BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. - Richard L. Dick Hamilton, 76, died on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, a day after he suffered a massive heart attack. A generous, caring, gregarious man with many interests and countless friends, Dick was especially passionate about Thoroughbred horse racing. He spent most of his life working in racing and possessed an experts knowledge of many facets of Americas oldest sport. He delighted in being able to recall and recite - in his distinctive, well-trained voice - the design and colors of historys famous and not-so-famous racing silks. Dick spent the final six years of his 20 years with the New York Racing Association as a steward, an important and prestigious role. Stewards are a combination of umpires and judges, responsible for enforcing the rules and maintaining the integrity of racing. After taking advantage of an early retirement incentive program offered by NYRA in January 1995, Dick moved to Wilton, NY. That summer he was hired to fill the newly created position of communications officer at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs. It was an ideal assignment and he worked full-time in the part-time job. With his background in journalism, wide range of contacts in racing, attention to detail and outgoing personality, Dick quickly became a respected ambassador for the museum and racing. Dick had many successes at the museum, including the raising of the public profile through media coverage, doubling the Hall of Fame voting panel to more than 180 participants to assure complete North American representation, making major improvements in the Hall of Fame induction ceremony and establishing a number of free public programs. In December 2004, he officially retired as the communications officer, but stayed on as volunteer to help his successor and work on special projects. Dick continued in that role until an October 2006 change in the administration. He accepted an invitation to return to the museum as a volunteer in November 2011 as a senior consultant. Dick was born on January 3, 1936 in Lowell, Mass., the older of Richard and Irene (Woodward) Hamiltons two children. His sister, Audrey Beati, died in 2005. The Hamiltons loved racing and Dick became a fan at an early age. He saw many of the great runners of his lifetime. His favorite was Forego. Following graduation from Mount Hermon Prep School in 1954, Dick enrolled in Emerson College in in Boston. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Speech in 1958 and spent the next three years in the U.S. Army, which included an enjoyable assignment in Europe. Dick returned to Emerson as a speech instructor in 1961 then began an eight-year career in broadcast journalism. He was a television newscaster in the Virgin Islands from 1962 to 1966 and worked at ABC Radio in New York as a news editor and writer from 1966 to 1970. Dick was an assistant press secretary in the 1970 Ohio gubernatorial campaign, returned to New York after the election and secured a job in 1971 handling statistics at Daily Racing Form. From the Form he moved to The Jockey Club, where he spent three years in foreign registration. He was hired by NYRA in 1975 and filled many positions - entry clerk, placing judge, patrol judge, paddock judge and alternate steward - before being named the NYRA steward in May 1989. Dick was proud of the time he spent as a steward and shared his knowledge and approach as an instructor in accreditation programs for stewards. When his first tour as a volunteer at the National Museum of Racing ended abruptly, he quickly moved into volunteer positions at Saratoga Hospital and the local history room at the Saratoga Springs Public Library. He also volunteered his time to other non-profits and community organizations. Reading and the Boston Red Sox were close seconds and may on occasion have briefly eclipsed racing in Dicks life. He consumed a huge number of books on a wide range of topics in addition to tackling daily newspapers and an assortment of magazines. A sizable chunk of those books and many of the articles he read were about his beloved Red Sox. His favorite player was Bobby Doerr. Travel was another of Dicks hobbies. He made many trips to Europe through the decades, was especially fond of the British Isles and considered himself something of an Anglophile. In his later years, Dick regularly vacationed on the coast of Maine and his ashes will be scattered at one of his favorite places, Bailey Island. Dick is survived by his niece, Lisa (Beati) Lake of Bethesda, Md.; her three brothers, David Beati, Lowell, Mass.; Phillip Beati, North Kingston, RI; Stephen Beati, Lowell, Mass. and their families. A celebration of Dicks life will be held during the Saratoga racing season. Memorial contributions may be made to the Saratoga Care Foundation, 211 Church Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com. BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. - Richard L. Dick Hamilton, 76, died on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, a day after he suffered a massive heart attack. A generous, caring, gregarious man with many interests and countless friends, Dick was especially passionate about Thoroughbred horse racing. He spent most of his life working in racing and possessed an experts knowledge of many facets of Americas oldest sport. He delighted in being able to recall and recite - in his distinctive, well-trained voice - the design and colors of historys famous and not-so-famous racing silks. Dick spent the final six years of his 20 years with the New York Racing Association as a steward, an important and prestigious role. Stewards are a combination of umpires and judges, responsible for enforcing the rules and maintaining the integrity of racing. After taking advantage of an early retirement incentive program offered by NYRA in January 1995, Dick moved to Wilton, NY. That summer he was hired to fill the newly created position of communications officer at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs. It was an ideal assignment and he worked full-time in the part-time job. With his background in journalism, wide range of contacts in racing, attention to detail and outgoing personality, Dick quickly became a respected ambassador for the museum and racing. Dick had many successes at the museum, including the raising of the public profile through media coverage, doubling the Hall of Fame voting panel to more than 180 participants to assure complete North American representation, making major improvements in the Hall of Fame induction ceremony and establishing a number of free public programs. In December 2004, he officially retired as the communications officer, but stayed on as volunteer to help his successor and work on special projects. Dick continued in that role until an October 2006 change in the administration. He accepted an invitation to return to the museum as a volunteer in November 2011 as a senior consultant. Dick was born on January 3, 1936 in Lowell, Mass., the older of Richard and Irene (Woodward) Hamiltons two children. His sister, Audrey Beati, died in 2005. The Hamiltons loved racing and Dick became a fan at an early age. He saw many of the great runners of his lifetime. His favorite was Forego. Following graduation from Mount Hermon Prep School in 1954, Dick enrolled in Emerson College in in Boston. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Speech in 1958 and spent the next three years in the U.S. Army, which included an enjoyable assignment in Europe. Dick returned to Emerson as a speech instructor in 1961 then began an eight-year career in broadcast journalism. He was a television newscaster in the Virgin Islands from 1962 to 1966 and worked at ABC Radio in New York as a news editor and writer from 1966 to 1970. Dick was an assistant press secretary in the 1970 Ohio gubernatorial campaign, returned to New York after the election and secured a job in 1971 handling statistics at Daily Racing Form. From the Form he moved to The Jockey Club, where he spent three years in foreign registration. He was hired by NYRA in 1975 and filled many positions - entry clerk, placing judge, patrol judge, paddock judge and alternate steward - before being named the NYRA steward in May 1989. Dick was proud of the time he spent as a steward and shared his knowledge and approach as an instructor in accreditation programs for stewards. When his first tour as a volunteer at the National Museum of Racing ended abruptly, he quickly moved into volunteer positions at Saratoga Hospital and the local history room at the Saratoga Springs Public Library. He also volunteered his time to other non-profits and community organizations. Reading and the Boston Red Sox were close seconds and may on occasion have briefly eclipsed racing in Dicks life. He consumed a huge number of books on a wide range of topics in addition to tackling daily newspapers and an assortment of magazines. A sizable chunk of those books and many of the articles he read were about his beloved Red Sox. His favorite player was Bobby Doerr. Travel was another of Dicks hobbies. He made many trips to Europe through the decades, was especially fond of the British Isles and considered himself something of an Anglophile. In his later years, Dick regularly vacationed on the coast of Maine and his ashes will be scattered at one of his favorite places, Bailey Island. Dick is survived by his niece, Lisa (Beati) Lake of Bethesda, Md.; her three brothers, David Beati, Lowell, Mass.; Phillip Beati, North Kingston, RI; Stephen Beati, Lowell, Mass. and their families. A celebration of Dicks life will be held during the Saratoga racing season. Memorial contributions may be made to the Saratoga Care Foundation, 211 Church Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.