Dick Rifenburg

Who was Dick Rifenburg?

Richard Gale "Dick" Rifenburg was a pioneering television broadcaster for the forerunner to WIVB-TV in Buffalo. He was also a professional American football wide receiver who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions in 1950 and had been an All-American end for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1944 and 1946–1948. After retiring from football he settled in Buffalo and became a sports broadcaster. He worked as a color commentator for the Buffalo Bills and as a play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Bulls. He hosted various television and radio sports shows and was eventually inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

In college, he led the Big Ten Conference in single season receptions during his senior year and set Michigan Wolverines receptions records for both career touchdown and single-season touchdowns. He had also been a Michigan High School Athletic Association state champion in both basketball and track & field. His college career was interrupted by World War II service, and his high school career was also affected by the war due to the MHSAA's cancellation of state championships in all sports in 1943.