Tom Meschery, Poet and Bay Area Sports Legend

As a youngster growing up in San Francisco, Tom Meschery fell in love with basketball and became an All-American high school standout. A 6-foot-6 power forward, Meschery’s stellar ability as a hoopster was showcased when he played for Saint Mary's from 1957–1961. He was a member of the Gaels’ 1958 NCAA Championship Tournament “Elite 8” team, led the College in rebounds for almost 30 years and was recognized as the Saint Mary’s Basketball Player of the Century.

Meschery played 10 seasons, from 1961 to 1971, in the NBA, with the Golden State Warriors and the Seattle Supersonics. He coached in the American Basketball Association, was an assistant coach in the National Basketball Association and was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. Meschery is also the first player in Warrior’s history to have his jersey (No.14) retired.

While Meschery’s athletic journey has been remarkable, so too was his intellectual journey. Born in Manchuria, China to Russian immigrants in 1938, his early years were framed by the realities of World War II. His family spent time in a Japanese concentration camp; an experience, ironically, that would also lead him to Saint Mary’s. “My mother, sister and I were befriended, and cared for in the early months of the war, by Christian Brothers. This was one of the reasons I chose to attend Saint Mary's,” said Meschery.  Another reason was the College’s liberal arts curriculum where, because of a love of poetry gained from his parents, Meschery found a perfect fit.

In addition to the “Mad Russian,” a NBA nickname he garnered for his on-court toughness, his teammates also referred to him as the “Renaissance Man,” for his appreciation of poetry. That interest eventually led Meschery to step away from the hardcourt to pursue a graduate degree in literature. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree from University of Iowa in 1974. 

In his address, the noted Saint Mary’s alumnus said he will emphasize the importance of creativity and appreciation for the literary arts, especially poetry, to the College’s class of 2012. “Regardless of whatever field they have chosen, an appreciation of poetry, fiction, drama and related subjects develops creativity, and that leads everyone, including scientists and mathematicians, to think outside boundaries and change or enhance the world we live in,” said Meschery.

An notable poet and acknowledged educator; Meschery is the author of two books of poetry, “Over the Rim” and “Nothing You Lose Can Be Replaced.” A forth-coming book, “Some Men” will be published in fall 2012. He was inducted into the Nevada State Writers' Hall of Fame in 2000 and has received the U.S. Presidential Scholars Teacher Recognition Award four times over 20 years as a high school English teacher.