He will be missed–William Davidson Dec 5, 1922-March 13, 2009

He was a sports owner.  I did not know him.  I only rooted for his teams.  But he made his investment. Built his own arena without public money and made a lot of money doing it.  By reports, “He was the most normal billionaire you would ever meet.”  He also ran a world class organization that was respected throughout the sports world.  He was quiet and did his job with honor and respect unlike many other owners.   He will be missed.

Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News

Consider how many remarkable things we know about the man, without really knowing the man. Davidson owned the Pistons since 1974, led them through two glorious eras, winning three NBA titles. And when you list the names most attached to the success, they range from Isiah Thomas to Jack McCloskey to Chuck Daly to Joe Dumars to Bill Laimbeer to Vinnie Johnson to Dennis Rodman to Ben Wallace to Chauncey Billups to Larry Brown to Rip Hamilton and back to Dumars.

And yet, before there was Joe D the winning player and executive, there was Mr. D the pioneer, one of the first owners to finance his own state-of-the-art basketball arena and to supply his team with its own jet. All the while, he expanded his holdings from an internationally successful glass company, Guardian Enterprises, to an entertainment empire that includes The Palace of Auburn Hills, the WNBA champion Detroit Shock and the DTE Energy Music Theatre.

For all that public success, there was a private nature about Davidson that he never relinquished, for himself or his wife, Karen, and grown children, Ethan and Marla. His legacy is reflected in the leaders expected to continue on, with president and CEO Tom Wilson in his 32nd year with the organization, and Dumars in his 23rd season with the Pistons.

It’s funny, but Detroit (or Auburn Hills) never has been a preferred destination for basketball players. But once they get here, it’s usually pretty hard to leave.

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