Hall of Fame
HAROLD R. "HAL" MELKONIAN '52 played baseball for Rhode Island from 1947-50 and football for a year. A four-year standout pitcher, Melkonian helped lead the Rams to a 14-3 record in 1949, one of the best seasons in school annals. He was team captain in 1950. Weighing just 148 pounds, he played an entire game at defensive guard in 1947 after practicing for only three days. He went on to coach baseball for nearly 30 years, tutoring the likes of Dave Stenhouse and Bill Almon, both of whom became major leaguers. In 1989, Melkonian received the Golden Diamond Award from the United States Baseball Federation.
