1. Dick Goddard served in the Air Force, and it was through his service that he found a passion for Meteorology. “One of the things [the air force aptitude test] said I could become was a meteorologist,” Dick recalled, “and, even though I couldn’t pronounce it, I said ‘okay.'”
2. If you felt like Dick Goddard was always on your television, you're kind of right! Dick Goddard is a Guinness Records holder for the longest career as a weather forecaster ever with 51 years and 6 days! This occurred from 13 September 1965 to 19 September 2016.
3. Another career Dick Goddard considered was cartooning! After graduating from Kent State with fine arts, he got a call from Disney: “I had my bachelors of fine arts, sent cartoons to Disney in California, that’s where they were only then. I got a very favorable response. C’mon out, we’d like to talk to you. The same week, I had an offer to try TV. Channel 3 KYW gave me a 13-week contract,” Goddard said. Goddard flexed out his drawing skills by drawing the Woolybear sticker and weather guides. You can see some of his drawings up at Fox 8.
4. Dick Goddard left Cleveland briefly for Philidelphia but quickly came back to Cleveland since it was his home area. Upon his return, he took the offer with Fox 8 because it was the station that broadcast the Browns! Through that position, he became the statistician for Browns radio broadcasts, which he did for 43 years!
5. Dick Goddard will live on in so many ways, but Goddard's Law is one way that his legacy truly will live on forever. Dick spent five years lobbying state lawmakers to turn the abuse/neglect of companion animals into a fifth-degree felony. During 2016, this law happened and is currently in place. Goddard's love of animals goes back to growing up as the only child of Vachel and Doris Goddard in Greenberg – now called the city of Green, in Summit County.
BONUS: This fact is more common knowledge but important to add: Dick Goddard is the founder of the Woolybear Festival, originally a small parade that was a PTA fundraiser which has now become a large festival held annually. Over 100,000 people go to Vermilion for the event! The parade and weekend festivities focus on family fun as well as the Woolybear caterpillars which mythologically could predict the weather.