 Meyer from the 1970DePaulian | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1913-12-18)December 18, 1913 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | March 17, 2006(2006-03-17) (aged 92) Wheeling, Illinois, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1930–1934 | St. Patrick Academy |
| 1935–1938 | Notre Dame |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1940–1942 | Notre Dame (assistant) |
| 1942–1984 | DePaul |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1945–1974 | DePaul |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 724–354 |
| Tournaments | 14–16 (NCAA Division I) 10–8 (NIT) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2NCAA Regional—Final Four (1943,1979) NIT (1945) | |
| Awards | |
| 2×AP Coach of the Year (1980, 1984) 2xHenry Iba Award (1978, 1980) NABC Coach of the Year (1979) 2×UPI Coach of the Year (1980, 1984) | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 1979 (profile) | |
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 | |
Raymond Joseph Meyer (December 18, 1913 – March 17, 2006) was an American men'scollegiate basketball coach fromChicago, Illinois.[1] He was well known for coaching atDePaul University from 1942 to 1984, compiling a 724–354 record.[2]
Meyer coached DePaul to 21 post-season appearances (13NCAA, eightNIT). In total, Meyer recorded 37 winning seasons and twelve 20-win seasons, including seven straight from 1978 to 1984. Two Meyer-coached teams reached theFinal Four (1943 and 1979), and in 1945, Meyer led DePaul pastBowling Green to capture the National Invitation Tournament, the school's only post-season title.[2]
Meyer coached a CollegeAll-Star team that played a coast-to-coast series against theHarlem Globetrotters for 11 years. One of his best players wasGeorge Mikan, who was a game-changing player and basketball's first great "big man". Meyer recruited Mikan fromArchbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary, a school Meyer had himself earlier attended. Other top players coached by Meyer include formerNBA playersMark Aguirre andTerry Cummings. During Meyer's tenure the basketball rivalry between DePaul andLoyola reached an extremely high level. Meyer's great-great nephew, Mike Starkman, played basketball for Loyola as awalk-on. Meyer was a much-beloved figure in Chicago, and is a member of theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[2]
Meyer's final game as a head coach was theBlue Demons' 73–71 overtime loss toWake Forest in theNCAA Midwest Regional semifinals atSt. Louis Arena on March 23, 1984.[3] Two of his sons were alsoNCAA Division I men's basketball head coaches. Tom Meyer served at theUniversity of Illinois at Chicago for six years from 1977 to his dismissal on April 16, 1983.[4]Joey Meyer took the helm of the Blue Demons upon his father's retirement and stayed at DePaul until his resignation on April 28, 1997.[5]
Meyer also ran a summer basketball camp nearThree Lakes in northernWisconsin for many years.
Meyer died at age 92 at the Addolorata Villaassisted living facility inWheeling, Illinois on March 17, 2006.[6] He was buried in theAll Saints Cemetery inDes Plaines.