Dick Meyer - 2011

Buckeye Valley

 

 

 

Richard A. Meyer grew up in Holland, Indiana and graduated from Holland High school. He enrolled at Capital University and completed two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corp. After three years of service, he returned to Capital and graduated in 1948.

 

    That fall, he began his teaching and coaching career at Radnor High School in Radnor Ohio, coaching baseball and basketball. After fifteen years there, Radnor was consolidated into Buckeye Valley High School, and he assumed the same position until his retirement in 1984, coaching for 36 years.

 

    In his years as a baseball coach, his teams won 18 league championships, 3 district titles and compiled a 542-198 record without a losing season. His basketball teams recorded a 506-229 with 15 league titles and only 1 losing season. He was one of the country’s few coaches to compile more than 500 victories in two different sports at the same school.

 

    In addition to outstanding high school baseball records, he also started the summer league at Radnor and the baseball diamond was named for him in 1976. It is still in use for summer leagues.  He began the Ashley American Legion Team, winning 20 district championships and 1 state championship.

 

    After coaching high school, he spent 18 years as an assistant baseball coach at Ohio Wesleyan University, before his failing eyesight forced him to end his long, successful career.

 

    His many awards include: National High School Sports Hall of Fame, Buckeye Valley Hall of Fame, Ohio High School Basketball Coached Hall of Fame, Capital University Varsity “C” Merit Award, and the induction into the Ohio Wesleyan Athletic Hall of Fame.

 

    His coaching philosophy was “take what’s available and make them winners.” His coaching passion was baseball. He was modest and unassuming and was sometimes surprised that he received so much recognition. His favorite professional baseball team was the St Louis Cardinals. A lifelong member of the Lutheran Church, he married Suzanne Penry in 1954, and they had one son, Mark. They never moved from the Radnor area. Richard passed away 4/28/08 and is remembered fondly by many former players and coaches.