clarinews@clarinet.com (02/04/90)
LEBANON, Ind. (UPI) -- The man who began a Lebanon basketball dynasty that has spanned three generations died Saturday from injuries suffered in a fire at his apartment, authorities said. An autopsy has been ordered on Paul W. ``Pete'' Mount, who played on Lebanon High School's state final four basketball team of 1943. Mount, who was 74 or 75, is the father of 1966 Mr. Basketball and former Purdue All-American Rick Mount and the grandfather of Purdue freshman Rich Mount, who both also played for the Tigers. Boone County deputy coroner Sig Myers said Pete Mount, who lived alone on the second floor of a house, died of smoke inhalation. Investigators were looking into the cause of the fire. Myers said Mount went downstairs to get a fire extinguisher after the fire started in his bathroom at about 4:20 p.m. Mount returned upstairs and collapsed after being overcome by smoke, Myers said. Firefighters found Mount's badly burned body lying on the floor of his apartment, authorities said. Rick Mount identified the body for the Boone County coroner's office. The first-floor residents were not home at the time of the fire, authorities said. Pete Mount lived in the house, owned by Lebanon city councilman Harold Sipe, for 20 years. Mount, who retired in 1983 from the former Detroit Diesel Allison plant in Indianapolis, moved into the building soon after he and his former wife, Katie, divorced. Mount was named ``Star of Stars'' after leading the 1943 Lebanon Tigers to the Indiana high school championship game. Mount, who at 6-foot-1, 145 pounds played center in high school, signed with the Basketball Association of America's Sheboygan (Wis.) Redskins in 1946 as a 21-year-old guard after three years in the U.S. Army. Mount, who turned down an offer to play baseball with the American Association's Indianapolis Indians to join the Redskins, was cut by Sheboygan after one season. Pete and Katie Mount returned to Lebanon, and on Jan. 5, 1947, Katie gave birth to Rick Mount. Pete Mount attended Lebanon High School games regularly, even in years when Rick or Rich weren't on the team.