Beloved Catawba College professor and wrestling coach, the late Dr. Frank Albert "Dutch" Meyer, is one of several individuals who will soon be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (NWHOF) and Museum in Stillwater, Okla. Meyer, who died in 2008, served as Catawba's wrestling coach between 1970 and 1983 with 13 winning seasons.
Meyer was NAIA Wrestling Coach of the Year for District 26 in 1983 and inducted into the Catawba Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. He was the area representative for Wrestling, NAIA VII between 1971 and 1974, and also received the Distinguished Service Award presented by the N.C. Athletic Association.
Meyer and six other individuals, who include Dennis Barbour, David Culbreth, Bobby House, Jay Lineberry, Cecil Mock, and Ricky Stack, will be honored and recognized as members of the Class of 2015 honored by the NWHOF with Lifetime Service to Wrestling Awards at a May 17th Hall of Fame Day event at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill. The event, to honor and recognize individuals for their years of commitment as positive role models to student athletes, will begin at 2 p.m. with a social, followed by a 3 p.m. dinner and an award presentation at the conclusion of the meal. Tickets are $45 per person to the May 17th N.C. Hall of Fame Day event and are available online at www.nc-nwhof.ticketleap.com. Tickets must be purchased by May 11th. Wrestling supporters can also make contributions to the organization in honor or memory of any of the 2015 inductees.
Educated in the Lincoln, Nebraska schools, Meyer enlisted in the U.S. Navy following his 1943 high school graduation and served several years. He attended theNebraskaWesleyanUniversityin 1947 and 1948 and was quarterback under Coach Bus Knight against Pepperdine in the Will Rogers Bowl inOklahoma City,Okla. He graduated from theUniversityofNebraskainLincolnin 1951 where he served as backup quarterback. He also served as athletic trainer for theLincolnA's, a semi-pro baseball team.
He earned his master's degree from theUniversityofColoradoatBoulderand his Ph.D. fromWest VirginiaUniversityinMorgantown. He coached football and/or wrestling atSouth San FranciscoHigh SchoolinCalif.;HancockJunior CollegeinSanta Maria,Calif.; Presbyterian Junior College in Maxton, N.C.; Glassboro State College in New Jersey; and Appalachian State College in Boone, N.C. before coming to Catawba College.
At Catawba, he was a professor of physical education from 1969-2005 and served for many years as chair of the Physical Education Department. He was recipient of the Hearne Swink Award as Outstanding Classroom Teacher in 1983 and the Phi Epsilon Award for Campus Leadership and Outstanding Character in 1988.
He was a member of John Calvin Presbyterian Church, the North Star Masonic Lodge No. 2227, A.F. & A.M. where he received his 60-year pin in November 2006.
Meyer started the "Heart Care" Cardiac Rehabilitation Program with Rowan Regional Medical Center using Catawba College's facilities and he initiated the Athletic Training Program at Catawba. In 2006, Catawba named the multipurpose gym in the lower level of Goodman Gymnasium in his honor as the Meyer Auxiliary Gymnasium.
He was preceded in death by wife Margaret "Maggie" Leslie Meyer in 2008 and son Jeffrey Frederick Meyer in 1988. He is survived by son Martin Leslie Meyer of Boca Raton, Fla., daughter Wendy Elizabeth Meyer-Goodwin of Henderson, N.C., brother Richard H. Meyer ofLincoln,Neb., sister Elizabeth "Liz" Sawyer of Lincoln Neb., and four grandchildren.
