Andy,
A student-athlete from Brevard College contacted me for comments on David Smith, our All-American center at Guilford College from 1969-71. This young fellow is doing his senior thesis as a journalism major on Dave. His name is Joseph Chilton and he plays center for Brevard’s basketball team. He is from Murphy, NC, and is a distant relative of Dave’s. Joseph’s father was at Guilford in the early 70’s, so I think that’s the connection.
I’m sending him copies of some old clippings and was doing some research to see if there was anything on the internet when I came across your article from January 4, 2006, “When Hoops Were King In The Carolinas Conferenceâ€. I greatly appreciate your mention of me with those great players. I was just a cog in a great wheel at Guilford and was surrounded by stars like Dave, M.L. Carr and Jerry Crocker. I often say that I got a free college education for just passing the ball to guys who could put it in the basket and the Quakers had plenty of those guys.
Since you’re a sports fan in the Triad, you might enjoy this article I wrote for the 25th anniversary of Pete Maravich’s record performance in the East-West All Star Game in the Greensboro Coliseum in 1965. It was published in the News & Record, originally. They made some typos in transcribing it to the official “Pistol Pete†website, but what the heck. Pete was a great player and a good fellow. There are some other wonderful tributes on the “Memory Wall†at that website.
http://www.pistolpete23.com/Pete_maravich_became_the_game.htm
If you are kin to Woody Durham, please say hello to him for me when you see him next. He was at WFMY when I was at High Point Central HS and did a couple of our televised games at Guilford. I saw him last August when I attended a UNC football practice. My nephew plays center for the Tar Heels. Woody is still quite youthful in his appearance and outlook and he still has that great voice.
Thanks again,
Eddie Dyer
Andy – Joseph Chilton is my nephew and David Smith was my first cousin once removed (my father’s cousin). My brother Delmer (Joseph’s Dad) and I were both students at North Surry HS (David’s alma mater) and at Guilford, so we saw him play a lot. He was a great basketball talent and, sadly, it was squandered. May he rest in peace.
Danny Chilton, Guilford ’74