David Lewis, 1998 Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee
Item
Title
David Lewis, 1998 Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee
Description
A true student-athlete who rose from humble beginnings in Auberry to become an all-conference quarterback at Stanford, a standout performer in the Canadian Football League and one of the best punters in National Football League history. Earned the attention of college scouts at Clovis High, where he starred in football and basketball. Capped his collegiate career by starting for the West all-stars in the 1966 Shrine Game. Despite being drafted in the fifth round by the New York Giants, signed with the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, for whom he played receiver, defensive back, quarterback and punter. Signed with the Bengals in '70 and led the NFL in punting his first two seasons, averaging 46.2 and 44.8 yards to earn All-Pro recognition. He retired from the NFL with a career average of 43.7 yards, No. 7 on the all-time list. The longest kick of his career was 75 yards with the Alouettes, and he never had a punt blocked with the Bengals. At the time of his Hall of Fame induction, had worked 28 years for the U.S. Department of Commerce, specializing in the management of affirmative-action programs.
Creator
Lewis, David
Relation
Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame
Coverage
Fresno, California
Identifier
SCMS_fahf_00003
extracted text
Peter G. Mehas: We are rolling and recording David Lewis an absolute legend of Clovis High School,
Stanford. Uh, probably the only uh, high school to ever produced Darryl Lamonica and David Lewis. For
the record state your name, year, and place of birth.
David Lewis: My name is David Lewis. I was born in Clovis, California in 1945.
Peter G. Mehas: Describe what it was like growing up in, in Clovis at the time. And how did you get
introduced to sports?
David Lewis: Well, actually, I didn't start in Clovis. I was born in Clovis but was actually raised in the
foothills of the Sierras. I went to grammar school. I began grammar school, at least in Auberry California
where we played basketball against other elementary schools in the foothills. We also had an annual
track meet. I remember it's at Sierra High School. I moved down to the valley, started grammar school
outside of Clovis in the seventh grade of course played flag football and basketball against other schools
and really got into, I guess organized youth football in Pop Warner, I guess. Soon after we came to the
valley, I also played Little League baseball and youth basketball in Fresno area.
Peter G. Mehas: What in terms of attracted you to the, in high school, you played several sports, but
what attracted you to sports?
David Lewis: Well, I guess it's, I've always been a competitive person. I've always been exposed to
sports. I can't remember when I never played sports. So it's a very natural thing for me to do and I did
play football, basketball and baseball in high school, enjoyed all three.
Peter G. Mehas: How do you feel you've benefited in terms of your life as a result of your sports
experience.
David Lewis: Well, and there's so many different ways sports teaches you so much about life's lesson,
competition itself. Uh, you, you learn teamwork, you learn that you're, you're part of a larger thing than
yourself. You learn to accept others. Uh, certainly teaches yourself confidence. There are a whole lot of
lessons that sports and itself can teach you. I think as well, sports opens doors, presents many
opportunities to, uh, to anyone who engages. And I think for me, I, uh, I was going to Stanford University
was directly related or at least indirectly related to my being an athlete at Clovis High School, certainly
going to the NFL was directly related to that and the transition to employment after, after my career in
the NFL was directly related to sports.
Peter G. Mehas: Without being modest, what do you feel was your greatest accomplishment in sports?
David Lewis: I think leading the NFL and putting for the, for the two years that I did was was probably
the greatest accomplishment for me. I think when you're recognized as being the best at what you do by
others, I don't think it gets any better than that.
Peter G. Mehas: What do you feel was your most memorable moment? I'm sure your life has been full
of many happy moments; many disappointments and we're interested in knowing what was the most
memorable and then what was your most disappointing moment?
David Lewis: Hmm. Well, I think probably certainly one of the most memorable moments, memorable
moments that I enjoyed was I think my sophomore year at Stanford, we played the University of
California, our big game. I was a sophomore then Craig Morton was an All American quarterback was a
senior. We wound up winning that game and as I was involved in all three touchdowns that uh, we made
to win that game. So that, that was a great experience.
Peter G. Mehas: What about disappointments?
David Lewis: Well, I can't say that I really had a lot of them. I think probably one of the greatest for me
was, well, I guess it was sort of two fold. It really kind of came in the draft. I think in 1967, the football
draft, I was a little bit disappointed that I wasn't drafted higher than I was, I was ultimately drafted in
the fifth round. But probably more disappointing was it wasn't drafted by the 49ers.
Peter G. Mehas: In terms of young people today, young people turn on the television, they see the
Olympians, they see the all-pro quarterbacks. Uh, some of them have a false sense of what sports is all
about. What would you advise young people today? You still work with young people, what advice
would you give them if they're about to start a career or an experience in sports?
David Lewis: Well, first of all, if the youngster is inclined to do sports, I would say definitely do it. What I
would suggest beyond that is just play to the best of your ability. There's a great deal of satisfaction that
comes with doing the best that you can uh in anything you do. I think beyond that there are so many
things that sports offers an individual, a youngster, opportunities that sports presents. And I've already
highlighted some of those things in terms of how the sport has affected my life. I think the lessons that it
can teach you in terms of relationships with other people and the kinds of attitudes and values that you
have to adopt to get along in the outside society.
Peter G. Mehas: What did it mean to Dave Lewis to get inducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame,
knowing uh that it is the Hall of Fame of Tom Cefor, Tom Flores, Rafer Johnson to name, but a few.
David Lewis: Well, it certainly is a great company and I think for me it was it's really a fabulous
experience. I think anytime that someone is recognized by folks with whom they grew up, many of them
are my relatives, I have lifelong friends here. This is home to me. Uh it's, it's, it's a great experience. I
really look forward to ignite.
Peter G. Mehas: And lastly, people talk about when all said and done uh, and people are writing uh your
memoirs of Dave Lewis, the man, Dave Lewis, the husband, Dave Lewis the father, what do you want
people to remember you for? What if you had to pick a few things and said, here's what I would really
like people to remember Dave Lewis by.
David Lewis: Tough question Pete that wasn’t on the schedule.
Peter G. Mehas: I throw that one to see their reaction.
David Lewis: Well, I think what I would like people to remember is that when I did it, I did my best, I did
the best that I could. I think that when an individual does that when they push themselves as far as they
can, push them push themselves and that reflects itself in different ways. I think people understand and
I think people see that, I would like to say to, I sort of on occasion did it my way and was able to get
away with it. Um but yes, I'd like people to think that when I did it, I did well at it and I did it uh as well
as I could.
Peter G. Mehas: Last open-ended question since I threw through your anything, you want to add
anything that uh, that I should have covered, that you want to add for austerity and posterity and things
as well
David Lewis: No not really, except that I'm really thankful to uh too many people for many things. Uh um
I'm certainly thankful that my creator first of all for uh giving me the ability and the opportunity to use
those abilities, thanking friends, family, my parents and there's just so many people to thank, I want to
thank you all for this opportunity as well.
Peter G. Mehas: Dave Lewis, on behalf of the board of directors of the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame. We
certainly congratulate you, your model, uh, and we're certainly proud uh, to have you in the Hall of
Fame and it's certainly well deserved to be there. So congratulations.
David Lewis: Thank you very much.
Stanford. Uh, probably the only uh, high school to ever produced Darryl Lamonica and David Lewis. For
the record state your name, year, and place of birth.
David Lewis: My name is David Lewis. I was born in Clovis, California in 1945.
Peter G. Mehas: Describe what it was like growing up in, in Clovis at the time. And how did you get
introduced to sports?
David Lewis: Well, actually, I didn't start in Clovis. I was born in Clovis but was actually raised in the
foothills of the Sierras. I went to grammar school. I began grammar school, at least in Auberry California
where we played basketball against other elementary schools in the foothills. We also had an annual
track meet. I remember it's at Sierra High School. I moved down to the valley, started grammar school
outside of Clovis in the seventh grade of course played flag football and basketball against other schools
and really got into, I guess organized youth football in Pop Warner, I guess. Soon after we came to the
valley, I also played Little League baseball and youth basketball in Fresno area.
Peter G. Mehas: What in terms of attracted you to the, in high school, you played several sports, but
what attracted you to sports?
David Lewis: Well, I guess it's, I've always been a competitive person. I've always been exposed to
sports. I can't remember when I never played sports. So it's a very natural thing for me to do and I did
play football, basketball and baseball in high school, enjoyed all three.
Peter G. Mehas: How do you feel you've benefited in terms of your life as a result of your sports
experience.
David Lewis: Well, and there's so many different ways sports teaches you so much about life's lesson,
competition itself. Uh, you, you learn teamwork, you learn that you're, you're part of a larger thing than
yourself. You learn to accept others. Uh, certainly teaches yourself confidence. There are a whole lot of
lessons that sports and itself can teach you. I think as well, sports opens doors, presents many
opportunities to, uh, to anyone who engages. And I think for me, I, uh, I was going to Stanford University
was directly related or at least indirectly related to my being an athlete at Clovis High School, certainly
going to the NFL was directly related to that and the transition to employment after, after my career in
the NFL was directly related to sports.
Peter G. Mehas: Without being modest, what do you feel was your greatest accomplishment in sports?
David Lewis: I think leading the NFL and putting for the, for the two years that I did was was probably
the greatest accomplishment for me. I think when you're recognized as being the best at what you do by
others, I don't think it gets any better than that.
Peter G. Mehas: What do you feel was your most memorable moment? I'm sure your life has been full
of many happy moments; many disappointments and we're interested in knowing what was the most
memorable and then what was your most disappointing moment?
David Lewis: Hmm. Well, I think probably certainly one of the most memorable moments, memorable
moments that I enjoyed was I think my sophomore year at Stanford, we played the University of
California, our big game. I was a sophomore then Craig Morton was an All American quarterback was a
senior. We wound up winning that game and as I was involved in all three touchdowns that uh, we made
to win that game. So that, that was a great experience.
Peter G. Mehas: What about disappointments?
David Lewis: Well, I can't say that I really had a lot of them. I think probably one of the greatest for me
was, well, I guess it was sort of two fold. It really kind of came in the draft. I think in 1967, the football
draft, I was a little bit disappointed that I wasn't drafted higher than I was, I was ultimately drafted in
the fifth round. But probably more disappointing was it wasn't drafted by the 49ers.
Peter G. Mehas: In terms of young people today, young people turn on the television, they see the
Olympians, they see the all-pro quarterbacks. Uh, some of them have a false sense of what sports is all
about. What would you advise young people today? You still work with young people, what advice
would you give them if they're about to start a career or an experience in sports?
David Lewis: Well, first of all, if the youngster is inclined to do sports, I would say definitely do it. What I
would suggest beyond that is just play to the best of your ability. There's a great deal of satisfaction that
comes with doing the best that you can uh in anything you do. I think beyond that there are so many
things that sports offers an individual, a youngster, opportunities that sports presents. And I've already
highlighted some of those things in terms of how the sport has affected my life. I think the lessons that it
can teach you in terms of relationships with other people and the kinds of attitudes and values that you
have to adopt to get along in the outside society.
Peter G. Mehas: What did it mean to Dave Lewis to get inducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame,
knowing uh that it is the Hall of Fame of Tom Cefor, Tom Flores, Rafer Johnson to name, but a few.
David Lewis: Well, it certainly is a great company and I think for me it was it's really a fabulous
experience. I think anytime that someone is recognized by folks with whom they grew up, many of them
are my relatives, I have lifelong friends here. This is home to me. Uh it's, it's, it's a great experience. I
really look forward to ignite.
Peter G. Mehas: And lastly, people talk about when all said and done uh, and people are writing uh your
memoirs of Dave Lewis, the man, Dave Lewis, the husband, Dave Lewis the father, what do you want
people to remember you for? What if you had to pick a few things and said, here's what I would really
like people to remember Dave Lewis by.
David Lewis: Tough question Pete that wasn’t on the schedule.
Peter G. Mehas: I throw that one to see their reaction.
David Lewis: Well, I think what I would like people to remember is that when I did it, I did my best, I did
the best that I could. I think that when an individual does that when they push themselves as far as they
can, push them push themselves and that reflects itself in different ways. I think people understand and
I think people see that, I would like to say to, I sort of on occasion did it my way and was able to get
away with it. Um but yes, I'd like people to think that when I did it, I did well at it and I did it uh as well
as I could.
Peter G. Mehas: Last open-ended question since I threw through your anything, you want to add
anything that uh, that I should have covered, that you want to add for austerity and posterity and things
as well
David Lewis: No not really, except that I'm really thankful to uh too many people for many things. Uh um
I'm certainly thankful that my creator first of all for uh giving me the ability and the opportunity to use
those abilities, thanking friends, family, my parents and there's just so many people to thank, I want to
thank you all for this opportunity as well.
Peter G. Mehas: Dave Lewis, on behalf of the board of directors of the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame. We
certainly congratulate you, your model, uh, and we're certainly proud uh, to have you in the Hall of
Fame and it's certainly well deserved to be there. So congratulations.
David Lewis: Thank you very much.