Don Weir
February 19, 2003 01:38 PM | General
By Mickey Furfari
Mountaineer
Illustrated
"A valuable team player who is best with the pressure on."
That's how Don Weir of the tiny town of Oceana was aptly described in WVU's 1963-64 basketball media guide. He served as a team co-captain that season along with two other seniors, Tom Lowry and Mike Wolfe.
Weir, a 6-foot, 155-pound guard, entered college on an academic scholarship. He had been student body president in high school as well as an all-state player.
But he didn't waste any time proving that he merited an athletic scholarship, which he received as a sophomore. It was that same season that Weir made the Southern Conference's all-tournament team.
With two guards injured, he stepped up his game and was outstanding in leading the Mountaineers to the league championship. WVU also captured the SC title his junior year for a second NCAA tournament berth. But it lost in the SC tourney semi-finals in '64.
"Being named to the all-tournament team probably was the highlight of my career," Weir said in a recent interview. "But I also got to start several games as a senior, and that was both rewarding and exciting."
He now resides in Houston, Tex., with his wife of 40 years, the former Julie Bagwell. She is a Morgantown native who's also a WVU graduate.
After receiving his bachelor's degree in business and adminstration, Weir served two years in the Army as a first lieutenant. Then he and his wife settled in Houston for the long haul.
"I was with the public accounting firm of Price Waterhouse for 12 years," he recalled. "Then I spent the next 25 years as chief financial officer of an oil and gas company.
"We sold that business in 1998, and I actually retired for about a year. But I'm now doing some work with an investment banking and retail brokerage firm."
Weir was recruited by Fred Schaus but played basketball for George King, who succeeded Schaus as head coach. He helped WVU to 24-6, 23-3 and 18-10 records with his heady, steady play.
That's an impressive overall mark of 65-19 for his three-year stint.
Rod Thorn, who achieved All-America status, and Gale Catlett were among his teammates. Thorn now is president of the NBA's New Jersey Nets. Catlett retired a year ago as WVU's head coach after 24 seasons.
"Gale and I have kept in contact over the years," Weir said. "Even when he was coaching at other schools, he'd come down here recruiting and I'd spend time with him."
Weir also has remained close to his alma mater. "I get back as often as I can for games, team reunions and Varsity Club golf outings," he said.
"I really enjoyed playing basketball in the old Field House (aka Stansbury Hall). People were seated so close to the floor. I wouldn't have traded that experience for anything.
"That was just a great era of basketball for West Virginia. It won a lot of games with Rod Hundley, Jerry West and Rod Thorn. I was playing with Thorn on an undefeated freshman team when West was a senior."
In all, Weir played in 77 games over three seasons. He was credited with 281 points, 116 rebounds and 76 assists.
"I've had a wonderful time in a wonderful career," he said. "And we have three wonderful kids, with whom we've really enjoyed our lives together. All of us live within a five-mile radius (in Houston)."
Lara Tate, 36, is married and has three children. Lisa Weir, 35, is a junior high principal. Eric Weir, 32, played football at Vanderbilt and then spent three years in the NFL as a wide receiver with the New York Giants.
