RIP to one of Detroits finest...

I'm not sure if I missed the original news story because of my trip to Chicago but I just heard about the passing of Bill Davidson this morning on my way to work. For anyone that pays attention to local news, Detroit business or Detroit sports you'll be familiar with Davidson's contributions to the metro area over the last 50 years but for those of you not up to speed I'll give you a little background. Davidson was born in Detroit in 1922, attended the University of Michigan for his undergrad where he ran track before earning his law degree from Wayne State University. I first heard the name Bill Davidson shortly after my senior year in high school when I worked for a janitorial service that cleaned commercial offices, one of which was a Guardian Industries glass manufacturing plant in Flatrock. We used to clean the labs where tests were conducted on windshields and I especially remember the towering mountain of shimmering green glass next to the factory door. Fast forward to one of my first Pistons games sitting in VIP seats just 16 rows behind the players bench asking Nick who a cute, frail, little old man was sitting just to the left of the basket in the court side seats when I heard that name again. I soon found out that Davidson was not only a extremely successful business owner having taken Guardian Industries to international success, but he was also responsible for one of the greatest sports arenas which I was fortunate enough to be sitting in at that very moment. Davidson bought the Pistons in 1974 and built a new practice facility and the Palace with his own money. He went on to purchase the Tampa Bay Lightening in 1999 and the Detroit Shock shortly thereafter. What I just recently learned is that the Pistons were his third choice for a Detroit sports team to purchase back in the 70's. His bids for the Lions and the Red Wings were rejected before buying the Pistons. Just think of the success he's brought the Pistons, Shock, and Lightning, and the Lion's said NO THANKS!!!! Just goes to show that the Lion's bad decision making goes back MUCH MUCH further then Matt Millen, honestly people how do you still root for them?!?

But I digress, Davidson has been a fixture of Pistons games over the last few decades, wearing the same dockers style slacks, polo shirt and what I can only describe as a member's only type jacket to all the games and sitting in the exact same seat with his family and friends surrounding him. At the start of every halftime he mounts his little scooter and probably takes a much needed bathroom break before returning for the rest of the game. I don't know how many team owners sit court side but I'm guessing more of them hang out in one of their suites and I just think it's so cool that he wanted to watch like everyone else and be a part of the atmosphere at the games. Much like his dedication to his sports teams, he's been committed to giving back to our community with his generous philanthropic donations to the University of Michigan, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Karmanos Cancer Institute and Children's Research Center of Michigan, and Detroit's Parks and Recreation Department just to name a few.

He was regular guy who never wanted a piece of the limelight, just wanted to see his teams succeed and Detroit along with it. I'll never forget watching him struggle to hoist the championship trophy overhead after the Pistons won the NBA championship in 2004, their first since the Bad Boys in 1990. So thankyou Bill Davidson for your committment to our community and for being one helluva Detroiter! You will be missed!