Dick Meredith

Athlete Class of 1951

Dick Meredith is the oldest of the legendary Meredith brothers and set a shining example for the four who followed in his footsteps.

He loved to skate and was always considered tough and nifty. Dick played on the Southwest teams from 1949 through ’51. His senior year he led the team to the first of three state tournament appearances with a coach who didn’t skate and knew little about hockey. Unfortunately, after beating St. Paul Murray in the tournament opener Southwest played Evelth in the semifinal. Eveleth’s John Mayasich, perhaps the greatest American ever to play, scored 7 goals that game of his 15 total for the tourney. Dick was chosen to the All Tourney team. He was also a standout in football and baseball.

Dick was reunited with Mayasich during his four years as a Minnesota Gopher. His coach for three of those years was John Mariucci who also was the coach of the 1956 Olympic team. During his years at the U., Dick played in 110 games scoring 49 goals with 59 assists. At only 5’7” the feisty forward accumulated 61 penalty minutes too.

As a member of the 1956 Silver Medal Olympic team, Dick appeared in seven games (two in pool play and five in the championship round) playing a regular shift at wing. He had two goals and two assists. The unbeaten Soviet team took gold and Canada settled for bronze.

After the Olympic games, Dick returned to graduate from Minnesota. He played amateur hockey for the Minneapolis Bungalows who represented the US in the World championships in 1958 and “59 before being chosen for the 1960 Olympic team which again featured John Mayasich and a host of Minnesotans. They beat the heavily favored Canadians 2-1, Swedes 6-3, Germans 9-1, Soviet Union 3-2 and Czechoslovakia 9-4 to win the Gold Medal.

Dick never strayed far from the rink playing for minor league professional teams in the MHL and IHL before joining the staff of the Minnesota NorthStars.