nation in both scoring and assists, was named national player of the year and had his number 10 jersey retired the first Duke player to earn that honor. Soon after the Fort Wayne Pistons made him the third overall pick in the NBA draft while the Pittsburgh Pirates and General manager Branch Ricky signed him to *** lucrative contract. So in 52 Groat made his professional baseball and basketball debuts while balancing getting his degree from Duke. In 1953 grot began *** two year stint in the army forcing both sports to come to *** stop when he came out of the military. In 1955 he aimed to resume playing both baseball and basketball. But Ricky and the Pirates wanted him to focus solely on baseball, threatening to take away the rest of his signing bonus if he played basketball again. And even though basketball was his first love, groat was left with no choice but to become *** baseball player exclusively, he slowly grew into his role as Pirate shortstop teaming up with Bill Mazurowski as *** feared double play duo, eventually becoming an all star in 1959 before enjoying his best season in *** pirate uniform in 1960 hitting 325 winning the batting title, collecting national league MVP honors all while helping the Pirates to *** World Series title. But Grot would only play two more seasons with the Pirates in 1962. At age 32 general manager Joe Brown traded him to the ST Louis Cardinals in exchange for pitcher Don Cardwell. It was *** move that was tremendously hurtful for groat who distanced himself from the Pirates organization for the better part of the next three decades with the Cardinals growth remained incredibly productive and again became *** world series champion in 1964. After stops in Philadelphia and San Francisco. He retired in 1967. But even before stepping away from baseball, he had post retirement plans in the mid 60 s groat paired up with his former Pirates teammate Jerry Lynch to convert *** Laurel Highlands apple orchard into *** golf course. In 1966. Champion Lakes was born creating *** special and scenic spot for the average golfer to this day. It's still owned and operated by the Groat family. More than *** decade after opening champion leagues. Groat reconnected with the sport. He first loved basketball as he joined pit play by play announcer, Bill Hillgrove on the Panthers radio broadcasts, serving as Hill Grove's analyst for 40 seasons. He shattered the backboard. Wow. I have never seen it. I never have either. Billy years of covering pit basketball have never seen *** player break *** backboard and listen to the crowd and smiling himself. He woke up everybody in the field as including the two of us, Billy from basketball to baseball to broadcasting. Dick Roat cemented himself as *** legend at every step of his decorated life and career. Traveling with Dick is like traveling with *** rock star, *** star, revered, respected and celebrated by generations of sports fans. I was holding back tears because that was really something special. Dick rope was someone special as an athlete and as *** person who made you feel like you were special.