A three sport letterman and captain of the baseball team, Richie Ryan played a reserve role for three seasons for the basketball team from 1923 to 1926.

Following the 1926 baseball season, Ryan signed with what is now the Rochester Red Wings of the International League. He played 49 games at Rochester and batted .196 in the 1927 season. After one game with Rochester in 1928, he was sent to the Class B New England league, with 111 games across four different clubs, with a combined batting average of .299.

Further details on Ryan's life after baseball are unknown.