Nicknamed "Doc", "Little Doctor" and "Napoleon of Basketball", the aggressive, and demanding, 5'6" Walter Meanwell was a physician who, through tactical maneuvers and precise coaching, turned basketball into an orderly game. His teams featured short passing, crisscross dribbles, and a tight zone defense. In 1912, as the first coach at the University of Wisconsin, Meanwell implemented these innovations and in his first three seasons, the Badgers won 44 of 45 games. In 20 seasons, his teams won 70 percent of all games. Meanwell coached Wisconsin to 8 Big Ten Championships. He was one of the first coaches to hold coaching schools in the summer and a charter member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. His book, The Science of Basketball (1924), was translated into several languages. In 1934, Meanwell retired to Madison, Wisconsin, to practice medicine.

Died December 2, 1953