Rich Mohr was a former Riordan Head Coach whose 1959-1961 team won the school's first Catholic Athletic League title, defeating Serra in a special Monday playoff game. At USF he played his first two years and as a senior. He graduated in 1954 in History.
After graduation, he was a professional educator who went on to teach, administer and coach in the East Bay. Three of his key players on that Crusader championship unit were Joe Lanfranco, Bob Falco and Joe Smith. As the seasons rolled on, Riordan would capture many more basketball crowns. But Mohr's team was the first. Rich Mohr won 50 games and lost 37 games as the Riordan Head Coach. He was the 5th basketball coach hired by Riordan, but the 4th different Head Coach (NorcalPreps/Rivals.com).
Basketball season is just around the corner! Tryouts will begin October 8, and a number of aspiring athletes are already conditioning themselves at the SI gym. Returning veterans from last year's varsity and frosh teams, Cappy Lavin, Walt Mehl, Dick Jansen, Jack Cannon, Tom Lampe, Keith Walker, Frank Evangelho, Rich Mohr, Clem Korte, and Carl Lawson form an experienced nucleus on which Coach Phil Woolpert hopes to build another winning team. Ross Guidice, with a fine record as frosh coach last year, returns as mentor of the JV's. Present plans are to suit up about twenty-five boys for both the varsity and JV teams.
Following the star center was Lincoln High School's contribution to the yearlings, scrappy Rich Mohr. Always hustling, Mohr got 81 field goals and 29 free tosses for a total of 191 points. His average per game was 9.04. Fast on his feet and a good dribbler, Mohr was the playmaker of the squad.
With the pressure off, both coaches cleared the bench. Monday's encounter with San Jose State closed the home season, as well as avenging the loss by seventeen points that USF suffered at the hands of the Spartans on Feb. 15. The game started off close enough with both teams trading baskets fairly evenly. Carroll Williams of San Jose tied it up at 10-10 on a jump shot, but a two-pointer by Rich Mohr pulled the Dons into the lead again, a lead they never relinquished (TheFoghorn).
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