Metheny, Arthur

Arthur Beauregard "Bud" Metheny was born July 1, 1915 in St. Louis, Missouri. He married Frances Davis of Norfolk on February 14, 1942. They had two children, Eileen and John. Metheny and his wife of 61 years, both passed away on January 2, 2003.

Metheny was a pitcher for his junior high school and American Legion teams. His father, a railroad worker, moved his family to Calverton, Virginia where Metheny attended Calverton High School. Upon graduation at 17, his mother signed a professional baseball contract for him with the New York Yankees organization. Metheny attended the College of William and Mary on a New York Yankees' scholarship where he played ball for four years. He graduated in 1940 with a B.A. in biology and physical education and in 1952, received his Masters in physical education.

After college, Metheny played minor league ball, switching from the pitchers mound to the outfield. He played for Norfolk and Kansas City, winning the pennant with both teams and Newark when the team won the Little World Series. He was called to the big leagues in 1943 and made his debut with the New York Yankees on April 27, 1943. That same year, the New York Yankees won the World Series. Metheny was the last player to wear the number 3 (Babe Ruth's number) before it was retired. In 1946, Metheny's contract was sold to the Boston Red Sox and he went back to the minors.

Metheny launched his managerial career in 1948 with the Boston Red Sox Class "D" team in Baxley, Georgia. He received a call from Joseph "Scrap" Chandler, then Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary Athletic Director, offering Metheny the head coach position. Metheny accepted the position, which began his 32-year career at Old Dominion. Metheny continued to play minor league Class "B" ball in 1949-50 for the Portsmouth team and managed the Newport News team in 1950.

Metheny was the head baseball coach from 1948-1980 and head basketball coach from 1948-1965. He was also the Athletic Director at Old Dominion from 1963-1970. In the 1950s, Old Dominion competed in the "mythical" Little Eight Conference, which was composed of Virginia colleges. In 1962, the college joined the Mason-Dixon Conference, continuing to compete in Division II until 1976, at which time the university moved into Division I and joined the Southern Division of the Eastern College Athletic Conference.

During Metheny's tenure as head baseball coach, his teams had winning seasons in twenty-seven out of thirty-two years with a record of 423-363-6. Included among those victories were two NCAA Eastern Regional Championships, eight Little Eight Conference Championships and four Mason-Dixon Conference Championships. Metheny was honored by the NCAA as the Eastern Regional Coach of the Year in 1963 and 1964. He was also chosen as the NCAA National Coach of the Year for 1964. As head basketball coach, Metheny compiled a 198-163 record and posted sixteen winning seasons.

In 1984, Old Dominion honored Metheny by adopting a New York Yankee style uniform with blue pinstripes. Old Dominion's baseball stadium also bears his name. Metheny was inducted into the College Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in January 1983 in Dallas, Texas. He is a member of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, the William and Mary Hall of Fame, the Old Dominion University Hall of Fame, and the Tidewater Baseball Hall of Fame.

June 1, 1915 Birth in St. Louis, Missouri

1932 Graduated from Calverton High School in Calverton, Virginia

1932-36 Minor League Baseball Player

1936-40 College of William and Mary

1940-43 Minor League Baseball Player

1943-46 Outfielder for the New York Yankees

1946-48 Minor League Baseball Player and Manager

1948-80 Old Dominion Head Baseball Coach

1948-65 Old Dominion Head Basketball Coach

1963-70 Old Dominion Athletic Director

1980-2003 Retirement in Virginia Beach, Virginia

January 2, 2003 Death in Virginia Beach, Virginia

From the guide to the Papers of Arthur "Bud" Metheny, 1963-1991, (Special Collections and University Archives, Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library, Old Dominion University)