Dick Heller

Richard S. Heller

• School American University
• High School Woodward Prep

• Born January 10, 1938 in Washington, DC USA
• Died March 20, 2014 in Silver Spring, MD USA

Biographical Information

Dick Heller was a longtime sportswriter and columnist for the The Washington Times.

Heller began his career writing for the The Washington Daily News while still in high school. He also served stints with The Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Alexandria Gazette and The Washington Star, with whom he remained until 1981, when the paper folded. He then joined the Miami Herald before returning to his hometown and settling with the newly-founded Washington Times in 1986. He remained with them until 2009, when the paper folded its sports section. After they brought the sports section back in 2011, he contributed bi-weekly columns. He also contributed to TheNationalPastimeMuseum.com after his retirement.

In 1977, Heller - then writing for the Washington Star - published the names of four University of Maryland basketball team players who had poor academic records, alleging they were on academic probation. Six members of the team sued Heller, the Star and the school's newspaper for invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress and other charges. They demanded $76 million. The Maryland Court of Special Appeals found in favor of Heller and the Star.