The Duquesne University Department of Athletics mourns the loss of Mayer "Mickey" Winograd ('56), a three-year letterwinner for the men's basketball team who passed away May 14, 2026, at the age of 92. Winograd was a key member of the 1955 Duquesne team that finished with an overall record of 22-4 (.846) and won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) with a 70-58 victory over No. 9 Dayton in New York, N.Y., at Madison Square Garden.
Winograd, a native of Jersey City, N.J., played in 78 career games for the Dukes during his career, averaging 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest while converting 39 percent (210-for-538) of his attempts from the floor and 67.4 percent (288-for-427) at the free-throw line. In his final year with the program in 1955-56, Winograd averaged 11.2 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 44.2 percent (99-for-224) from the field and 74.3 percent (104-for-140) at the charity stripe.
One of four players to appear in all 26 games for Duquesne during the 1954-55 campaign, joining Dave and Dick Ricketts and James Fallon, Winograd contributed averages of 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest. The Dukes opened the 1955 NIT with a 75-66 victory over Louisville and followed with a 65-51 triumph over Cincinnati, setting up a fourth opportunity to square off against Dayton during the season, and this time for a title. Winograd contributed six points in the second half as the Dukes pulled away from the Flyers behind a combined 56 points from consensus All-Americans Sihugo Green and Dick Ricketts.
The Dukes finished 2-2 (.500) against Dayton during their historic 1954-55 campaign, with both wins coming at Madison Square Garden. Under the guidance of Donald "Dudey" Moore, Duquesne closed the year ranked No. 6 in the final Associated Press poll. The 1955 Dukes were inducted into the Duquesne Athletics Hall of Fame in 1978 and were honored at halftime of a 73-58 triumph over Robert Morris Dec. 3, 2005, at the A.J. Palumbo Center for the 50th anniversary of the championship season.
Winograd was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the eighth pick of the sixth round (48th overall) in 1956 and also served as captain of the United States Basketball Team at the 1957 Maccabiah Games in Israel. In 1988, Winograd was inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame of Western Pennsylvania. Winograd attended Fordham Law School and also served in the United States Navy as an assistant to the Naval Chaplain. Dedicating his career to public service, Winograd served as a trial attorney and later as Chief Public Defender in Hudson and Essex Counties in New Jersey.
Winograd was preceded in death by his wife, Mo Winograd, and the family has requested donations in Mickey's honor be made to the Mo Winograd Scholar Fund in Bonita Springs, Fla., through the Naples Council on World Affairs. Select scholarships as the intended use for donation and in the comments type "Mo Winograd Scholarship Fund."
THE ASYLUM
Dukes mourn Winograd
The Duquesne University Department of Athletics mourns the loss of Mayer "Mickey" Winograd ('56), a three-year letterwinner for the men's basketball team who passed away May 14, 2026, at the age of 92. Winograd was a key member of the 1955 Duquesne team that finished with an overall record of 22-4 (.846) and won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) with a 70-58 victory over No. 9 Dayton in New York, N.Y., at Madison Square Garden.
Winograd, a native of Jersey City, N.J., played in 78 career games for the Dukes during his career, averaging 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest while converting 39 percent (210-for-538) of his attempts from the floor and 67.4 percent (288-for-427) at the free-throw line. In his final year with the program in 1955-56, Winograd averaged 11.2 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 44.2 percent (99-for-224) from the field and 74.3 percent (104-for-140) at the charity stripe.
One of four players to appear in all 26 games for Duquesne during the 1954-55 campaign, joining Dave and Dick Ricketts and James Fallon, Winograd contributed averages of 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest. The Dukes opened the 1955 NIT with a 75-66 victory over Louisville and followed with a 65-51 triumph over Cincinnati, setting up a fourth opportunity to square off against Dayton during the season, and this time for a title. Winograd contributed six points in the second half as the Dukes pulled away from the Flyers behind a combined 56 points from consensus All-Americans Sihugo Green and Dick Ricketts.
The Dukes finished 2-2 (.500) against Dayton during their historic 1954-55 campaign, with both wins coming at Madison Square Garden. Under the guidance of Donald "Dudey" Moore, Duquesne closed the year ranked No. 6 in the final Associated Press poll. The 1955 Dukes were inducted into the Duquesne Athletics Hall of Fame in 1978 and were honored at halftime of a 73-58 triumph over Robert Morris Dec. 3, 2005, at the A.J. Palumbo Center for the 50th anniversary of the championship season.
Winograd was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the eighth pick of the sixth round (48th overall) in 1956 and also served as captain of the United States Basketball Team at the 1957 Maccabiah Games in Israel. In 1988, Winograd was inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame of Western Pennsylvania. Winograd attended Fordham Law School and also served in the United States Navy as an assistant to the Naval Chaplain. Dedicating his career to public service, Winograd served as a trial attorney and later as Chief Public Defender in Hudson and Essex Counties in New Jersey.
Winograd was preceded in death by his wife, Mo Winograd, and the family has requested donations in Mickey's honor be made to the Mo Winograd Scholar Fund in Bonita Springs, Fla., through the Naples Council on World Affairs. Select scholarships as the intended use for donation and in the comments type "Mo Winograd Scholarship Fund."
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits!
We’d love to have you!