Bill Menke is a retired American

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. He was an NCAA All-American

NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans

The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...

 at Indiana University

Indiana University

Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...

 and a starter on the school's first championship team in 1940.

Menke, a 6'3" center

Center (basketball)

The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...

 from Huntingburg High School in Huntingburg, Indiana

Huntingburg, Indiana

-Notable people:* Baseball pitcher Alex Graman was born in Huntingburg.* Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Mitch Stetter was born and raised in Huntingburg.* Retired professional basketball player Don Buse was born in Huntingburg.* Gordon St...

 and Kemper Military School

Kemper Military School

Kemper Military School & College was a private military school located in Boonville, Missouri. Kemper filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2002. The school's motto was "Nunquam Non Paratus" .-Early years under Frederick T. Kemper:...

, 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, averaging 8.8 points per game for his career. Menke was named a third team All-American by Converse during 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...

, joining teammate Marvin Huffman

Marvin Huffman

Marvin "Marv" Huffman was an American basketball player.A 6'2" forward, Huffman starred at New Castle High School in Indiana, where he started every game for four years. He then played collegiately at Indiana University, leading the Hoosiers to the 1940 NCAA Championship...

 on the All-America team. His younger brother, Bob, was also his teammate at Indiana.

Menke graduated as the Hoosiers' all-time leading scorer with 530 points, although this record has since been eclipsed. Following his college career, Menke played in the Amateur Athletic Association with the Great Lakes Naval Training Station

Naval Station Great Lakes

Naval Station Great Lakes is the home of the United States Navy's only boot camp, located near the city of North Chicago, Illinois, in Lake County. Important tenant commands include the Recruit Training Command, Training Support Center and Navy Recruiting District Chicago...

 team.

Bill Menke 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 1988.