Richard L. Tillman, known as Dick Tillman, (November 27, 1936 – October 15, 2020)[1] was an American sailor. He was a member of the United States sailing team at the 1976 Summer Olympics as an alternate and was named US Sailor of the Year in 1965.[2]

Dick Tillman
Personal information
Full nameRichard L. Tillman
BornNovember 27, 1936
DiedOctober 15, 2020(2020-10-15) (aged 83)
Syracuse, Indiana, United States
Sailing career
College team United States Naval Academy
Medal record
Sailing
Representing the  United States
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 1959 Chicago Snipe class

He is a class of 2024 National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee.[3]

He started sailing as a teenager at Wawasee Yacht Club crewing for Alan (Buzz) Levinson, his older brother Frank and his younger brother, Harry, in their Snipes.

College

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Dick Tillman was National Intercollegiate Sailing Champion with the U.S. Naval Academy in 1957,[4] and became a member of the ICSA Hall of Fame for Competitive Achievement after graduation in 1958.[5]

Sailing career

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Dick Tillman holds national, north American and world titles in the Snipe, Finn, Laser and Sunfish classes:

  • U.S. National Champion in Snipe (1959),[6] Finn (1965),[7]
  • North American Champion in Laser (1971, 1972 and 1973),[8] and Finn (1965).[9]

He also won a bronze medal at the 1959 Pan American Games in Snipe.[10]

In the Masters category, he also holds several championships:

  • International Sunfish Masters Champion in 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2002.[11]
  • World Great Grand Masters Laser radial Champion in 2002.[12]
  • North American Laser Masters Champion in 1981 and 1982.[13]
  • World Masters Games
    • Silver Medalist at the 1998 Nike World Masters in Windsurfing
    • Bronze Medalist at the 1998 Nike World Masters in Laser

Organizational activities

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Dick Tillman has been a member of the United States Sailing Association for over 30 years and director for 3 years (1999-2002), chair of National Single-handed Championship Committee for 7 years, commodore of the Snipe Class International Racing Association (1971), sailing representative to USOC Athletes Advisory Council (1976-1980), Executive Director of the International J/24 Class Association (1981-1991), and president of the US Windsurfing Association, president of the International Sunfish Class Association (2002-2006).[14]

Books

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He wrote The Complete Book of Laser Sailing, published by McGraw Hill in 2005.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Tillman, Richard". National Sailing Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  2. ^ "DICK TILLMAN - SAILING BIOGRAPHY. D19Laser". Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  3. ^ The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame
  4. ^ Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association
  5. ^ Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association
  6. ^ "Snipe Bulletin September 1959". Archived from the original on December 23, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  7. ^ International Finn Association
  8. ^ "International Finn Association". Archived from the original on June 7, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  9. ^ International Finn Association
  10. ^ Snipe Pan Am Games
  11. ^ International Sunfish Class Association
  12. ^ "International Laser Class Association". Archived from the original on December 30, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  13. ^ Laser Sailing Tips
  14. ^ "DICK TILLMAN - SAILING BIOGRAPHY. D19Laser". Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  15. ^ The Complete Book of Laser Sailing
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