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David R. Stenhouse

~ Inducted 2008

David R. Stenhouse’s well-rounded career includes playing high school, college, and professional sports; college coaching; business; fundraising; and community service. For his athletic attainments, he has been inducted into the University of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island College Halls of Fame.
A native of Westerly, Dave was a star athlete at Westerly High School before enrolling at URI in 1951 on a baseball and basketball scholarship. As basketball co-captain, he was named to all-conference and all-New England honors and became a member of the prestigious 1000-Point Club. He also enjoyed a record-setting four-year varsity baseball career. Dave earned a degree in industrial engineering and later became president of the URI Century Club, an alumni athletics fundraising organization.

In 1962 Dave became the first rookie pitcher in major league baseball history to start an All-Star game. His pro career spanned fourteen years, culminating in a three- year stint with the Washington Senators.
After service in the United States Army Reserves, Dave began a career in the insurance industry in 1966 and co-founded The Insurance Center, a successful financial planning company. Dave has contributed significantly to his community. He founded and then directed the basketball program of the Cranston League for Cranston’s Future, served for three decades as a lector for St. Paul’s Church in Cranston, was cubmaster for Pack 41, and founded the Jimmy Fund Council Golf Tournament in 1993. This tourney has raised over $400,000 for the Dana Farber Institute, earning Dave the 2002 “Jimmy Award.”

In 1968, Dave was named baseball coach at Rhode Island College. His teams won over 200 games in 12 years. He moved to the Ivy League in 1980, becoming baseball coach for Brown University. While recording 170 wins for the Bruins in ten years, he also became president of the New England College Baseball Coaches Association.

Dave is the only Rhode Island athlete to win awards in all major categories from Words Unlimited: he was named RI Schoolboy Athlete (1951); RI Athlete of the Year (1961); and RI Coach of the Year (1983) by the local sportswriters.

Dave married his college sweetheart, Phyllis DeBiasio (his “biggest accomplishment”). They celebrated their 50th anniversary in February 2007. Their two sons, Michael and David were also sports standouts. Mike was a baseball All-American at Harvard and enjoyed a five-year major league career. David was an All-American at Holy Cross who also played professional baseball.

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Inductee Details

David R. Stenhouse

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