Don Meineke
Class of 1948
About
Don
“Monk” Meineke, University of Dayton and NBA star wasn't happy that
Kiser, Stivers, and Chaminade High Schools had Athletic Hall of Fame
Programs while his alma mater, Wilbur Wright, did not. So Monk
formed and chaired a committee with members Andy Winchek, Phil
Mattingly, Jerry McElfresh, and Dave Swartz, to remedy the
situation. Don unfortunately was unable to see the benefits of his
Committee’s work due to his untimly death in September, 2013. However, his vision
and sense of purpose drove the Committee, chaired by Dave Swartz, to complete his endeavor.
It is why we now have an Athletic Hall of Fame for Wilbur Wright
High School.
Every effort was made to eliminate any bias in the selection of the
charter member athletes. The Committee researched old newspaper
microfilm, Wilbur Wright Pilot newspapers, asked challenging
questions, and then weighed the evidence. Each Committee member
nominated 7 candidates and then voted for the top 25. Did we get it
exactly right? That would be impossible.
But
please consider this: In this inaugural class, the Class of 2013, we
were not just selecting deserving athletes; we were trying to select
the TOP 25 athletes in the 42 year history of our school based
strictly on their performances while at Wilbur Wright. Due to a
3-way tie for the 25th member, the Committee expanded the
Charter Class to 27. Those missing the cut in 2013 will be prime
candidates for the Class of 2014 inductees.
The Wilbur
Wright Athletic Hall of Fame Committee
November, 2013