[ARETE] Dennis Gildea

[Fred Mason]

My first SLA was Saratoga Springs (Skidmore) in 2007. I presented in the last session of the conference, and there was some down time before the banquet. I was staying off site, so went to check out the university’s track rather than going back to my room. Dennis and Ed Simms drove around to the side of the track and honked at me to come over, because Ed was worried that I was going in some wrong direction and wouldn’t get back to the banquet. They later ensured I sat with them so I would have a sense of belonging. That speaks to the fine gentlemen both were.

At least once every SLA, Dennis would remind me of the story of Ed saying, “oh no, the guy in the pink shirt is gone the wrong way!” Usually when we were a couple of beers in.  I’m going to miss not hearing that story again.

Like Dick, I would also get to see Dennis at the occasional (for me) NASSH conferences I would get to. I will carry very fond memories of Dennis and I spending a weekend finding  interesting bars during the NASSH in Halifax, a city I had spent a couple of summers working in, so Dennis wanted me as tour guide.

I’ll add myself to the list of those who described a physical reaction to hearing the news. I’m not eloquent enough to describe it.  I’ll miss both his sardonic and kind nature.

Fred

From: Sport_literature_association <sport_literature_association-bounces at lists.ku.edu> On Behalf Of richard crepeau via Sport_literature_association
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2020 1:29 PM
To: ARETE <sport_literature_association at lists.ku.edu>
Subject: [ARETE] Dennis Gildea

✉External message: Use caution.
I don't remember when I first met Dennis but I know it was long ago,  I usually saw Dennis twice a year, at NASSH and SLA. At each of these conferences I always checked the program to see if he was going to be there and if he was delivering a paper. Despite the fact that he hated baseball, which I love, Dennis and I became friends. We talked, often at length, during these conferences. He was a very good analyst of the academic landscape and often made searing observations about the state of higher education and the state of our disciplines. I don't think I ever missed any of his presentations and I would always ask him when he was going to do something other than Clair Bee, but I never missed a chance to hear his conference presentations because they were always about more than Bee and more than sport.

Dennis was also a kind person, and his kindness that lay beneath his cynicism was the thing I will remember most about him. When i read the email that came last night it was like being hit in gut. I will miss him and his humor and intelligence that were always a part of his scholarship. What a wonderful person.

Time is the enemy.

Dick Crepeau
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