Don Meineke file
Dayton’s first All-American and a member of UD’s all-century team
Sixth in all-time scoring at UD with 1,866 points, averaging 19.4 for his career
Charter member of UD Hall of Fame
Inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008
Selected for the Atlantic 10’s inaugural “Basketball Legends” class in Jan. 2013
NBA’s first rookie of the year in 1953
The funeral for Don “Monk” Meineke, one of the greatest basketball players in University of Dayton history, was held Friday at Incarnation Catholic Church, and the ceremony had more laughter than tears — just the way he would have wanted it.
Meineke always made his many friends and ex-teammates crack up by displaying a high opinion of himself, which became part of his ongoing shtick. Making fun of his lack of inhibitions about shooting was how they got back at him.
Former UD coach Don Donoher, who gave the eulogy before about 300 attendees, talked about the love between Meineke and the other three players who would become the backbone of the Flyers’ NIT runner-up squads of 1951 and ’52 — the late Pete Boyle, Junior Norris and Chuck Grigsby. Despite those bonds, they didn’t mind giving some grief to their 6-foot-7 center.
“Monk was in a minor slump but made a couple of field goals one game, and he came to the huddle at a timeout and said, ‘I think I’ve found myself’.’ Pete said, ‘Now that you’ve found yourself, how about finding someone else. I’m standing over there wide open,’ ” Donoher said.
Meineke left UD as the program’s record-holder for career points with 1,866 and single-game scoring with 49. But one of Donoher’s players, Donald Smith, topped the latter mark with a 52-point effort.
“The phone rings, and it’s Monk. He goes, ‘What kind of teammate are you? All my records are gone,’ ” Donoher said, before adding a facetious Meineke line. “He said, ‘The only thing I have left are my academic records.’ ”
Meineke, a two-time All-American and the player most responsible for taking UD from a start-up program to a national power, died on Sept. 3 at age 83. Among those who paid their respects were former teammates Chris Harris and Jim Paxson, ex-UD star Tom Hatton, UD athletic director Tim Wabler and assistant coach Tom Ostrom.
Meineke was buried at Calvary Cemetary. His late wife Mary Jane died two years ago. They are survived by four children and eight grandchildren.
During his remarks, the Rev. Lawrence E. Mierenfeld of Incarnation said: “He was a gregarious guy. He always had a story to tell. And many of them were about him.”
Donoher took a serious tone when noting how the winning tradition at UD was largely built on the back of Meineke.
“In a couple of months, a new UD season will come up. We’ll all go to our seats and take in the magnificent spectacle that is UD basketball. … I’m going to squint my eyes and look down at our basket, and I’m going to envision No. 54 down there shooting that perfect hook.
“I’ll say, ‘Thank you, Monk, on behalf of all of us for the privilege of being your teammates. Rest in peace.”
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