Robert Dee Royer (October 15, 1927 – May 30, 1973) was an American professional basketball player.[1] Royer was selected in the eighth round in the 1949 BAA Draft by the Providence Steamrollers.[1] He played for the Denver Nuggets in 1949–50 before ending his NBA career after one season.[1]
Playing career
Royer attended Bowling Green High School in Bowling Green, Indiana. While at Indiana State University, Royer was a 3-year letterman for the Sycamores, helping the team reach the NAIB Finals, finishing as National Finalist in 1946 and 1948 and 4th place in 1949. He was named to the All-Tourney team in each of those Tourneys. During his collegiate career, the Sycamores recorded a record of 72-22 (.766), won three IIC titles and three NAIA District titles.
Royer played for Glenn M. Curtis as a freshman, the legendary John Wooden as a sophomore and junior, and John Longfellow during his senior season in 1949.
Royer is scored 1,173 points during his collegiate career; he was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1948-49 Midwest Collegiate Basketball Tournament.[2]
Later life and death
After his basketball career, Royer worked as a real estate salesman and investment counsellor.[3] He also coached basketball at high schools in Indiana.[3]
On May 29, 1973, Royer went to the workplace of Elizabeth Darling, a woman he had been having an affair with, and shot her to death with two guns.[4] Royer had wanted her to marry him and threatened her when she rejected him.[4] Royer fled the scene, and on the next day, he committed suicide next to his car with a shotgun blast to his chest.[4]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
Source[1]
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949–50 | Denver | 42 | .338 | .707 | 2.0 | 4.7 |
References
- ^ a b c d Bob Royer. basketball-reference.com. Retrieved on January 22, 2013.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2013-11-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b "Robert Royer Found Shot To Death". The Terre Haute Tribune. June 1, 1973. p. 2. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Murderer Kills Self". The Times. May 31, 1973. p. 1. Retrieved November 28, 2022.