A look back at coaching career of Darold "Tiny" Davis
His hand on the whistle, Russell DeLaPorte, referee, watches David McIntyre sends the ball spinning toward the basket. Photo from The Black and Red, Hannibal High School's newspaper, Dec. 4, 1952. the following year, Coach Darold Davis began his tenure as coach and educator at Hannibal High School. Newspaper contributed by Vickie Bridges.
Note: Photo of Darold Davis contributed by Jim Van Hoose, from the 1973 Hannibal High School yearbook.
MARY LOU MONTGOMERY
From the Courier-Post files
Originally published Dec. 31, 2009
Darold Davis was long-time coach and educator in Hannibal. Mr. Davis taught drafting and architectural drawing at Hannibal High School for 40 years and drivers education for 35 years. He coached various sports at Hannibal High School for 19 years. He was the assistant football coach for nine years, assistant basketball coach for 12 years, assistant track coach for four years and head track coach for 16 years. Mr. Davis started the Hannibal High School cross country program and was head coach for 11 years. Mr. Davis also taught engineering drawing at Hannibal-LaGrange College for 12 years. Davis, 83, of Hannibal, died Feb. 18, 2009.
He left behind a scrapbook which contains Courier-Post clippings and photos that chronicle the athletic careers of the young athletes under his supervision.
This week, it seems appropriate to look back at the basketball standouts during Coach Davis' educational career.
• Jan. 23, 1953 - Hannibal High School's Pirate cagers, holding the runnerup position in the Central Missouri Conference cage race with a 3-1 record, will meet the Hickman High School Kewpies in Columbia. Expected to serve as starters are Dave McIntyre, Neil Megown, Harvey Mullins, Russell DeLaPorte and Charlie Sullivan.
• March 9, 1953 - Dave McInyre of Hannibal High School was named on the NE Missouri All-Star Class A Cage Squad.
• March 28, 1953 - Three all-star tourney teams were chosen in the men's division of the YMCA gold medal tournament. First all-star tourney team members included Del Remington, Wally Turpin, Martin Sauer, Ken Henson and Bob Dunbar. Second team: Jerry McDannald, Henry Reed, Max Heimer, Gene Scheiter and Dave McIntyre. Third team: Dick Whalen, Bill Frier, Gene Cole, Charlie Sullivan and Carl Zupan.
• Jan. 6, 1954 - A battle of the rebound took place in the second quarter of the Moberly-Pirate basketball game at the Hannibal High School gymnasium, the Pirates winning 69-55. Pictured in the Courier-Post battling for the ball were David McIntyre, Pirate guard, and Duncan, Moberly guard. Also pictured were Charles Sullivan, Pirate forward; Major Thompson, Moberly guard; and Homer James, Moberly forward.
• March 16, 1954 - Varsity letters were awarded to Jack Hammock and David McIntyre, co-captains of the Pirate cagers, Charles Sullivan, John Grace, Darrell Adrian, Richard Bowen and Bill Dinwiddie, all seniors; and Russell Herring, Joe Johnson, Gay Palmer, Leon Schutze and Bud Youle, all juniors.
• March 15, 1955 - Eight Pirate cagers received varsity letters at the end of the 1954-55 sason. Coach Jim Ballinger presented varsity letters to seniors: Jack Hammock and Leon Schutze, co-captains; Russell Herring, Joe Johnson, Jerry Leeper, Gay Palmer, Jim Shelburne and Bud Youle.
• March 25, 1955 - The Baurs, a team made up of Hannibal High School varsity cagers, won the title in the YMCA gold medal basketball tournament by defeating the Dunbars 51-50. The latter team included a group of players from the Y senior league, plus some Hannibal-LaGrange Cagers.
• March 25, 1954 - The Wendt-Sonnis team won title honors in the senior division of the YMCA Gold Medal basketball tournament. Team members included Ron Fisher, Bill Bradley and Dale Walter of the HLG Trojans.
• March 29, 1954 - Coaches Denny Studern, James Ballinger and Darold Davis were among the more than 250 coaches who attended the coaches' clinic at Columbia.
• March 11, 1955 - Jack Hammock, Hannibal High School basketball star, has been named on the northeast district all-star basketball team for class A high schools, the second consecutive year the Pirate star has been named for this honor.
• March 15, 1955 - Eight Pirate cagers received varsity letters at the end of the 1954-55 sason. Coach Jim Ballinger presented varsity letters to seniors: Jack Hammock and Leon Schutze, co-captains; Russell Herring, Joe Johnson, Jerry Leeper, Gay Palmer, Jim Shelburne and Bud Youle.
• March 25, 1955 - The Baurs, a team made up of Hannibal High School varsity cagers, won the title in the YMCA gold medal basketball tournament by defeating the Dunbars 51-50. The latter team included a group of players from the Y senior league, plus some Hannibal-LaGrange Cagers.
• Feb. 10, 1956 - The coaches and members of the Hannibal and McCooey High School football squads were honored at the Hannibal Lions Club 25th annual football banquet, held at the Mark Twain Hotel. Among the honored guests and Lions officials seated at the head table were Henry Freiling, president of the Lions Club; Kenneth Scheu, McCooey High School football coach; Dr. Joseph P. Dolan, of Kirksville State Teachers College, principal speaker for the night; Coach Cecil Rice, HHS football coach; Dr. E.A. Porter, chairman of the Lions Club athletic committee; Darold Davis, assistant football coach at HHS; and William Tucker, sophomore football coach at HHS.
• March 15, 1956 - Jim Bush, talented center of the McCooey High School Shamrock cagers, has been named on the Missouri Northeast District first team by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Dave Polc of Ilasco received an honorable mention.
• March 21, 1956, Gary McCarty, senior guard, and Paul Brown, senior center, were named as honorary co-cptains for the 1956-57 basketball season. Dick Schultz, junior forward, was named as captain for the 1956-57 Pirate team.
• January 1957 - Dick Siemon, HHS Pirate center, had a perfect mark at the free-throw line, getting 10 for 10, as he paced the Pirates to a 60-58 double overtime victory over the Columbia Kewpies.
• April 15, 1958 - Three varsity managers' letters were award to: Ron Powers, Dave (Jonesy) Perkins and Ron Dugan. Receiving varsity letters were: Kent Brown, Bill Howard, Gerald Perkins, Gary Price, Bob Evans, Rich McPike, Jerry Sanders, Larry Griffith, Ted Hardy and Randy Moore.
• Feb. 9, 1959 - The HHS Pirage cagers defeated the Hickman High School Kewpies by a 49-47 score. A layup shot by Jerry Sanders in the final second of the game give the Pirates their victory.
• Feb. 26, 1959 - Coach Darold Davis welcomed a future athlete into his family when a 9-pound, 11-ounce boy was born on Feb. 16.
• Jan. 23, 1961 - Hannibal High School's Larry Tatman was named as the most valuable player in the tournament at the close of the 19th annual invitational basketball tournament.
• Spring 1961 - Two HHS Pirate cagers, Larry Tatman and Jim Valentik, were honored by their team mates at a post-season meeting. Tatman was named honorary team captain and most valuable players; Valentik was named as the most improved player. Tatman, a senior, topped the Pirates in scoring with 413 points in 28 games, a 14.75 average. Valentik, a junior, started the season as a reserve, but earned a starting post by his fine play in late season. He totaled 178 points in 27 games for a 6.6 average.
• March 1963 - Maurice Forte, star sophomore Pirage cager, was named to the north-central district "L" high school all-star basketball squad of 10 players. He was the only sophomore selected for this elite group.
• March 8, 1965 - Two Hannibal High school Pirate cagers, Jim Hansen, forward, and Maurice Forte, guard, were among the 10 seniors named on the 1964-65 all-Cenmo Conference basketball team.
• Jan. 28, 1966 - Joel Dant was named to the All-Cenmo team. The 5-9 senior guard was named by the conference coaches.
• March 24, 1967 - Tri captains for the 1967 Pirate cagers were Bill Burch, Rocky Cavil and Mike Davis. John Bridges lead the team in rebounds with 226. Rich Fohey had the leading free-throw percentage (80.2 percent), and Tom Murphy lead all scoring with 374 points for an average of 14.9 points.
• March 3, 1970 - Three HHS Pirates, Gary Weathers, Rich Dean and Lydell Williams, have been named to the all-star Cenmo Conference basketball team of 10 members.
