2006 -- H 8275 ======= LC03547 ======= STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2006 ____________ H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE RHODE ISLAND CONVENTION CENTER AUTHORITY NAME THE BASKETBALL COURT AT THE DUNKIN DONUTS CENTER "DAVID GAVITT COURT" Introduced By: Representatives McCauley, Murphy, Fox, Faria, and Watson Date Introduced: June 20, 2006 Referred To: House read and passed 1 WHEREAS, Dave Gavitt was born in Westerly, Rhode Island and graduated from 2 Dartmouth College. After spending two years as assistant basketball coach at Worcester 3 Academy, he became an assistant coach at Providence College under the tutelage of legendary 4 coach Joe Mullaney; and 5 WHEREAS, In 1966, Dave left Providence College to coach at his Alma Mater, 6 Dartmouth College. Gavitt was chosen to replace Mullaney in 1969 as the new Friars Basketball 7 coach. In his ten-year tenure as the Providence College Basketball coach he guided them to 8 heights never seen before or since; and 9 WHEREAS, Gavitt led the Friars to eight straight postseason tournaments, including five 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and three NIT appearances. Included in this incredible run was 11 the great 1972-73 Providence Friars basketball team, a squad led by All-Americans Ernie 12 DiGregorio and Marvin Barnes and the sharp-shooting Kevin Stacom. This great team compiled 13 an incredible regular season record of 24-2, a final record of 27-4, advanced to the NCAA Final 14 4, and was very likely going to play for the national championship until a knee injury sidelined 15 Marvin Barnes in the Semi-Final game; and 16 WHEREAS, In addition to his coaching duties, Gavitt was the Providence College 17 Director of Athletics for 11 years, and it was under his watch that women's athletics were 18 instituted at Providence College. Gavitt is possibly best known for being the leading force behind 19 the formation of the powerful Big East Conference, a conference that included Providence 1 College. Gavitt was the Conference's first Commissioner serving from 1979 to 1990. For his 2 numerous contributions to the sport of basketball, Dave Gavitt was inducted into the Basketball 3 Hall of Fame; now, therefore be it 4 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and 5 Providence Plantations hereby respectfully requests that the Rhode Island Convention Center 6 Authority name the basketball court at the Dunkin Donuts Center "David Gavitt Court"; and be it 7 further 8 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to 9 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority. ======= LC03547 ======= 2 .