Dave Wait
An exceptional athlete, Dave not only participated in three major sports but excelled as a star in all of them. A recipient of eight varsity letters from 1957 through 1960, Wait quarterback Ashland High School’s football team under two different coaches, was a high school guard for three years in basketball, and pitched, caught, and in baseball for four seasons.
The 1959 football team. primarily a running team, saw Dave passing for 50% accuracy. The team scored 189 points and racked up nearly 2,100 yards, the most in ten years.
Wait was co-captain in basketball his junior and senior years and led the team in scoring both years. He averaged 17.9 points as a junior, and 22.4 points per game as a senior, with a 45% field goal percentage and 82.2% from the foul line. His career total of 931 points placed him fourth on the all-time scoring leaders, behind Hall of Famers Dick and Max Messner, and Ken Sidle. Dave scored 37 points against Mt. Vernon, three shy of Max Messner’s single game record. Capping the season was his selection to the All-Ohio team and the invitation to play in the North-South All-Star game in Troy.
In baseball, Dave got a special letter his freshman year and three varsity awards. His natural ability was utilized at various positions, excelling in all. He pitched a one-hitter to open the 1960 season and went on to hit for a .350 average. Again came selection to All-Ohio status and coaches’ invitation to play in the East-West All-Star series in Columbus’ Jet Stadium. He caught in two of the three games. Another catcher was Mike Hegan.
Dave also played three summer of American Legion Junior baseball and worked out a night with the Cleveland Indians at the stadium.
Wait went on to Bowling Green University where he played basketball on the freshman team and the varsity as a sophomore. That team had future NBA stars Nate Thurmond and “Butch” Komives. BGSU was ranked third in the NCAA at that time. Dave opted to take up flying as a junior, and on graduation was commissioned a 2nd Lt. In the Air Force. In 1965-69, he flew combat missions in Southeast Asia and was awarded the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters. Remaining in the Ohio Air Guard until 1987, he retired with the rank of Lt. Colonel.
From 1969 to the present, Wait has been a pilot with United Air Lines and is presently a Captain of a B767 out of New York’s JFK Airport.
Dave’s family consists of wife Sandy, sons Todd and Jeff, grandson Andrew, and parents Walter and Selorus Wait. He still maintains a residence in Ashland on Laurel Avenue.
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