Arthur Rickerby with his camera. (Photo by Arthur Rickerby/The LIFE Images Collection)

Arthur Rickerby with his camera. (Photo by Arthur Rickerby/The LIFE Images Collection)

Arthur Rickerby (1921-1972) paid his way through Duke by covering sports for local papers. Rickerby spent World War II in Edward Steichen’s crack Navy photography unit, chronicling the fall of Japan: battles, prison camps and the surrender aboard the USS Missouri. His portraits of politicians were hung in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. For all that, he is probably best remembered for mastering the craft he started out with: sports photography.

Adapted from The Great LIFE Photographers

President John F. Kennedy with his wife, Jackie, arriving at Love Field, on a campaign tour with Vice President Lyndon, on the day of his assassination. (Photo by Arthur Rickerby/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)

President John F. Kennedy with his wife, Jackie, arriving at Love Field, on a campaign tour with Vice President Lyndon, on the day of his assassination. (Photo by Arthur Rickerby/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)

Fans welcoming Giants star Willie Mays at Polo Grounds. (Photo by Arthur Rickerby/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)

Fans welcoming Giants star Willie Mays at Polo Grounds. (Photo by Arthur Rickerby/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)

Cleveland Browns Vince Costello (#50) wrapping a tackle around Green Bay Packers running back Jim Taylor. (Photo by Arthur Rickerby/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)

Cleveland Browns Vince Costello (#50) wrapping a tackle around Green Bay Packers running back Jim Taylor. (Photo by Arthur Rickerby/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)

More Like This

Painter Henri Matisse using a bamboo pole tipped with charcoal to draw a half-scale figure of St. Dominic. (Photo by Robert Capa/The LIFE Images Collection) Photographer

Robert Capa

Students from Chiao Tung University during an Anti-American demonstration. (Photo by Jack Birns/ The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation). Photographer

Jack Birns

President Harry S. Truman waving his hat as he holds up a king salmon while fishing with others on Puget Sound. (Photo by George Skadding/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Photographer

George Skadding

Crowd of 10,000 at America First Committee rally. (Photo by William C. Shrout/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Photographer

William C. Shrout

MIT student using a MAC computer for project study of artificial intelligence. (Photo by Leonard Mccombe/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Photographer

Leonard McCombe

Dr. Arnold Gesell (C) studying baby at Yale's child psychology lab. (Photo by Carl Mydans/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Photographer

Herbert Gehr