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David Shields was all man! The first time I remember David was in
the
9th grade and I was in the 5th grade. We were all in the gym,
courtesy
of Homer Perdue and someone had used their hands to push David out of
the
way of a rebound and he whacked him, as young male people are prone
to
do! Anyway when Dave was in the 9th grade he played under Bill
Crites
and they won the Greenbrier freshman tournament. Dave was a great
football and basketball player, he was exceptionally excellent in the
clutch and when the pressure was on he came through. Dave as a
sophomore
played right end on the football team and center on the basketball
team. He distinguished himself in both sports.
His junior year David
broke the state scoring record in football with 187 points for a
running back as Alderson's tailback on our single wing offense. As a
junior he was again excellent in basketball. Dave had a really nice
long range jump shot and he was an aggressive rebounder. Between his
junior and senior year, Dave had an accident which hurt one of his
eyes
and he was in the hospital for quite awhile. His senior season he did
not start to play until 7th or 8th game and there was not much time
in
that football season!
David senior in basketball was one I will never
forget. The first game was at Quinwood, and that night Dave seemed
disconnected or disoriented, and they put it to him, blocking a couple
of his shots and just beating him with their lightning responses.
The
next game was at home against Rupert, and I will never forget it. It
started out the same way, but you could see Dave was beginning to regain
his stride. As the second half commenced, he fired a shot from 25 feet
which was
all
net. From then on Dave was his old self and he came alive and played
with
great skill as he always had.
The rest of the season he returned to
his
star status. Anyway that game was tremendously inspirational to me
and
will be forever! In adult life I did not talk to Dave for 48 years,
then when I found out he was sick I started to call him once a
month. It really became wonderful to talk to him and I think he enjoyed
it. He was always optimistic and I somehow thought we could see each
other, but time ran out! His death has made tears come to my eyes.
He
really was a great great guy, and man. |
