Bob Dro
Encyclopedia
Robert C. Dro was a American
basketball
player and college athletic administrator. He was a starter on the Indiana University's
first championship team in 1940 and played one season in the National Basketball League
.
Dro, a 6'0" guard from Berne High School in Berne, Indiana
, played for coach Branch McCracken
at Indiana
from 1938 to 1941. Dro was a three-year starter for IU, including the Hoosiers' 1939–40 championship season
. Dro was named first team All-Big Ten Conference
as a senior in 1941. He was also a standout on the baseball
diamond in college.
Following college, Dro played a season with the Indianapolis Kautskys of the National Basketball League (NBL), a professional league that would later merge with the Basketball Association of America
to form the National Basketball Association
. Dro also played minor-league baseball for the Grand Rapids Colts in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization.
After his brief professional sports career, Dro served in the United States Navy
during World War II
. Upon his return from the war, Dro coached high school basketball in Pendleton
and Bluffton, Indiana
. In 1957, Dro joined the Indiana University athletic department, where he served until his retirement in 1984.
Dro was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
in 1978. He died on May 4, 2006.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and college athletic administrator. He was a starter on the Indiana University's
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
first championship team in 1940 and played one season in the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
.
Dro, a 6'0" guard from Berne High School in Berne, Indiana
Berne, Indiana
Berne is a city in Monroe and Wabash townships, Adams County, Indiana, United States, 35 miles south of Fort Wayne. The population was 4,150 at the 2000 census...
, played for coach Branch McCracken
Branch McCracken
Branch McCracken was a college men's basketball coach.As a player at Indiana, the Monrovia, Indiana native was a three-year letter winner for Hall of Fame coach Everett Dean...
at Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
from 1938 to 1941. Dro was a three-year starter for IU, including the Hoosiers' 1939–40 championship season
1939–40 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. The Head Coach was Branch McCracken and was a member of the Big Ten Conference...
. Dro was named first team All-Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
as a senior in 1941. He was also a standout on the baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
diamond in college.
Following college, Dro played a season with the Indianapolis Kautskys of the National Basketball League (NBL), a professional league that would later merge with the Basketball Association of America
Basketball Association of America
The Basketball Association of America was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. The league merged with the National Basketball League in 1949, forming the National Basketball Association ...
to form the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. Dro also played minor-league baseball for the Grand Rapids Colts in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization.
After his brief professional sports career, Dro served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Upon his return from the war, Dro coached high school basketball in Pendleton
Pendleton, Indiana
Pendleton is a town in Fall Creek Township, Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Bluffton, Indiana
Bluffton, Indiana
Bluffton is a city in Harrison and Lancaster Townships, Wells County, Indiana, United States. The population was 9,897 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Wells County.-Geography:Bluffton is located at ....
. In 1957, Dro joined the Indiana University athletic department, where he served until his retirement in 1984.
Dro was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame is a sports museum and hall of fame in New Castle, Indiana. It honors men and women associated with high school, college and professional basketball in Indiana....
in 1978. He died on May 4, 2006.