Markeshia Ricks Photo
When you’re the tallest person in the room, as former Indiana Pacer and Detroit Piston Dale Davis often is, you get a lot of questions about your height.
Maruo-Sheridan’s seventh and eighth-graders didn’t disappoint.
“How tall are you?” one inquisitive eighth-grader asked the retired NBA star during an assembly at the Fountain Street school Monday.
“I’m 6 foot 11,” said Davis (pictured above).
“Do you think I’ll be as tall as you?” another asked.
“It depends,” Davis said.
“How tall are you now?”
“Five-ten,” the student replied.
Before Davis could add more another student said, “Duh, it depends on your genes.”
“Can you still dunk?” another asked.
“I can, but I don’t want any injuries in these shoes,” Davis said, referring to the black dress shoes on his feet.
But students wanted to know other things beyond Davis’ height and even his basketball career. They also wanted to know what kind of grades the former center and power forward — who was a first-round draft pick by the Indiana Pacers in 1991 — got when he was in school. They wanted to know who inspired him to be who he is. The answers: He was a B student and his mother and his grandmother inspired him.
Davis was among several professional athletes in town Monday to help out with the annual Thanksgiving & Christmas Holiday food drive and toy, hat and coat giveaway put on by the Kingdom International Economic Development Corporation, the Mae Ola Riddick Foundation and the New Haven Police Department. (Read about that drive here.)
Davis with Newhallville Alder Brenda Foskey-Cyrus and KIEDC Kingdom International founder Metashar Bankhead Dillon.
In addition to visiting schools like Mauro-Sheridan, Davis and other former NBA and NFL players and Harlem Globetrotters planned to put in an appearance at Hillhouse High School for a High School Dunk-a-Thon at 5 p.m Monday. The event is open to the public. Entry into the event cost you one non-perishable food item and one non-wrapped, unopened toy, or new/gently used coat or hat/gloves.
If you can’t attend the event but still want to contribute you can drop off non-perishable food items, toys, or winter wear at the Dixwell police substation at 26 Charles St. Those in need of food for the holidays, or toys and clothes are encouraged to register at www.kiedc.com by clicking on the holiday registration link.
The distribution dates are: Thanksgiving items will be distributed on Monday and Tuesday from noon to 7 p.m.; Christmas items will be distributed Dec. 22 – 24 from noon to 7 p.m.
Volunteers are needed to make the food, toy, hat and coat drive a success. Call (860) 255‑4788 for more information and to sign up to donate food and/or volunteer to help.
It was good to read this story featuring Dale Davis, apparently one of many athletes/celebrities using their fame for a worthy purpose in this instance and beyond.
Some readers may recall that Dale Davis, as a star for Clemson, was on the losing end of a 1990 NCAA tournament game in which – with 1 second left – Hamden's Scott Burrell (now head coach of the SCSU men's basketball team) threw an extraordinary pass the length of the court. That pass reached Tate George, who made the shot as time expired (search "1990: UConn's Tate George beats Clemson in final seconds") – allowing UConn to advance to the regional final vs. Duke.
(UConn has since had its revenge vs. Duke, in the 1999 and 2004 final fours.)
Speaking of Duke – currently the defending national champion – it will host the Yale men's team tonight (Wednesday) on national TV. Count on the Yale team, whose members include Brandon Sherrod of Bridgeport, to represent New Haven well.
Happy Thanksgiving...