Nichols, Richard “Whitey”- On Friday, April 29, 2022, 84, went home to be with the Lord. But in case that didn’t happen he had asbestos grips put on his golf clubs and bought some fireproof golf shoes. He had a late ex-wife, three children, two brothers, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. None need to be mentioned except for Vicki, the daughter who would run through the fires of Hell in a gasoline suit for her Mom and Dad and who had both of their backs right to the very end. After his divorce he had Noreen, the love of his life, for many years before cancer took her far too soon. She was a former nurse who was an absolute angel on earth. And like the song says, “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Whitey went to Williamsville South and played baseball, golf and basketball. He was an ECIC basketball all-star his last two years. He also spent some time at Buffalo State and Canisius. At 13, he played baseball for the Amherst A.C. in the BEN Suburban League. He then spent five years as an infielder with the Cheektowaga Travelers. They played in Muny Leagues at Cazenovia, Delaware and Riverside parks as well as Sundays in the Cheektowaga Classic League. In over 250 games with the Travelers he had a .307 lifetime batting average. Whitey signed professionally with the Detroit Tigers and began a journey that took him to such exotic locales as Minot, ND; Erie, PA; Batavia, NY; Orlando, FL; Selma, AL and Pensacola, FL. He was an excellent fielder and led the Alabama-Florida League shortstops in fielding percentage in 1960 and that league’s third basemen in fielding in 1961. He hit .255 and .257 in those years. Today, guys that hit .250 make 6 million dollars a year in the majors. He had a stint in Cleveland’s farm system and finished by declining a player-coach spot in the Washington Senators system. The real world then beckoned. After a sales job and a stint as a vending company supervisor, Whitey started a 25-year career with the Scott Paper Company as a Senior Sales Rep. He garnered many sales awards and in 1991 was part of Supermarket Magazines best sales force in the country. During his Scott career he started two other jobs. One was a 43-year career as a college and high school basketball official during which he reffed 4,316 games. As women’s college official he did Canisius/Niagara in the old Memorial Aud, Niagara/St. Bona in the Gallagher Center, games at UB and Buffalo State as well as games in virtually every high school gym in WNY. He also started an almost 50-year career as a USGA golf rules official during which he worked USGA national championships, NCAA Div. II and III, and NJCAA national championships. He was the walking rules official for future pros Brandt Snedeker, Ryan Moore, Rickie Fowler, Billy Horschel, Chez Reavie as well as LPGA stars Michelle Wie and Brooke Henderson. He was a fixture at local high school boys and girls championships. He was also an excellent player. He won several BDGA Team events and had top ten finishes in BDGA championships. He won club championships at Dande Farms, Audubon, Glen Oak, and ten different championships at Bridgewater CC. He was the first American to win the Christmas Calcutta and John Locke Memorial events at Burlington Springs GC in Canada. He had an excellent record at winning the Old Courier Express Hole-In-One events. Three of his five holes-in-one came during competition. He shot his age 92 times on regulation size golf courses. During this time, he also served 28 years as the Executive Director of the BDGA. His tenure saw the admittance of the minority Golden Tee club into the BDGA, the birth of a scholarship program that saw over 200 young people receive college aid and expansion of the Friday Junior league to include 240 players every Friday in an inter-club format. He also was the first to promote girls being included into the scholarship program and the Friday League. His BDGA service saw full fields of 144 players for almost every event. His BDGA service came largely without help, so he was the target of slings and arrows from disgruntled contestants and sportswriters alike. Whitey liked what Abe Lincoln said, “If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, 10 angels swearing I was right would make no difference.” There will be no funeral or service. Whitey will be cremated and his ashes spread over several area golf courses. Vicki will see to that. Arrangements by the C. Mertz and Son Funeral Home, Inc. Please share condolences at www.mertzfh.com