Richard Norris 'Dick' Williams was a bona fide sportsman turned genuine hero of the Titantic disaster exactly 100 years ago, on April 15th, 1912.
Nowadays 'sporting hero' is an overused term, particularly when referring to well-paid professionals simply doing their everyday job. 
Nowadays 'sporting hero' is an overused term, particularly when referring to well-paid professionals simply doing their everyday job. A century ago, the promising 21 year old tennis player Williams was travelling first class with his father, Charles Duane Williams, on the voyage to the USA. Williams came through a series of hair-raising scrapes to make it out alive.
He and his father, Charles Duane Williams, were travelling first class on the liner when it struck an iceberg setting in motion the well-known 2 hour ordeal of taking on water, splintering and splitting before stern then bow sank over 2 miles down to the bottom of the Atlantic. Shortly after the collision, Williams freed a trapped passenger from a cabin by breaking down a door.
He was reprimanded by a steward, who threatened to fine him for destroying White Star Line property, an event that inspired a scene in James Cameron's film Titanic (1997). Williams remained on the doomed liner almost until the very end. At one stage Williams' father attempted to get a steward to fill his flask. The flask was given to Norris Williams and remains in the Williams family.
He was reprimanded by a steward, who threatened to fine him for destroying White Star Line property, an event that inspired a scene in James Cameron's film Titanic (1997). Williams remained on the doomed liner almost until the very end. At one stage Williams' father attempted to get a steward to fill his flask. The flask was given to Norris Williams and remains in the Williams family.
After being washed overboard by a wave that also took off Colonel Archibald Gracie and Second Officer C. H. Lightoller along with several others, the 21 year old Williams made his way to the Collapsible A Lifeboat holding on to its side for quite a while before getting in. When Williams entered the water he was wearing a fur coat which he quickly discarded along with his shoes.
Those in Collapsible A who survived were subsequently transferred to Lifeboat 14 by Fifth Officer Lowe. Although abandoned by the Carpathia, Collapsible A was recovered a month later. Amazingly, on board the lifeboat was the discarded fur coat which was returned to Williams by White Star.
Those in Collapsible A who survived were subsequently transferred to Lifeboat 14 by Fifth Officer Lowe. Although abandoned by the Carpathia, Collapsible A was recovered a month later. Amazingly, on board the lifeboat was the discarded fur coat which was returned to Williams by White Star.
After his rescue by the Carpathia, Williams was still not out of trouble: doctors told him that his injuries following the survival ordeal & period in the water were so severe that they would have to amputate both his legs.
Williams, who did not want his tennis career to be cut short, opted instead to work through the injury. The choice worked out well for him: later that year, he won his first U.S. Tennis Championship, in mixed doubles, and went on to win many more championships including the Wimbledon doubles title in 1920 .
Williams served in the United States Army during World War I and was awarded the Croix de Guerre & thr Legion of Honour. After the war he continued playing championship tennis, and during 1924 Olympics, at the age of 33 (and with a sprained ankle), Richard Norris Williams became a Gold Medallist in the mixed doubles.
He went on to captain several winning Davis Cup teams from 1921 through 1926 that included two Davis Cup victories amazingly with fellow survivor Karl Behr . At 44 he retired from Championship Tennis.
He went on to captain several winning Davis Cup teams from 1921 through 1926 that included two Davis Cup victories amazingly with fellow survivor Karl Behr . At 44 he retired from Championship Tennis.
Williams, a noted Philadelphia investment banker, was President of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame ((Newport, Rhode Island)) in 1957.
He died in 1968, aged 77.
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