There was a time when the Pittsburgh area community had good reason to be proud of Richard Rydze, a native son of the Steel City. Born in 1950, he was a world-class diver in his youth, even competing in the 1972 Olympics, winning a silver medal in the 10-metre platform dive, while teammates Micki King and Craig Lincoln brought home gold and bronze, respectively, in separate diving events.
Rydze was attending the University of Michigan while competing in diving events, but upon completion of his undergraduate degree, he returned to his home town to attend at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, known by the acronym UPSOM, closely affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.