Samuel R Probasco
David was my best friend's little brother. I met him in 1954 when he and the family moved to the Philadelphia suburb of Palmyra, NJ. His father had been transferred as a Navy Doctor to the Philadelphia Naval Yard. His brother and I were in 4th grade at the same school and soon became the best of friends. We lived a few blocks apart and spent every afternoon at one or the others house. Dave was in 2nd grade and was a pain in the ass. He mocked us and tried to be like us all the time We ducked and dodged him, but he always found us. He was very resourceful! As years passed my dad, who was career Army, periodically transferred to other posts and I stayed with an aunt, but ended up living with the Dickinson's most of the time. Needless to say Dave and I became as close as Jerry and I, and we were all schooled in Arkansas lore and what it meant to be a Razorback by the "Doc", who was a UA grad. As graduation approached Jerry and I were accepted at UA and made plans for Fayetteville. About this time Dave started to become distant and combative and have trouble in school. He had turned into a good basketball player and enjoyed baseball, but something was wrong. He was sent to therapy and a special school in Philadelphia where he graduated with his friend Sylvester Stallone. Not long after, David was hired by NFL Films and worked with Steve Sabo. He was very sharp and had a mind for statistics. Within 2 years Dave showed up in Fayetteville to check on his brother and me. He bounced back and forth between New Jersey and Fayetteville until he enrolled at UA and obtained his teaching degree. By this time he had married and it went bad. The depression had set in and it really never went away. At the request of his mother, I went and found him many times and returned him to her when he became confused. I truly loved David! He was always my little brother too! The rest is history and he called the game as he saw it. God Bless him!
Sam R. Probasco, Retired State Police, Maumelle, AR