Don Meineke

About

Professional basketball player known for being the first-ever NBA Rookie of the Year, for starring at the University of Dayton, and for playing for five NBA seasons with the Fort Wayne Pistons and the Rochester/Cincinnati Royals. He was also known for being inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.

Before Fame

He attended Wilbur Wright High School and played basketball throughout his high school career. He attended the University of Dayton, where he played on the Dayton Flyers. He then played for Fort Wayne from 1952 to 1955, the Rochester Royals from 1955 to 1956, and then played for the Cincinnati Royals from 1957 to 1958.

Trivia

He was often known by the nickname "Monk." He also led the NBA in personal fouls and disqualifications. Het set a single season record of 26 disqualifications during the 1952-1953 season. He once scored 49 points in a game for the Dayton Flyers and became the University of Dayton's first 1,000-point player. He was part of the Atlantic 10's inaugural "Basketball Legends" class in 2013.

Family Life

He was a lifelong Daytonian who remained deeply connected to his hometown. He married Mary Jane Hautman, and they had four children together. He was 83 years old when he passed away in September 2013.

Associated With

He played against George Mikan in the 1953 Western Division Finals. He briefly played alongside two-sport phenom Dick Groat on the Pistons.