[msb-alumni] NBA mourns Dawkins, 58, 'father of power dunking

  • From: Steve <pipeguy920@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <msb-alumni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:29:37 -0400

BlankI never knew Stevie Wonder gave him his moniker "chocolate thunder".

By the way, speaking of Stevie, Ma Cherie Amour was a hit for him in 1969.
Apparently, Lou Simon says on his 60s Survey Countdown on SiriusXm Radio, that
the original title was Marcia--written for his girlfriend Marcia at MSB. Was
that our Marcia or someone else?
Steve



NBA mourns Dawkins, 58, 'father of power dunking By The Associated Press Darryl
Dawkins once was summoned in the Philadelphia 76ers locker room to greet a
celebrity who wanted to meet the man known for dunking with such
backboard-breaking force. The guest was Grammy Award winner Stevie Wonder. The
entertainer is blind, yet even he could tell there was something unique about
Dawkins' game. "A guy who never saw me," a beaming Dawkins said in a 2011
televised interview, "gave me the name 'Chocolate Thunder.' The nickname stuck,
and the rim-wrecking, glass-shattering dunks remain unforgettable -- as will
the giant of a man who changed the game with them. Dawkins died Thursday at a
hospital in Allentown, Pa., according to the Lehigh County coroner's office. He
was 58, and though officials said an autopsy would be performed Friday, his
family released a statement saying the cause of death was a heart attack.
"Darryl touched the hearts and spirits of so many with his big smile and
personality, ferocious dunks, but more than anything, his huge, loving heart,"
the statement said. "His family, wife Janice, children Dara, Tabitha, Nicholas
and Alexis, along with countless family, friends and fans, all mourn his loss.
Dawkins, the first player to go from high school into the first round of the
NBA draft, spent parts of 14 seasons in the NBA with the 76ers, New Jersey
Nets, Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons. He averaged 12 points and 6.1 rebounds in
726 career regular-season games. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Dawkins was
beloved around the league. "We will always remember Darryl for his incredible
talent, his infectious enthusiasm and his boundless generosity," Silver said.
"He played the game with passion, integrity and joy, never forgetting how great
an influence he had on his legions of fans, young and old. Dawkins was selected
No. 5 in the 1975 draft by the 76ers. "Darryl Dawkins is the father of power
dunking," Shaquille O'Neal once said. "I'm just one of his sons.


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