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Olympic Fan
01-15-2016, 06:28 PM
Dave Sime, who might have been the greatest athlete in Duke history, died Tuesday in Miami Beach. He was age 79.

Sime was the world's top sprinter for a couple of years in the mid-1950s. He held the world record in the 100 meter (he actually held seven world records). He had bad luck in the Olympics. He had an injury that kept him out of the 1956 games; he was just a bit past his prime when the competed in the 1960 games. He should have won the gold medal in the 100, but he was beaten by a blatant early start by German Armin Harry (who was also a pro, taking money from adidas before the games). Sime also got screwed out of the gold in the 4 x 100 relay when a teammate ran out of his zone and got the team disqualified.

He won 12 ACC individual championships and was the ACC track MVP twice.

Sime was a second-team All-American as baseball centerfielder, leading Duke to the 1957 ACC title.

He played football and although he was never more than a decoy at Lonesome End, he was drafted by the Detroit Lions. He was a high school basketball star, who also excelled in the discus, the broad jump and the javelin.

Sime was the ACC athlete of the year in 1957.

He was also a world-class speed skater, although he obviously didn't compete in that sport at Duke.

His son, Scott, played four years at Duke in the late 1980s. His grandson, Max McCaffrey, just finished his career as Duke's top receiver in 2015.

Dave Sime became a eye surgeon and was a pioneer in the development of laser eye surgery. He treated Richard Nixon. Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Bob Griese.

He was a great man ... a great athlete who was a great success off the field too.

DukieInKansas
01-15-2016, 06:35 PM
Condolences to his family and friends.

Indoor66
01-15-2016, 07:37 PM
My condolences to the entire extended family on their loss. Our world is just a little heavier by his passing.

Personally, I am shedding tears over this event. Dave Sime was one of my hero's as a teen. Blessed be that wonderful past of my youth. You led a good and productive life - and made many other lives much fuller. Rest in a blissful peace.

weezie
01-15-2016, 08:28 PM
Wow! Magnificent life. I had no idea. God bless him!

sagegrouse
01-15-2016, 10:16 PM
I had a passing acquaintance with Dave. He was a very modest guy -- quiet, I would say. He deserved to live a lot longer than 79 years so he could enjoy his McCaffrey grandsons and their successes. When he competed in the Rome Olympics, he had completed two years at Duke Med School. I believe he had been out of track for almost two years before deciding to try for the 1960 games, which he made by the skin of his teeth and then went on to nearly win two gold medals. He would talk a bit about his experiences on the team,m but the most excited I ever saw him was when he told Al Buehler that he had received a "high pass" in his surgery course, which was a high grade indeed back in the day.

Jarhead
01-15-2016, 10:42 PM
I also had a passing acquaintance With Dave Sime when I returned to Duke after after the Korean War. Dave and his wife were living in the home of Bill Brinkley who, at the time, was the Director of Admissions, and the guy who got me admitted to Duke. Long story. I believe Dave was attending med school at the time. I met Dave and his wife at an occasional dinner or liunch at Bill's home. They were a great couple. God bless them both.

westwall
01-16-2016, 12:56 AM
Dave Sime, who might have been the greatest athlete in Duke history, died Tuesday in Miami Beach. He was age 79.

Sime was the world's top sprinter for a couple of years in the mid-1950s. He held the world record in the 100 meter (he actually held seven world records). He had bad luck in the Olympics. He had an injury that kept him out of the 1956 games; he was just a bit past his prime when the competed in the 1960 games. He should have won the gold medal in the 100, but he was beaten by a blatant early start by German Armin Harry (who was also a pro, taking money from adidas before the games). Sime also got screwed out of the gold in the 4 x 100 relay when a teammate ran out of his zone and got the team disqualified.

He won 12 ACC individual championships and was the ACC track MVP twice.

Sime was a second-team All-American as baseball centerfielder, leading Duke to the 1957 ACC title.

He played football and although he was never more than a decoy at Lonesome End, he was drafted by the Detroit Lions. He was a high school basketball star, who also excelled in the discus, the broad jump and the javelin.

Sime was the ACC athlete of the year in 1957.

He was also a world-class speed skater, although he obviously didn't compete in that sport at Duke.

His son, Scott, played four years at Duke in the late 1980s. His grandson, Max McCaffrey, just finished his career as Duke's top receiver in 2015.

Dave Sime became a eye surgeon and was a pioneer in the development of laser eye surgery. He treated Richard Nixon. Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Bob Griese.

He was a great man ... a great athlete who was a great success off the field too.

Dave Sime came to Duke as a baseball player, not a track man, but he quickly became the best all-round track athlete I ever had seen. Dave was unusually tall for a sprinter in those days, and thus was a bit slower in his starts. But once he was moving he clearly was the fastest person in the world. I recall sitting in the stands during a meet with Navy, which had good track athletes. In the 220 yd dash, the starting line was well out of our view, out the open end of the stadium. When the starting gun sounded, we could not see the start, but a few seconds later Dave appeared -- all by himself for several seconds -- as if running alone --with no else within at least 25 or 30 yards. He also won 4 other firsts that day, including IIRC discus, broadjump and javelin.
RIP

westwall
05-17-2016, 03:12 PM
I also had a passing acquaintance With Dave Sime when I returned to Duke after after the Korean War. Dave and his wife were living in the home of Bill Brinkley who, at the time, was the Director of Admissions, and the guy who got me admitted to Duke. Long story. I believe Dave was attending med school at the time. I met Dave and his wife at an occasional dinner or liunch at Bill's home. They were a great couple. God bless them both.

The latest issue of SI contains a very unflattering view of Sime in the article about Christian McCaffrey and his family. Comments attributed to his daughter, Lisa, include "I had an awful dad... He was abusive, alcoholic, a womanizer, cheated on my mom [the former Betty Quillian, Duke '59] for 38 years. Hit me several times in the face. Just not a very good person."

Not the way I would prefer to remember Dave Sime, the athlete.

weezie
05-17-2016, 04:36 PM
Yeah, I read that article recently. I wondered if it was written before Sime died. From the implied tone of his daughter's remarks, I doubt she would have asked for any changes anyway.
Sad all around.

MartyClark
05-17-2016, 04:44 PM
The latest issue of SI contains a very unflattering view of Sime in the article about Christian McCaffrey and his family. Comments attributed to his daughter, Lisa, include "I had an awful dad... He was abusive, alcoholic, a womanizer, cheated on my mom [the former Betty Quillian, Duke '59] for 38 years. Hit me several times in the face. Just not a very good person."

Not the way I would prefer to remember Dave Sime, the athlete.

I read that article also. It was sad to see that quote and another inference.

I don't know this family but I did see them at a pizza place in Denver a few years ago. I have an acquaintance who teaches at Valor Christian in suburban Denver and he speaks very highly of all the McCaffrey kids and parents. I have a nephew-in-law on staff there and he knows and admires this family. Lisa McCaffrey is a minor Denver celebrity. She is very smart, funny and talented.

I guess every family has its "stuff". I wish all of them well, although I have reservations about Dylan McCaffrey playing for crazy man Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. Just kidding about that last part, I think.

msdukie
05-17-2016, 07:59 PM
Yeah, I read that article recently. I wondered if it was written before Sime died. From the implied tone of his daughter's remarks, I doubt she would have asked for any changes anyway.
Sad all around.

It's in this week's SI, so I'm sure it was written in the last week or two.