# Pistons owner dies.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistons-owner-dies/489423>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [March 14, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistons-owner-dies/489423 "2009-03-14T16:09:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistons-owner-dies/489423/1 "2009-03-14T16:09:30Z")

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[Detroit Piston owner William Davidson has passed | MLive.com](http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/2009/03/detroit_piston_owner_william_d.html) Bill Davidson the Piston owner died last night. He was 86. He picked Joe Dumars over the team heir apparent Isaiah Thomas several years ago. It was a great decision. He was involved in many charities and never acted like the many buffoon owners of sports teams. NBA lost some dignity last night.

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**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistons-owner-dies/489423/2 "2009-03-14T16:30:50Z")

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> [@gonzomax](#):
>
> [Detroit Piston owner William Davidson has passed - mlive.com](http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/2009/03/detroit_piston_owner_william_d.html) Bill Davidson the Piston owner died last night. He was 86. He picked Joe Dumars over the team heir apparent Isaiah Thomas several years ago. It was a great decision. He was involved in many charities and never acted like the many buffoon owners of sports teams. NBA lost some dignity last night.

Sadly, too, that means Detroit loses one of its few bright spots. Hopefully, whoever inherits the team treats it as well.

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**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistons-owner-dies/489423/3 "2009-03-14T22:07:53Z")

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He also owned the Lightning for some time and was reportedly a huge hockey fan and decent man. I think he wanted to buy the Red Wings but couldn’t. He did get us (and himself) a Stanley Cup here, although he was not really a local presence.