Playing in the 1972 Olympic Games was both the best and worst experience of Kenny Davis’ life.

Davis, a Wayne County native and All-American basketball from Georgetown College, shared his recollections of being a part of perhaps the most controversial game in basketball history–and witnessing events surrounding one of the worst atrocities in Olympic history–with a group of Rogers Scholars on Wednesday at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset.

Davis was among 12 athletes from across the nation selected to play on the USA basketball team at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany.

Davis, now a motivational speaker living in the Paint Lick community of Garrard County, told Scholars how due to a controversial decision, the Team USA won–then lost–the championship game and the gold medal to the Soviets.

Although 50-49 winners, Team USA was forced to replay the final three seconds of the game after an international basketball official–although he had no authority to do so–demanded time be placed back on the game clock. The Soviets scored after a cross-court lob, giving them the 51-50 victory.

Team USA filed a protest with the Olympic committee, claiming three seconds were added to the score clock in violation of the rules after the game had officially came to an end. The committee ruled the final results of the game were official, declaring the Russian team the gold-medal winners.

In a show of solidarity, Davis, the leader of Team USA, and other basketball players refused to accept the silver medals.

“The reason we did not accept the silver medal was, we didn’t earn the silver medal,” Davis said. “We earned the gold. Personally, we felt if we took it, we would be taking something that didn’t belong to us.

“Hopefully, we made the right decision,” he said.

The silver medals remain unclaimed today by any member on the USA basketball team, Davis said.

The controversial loss was particularly hard on the team because it was first-ever loss for Team USA since the sport began Olympic play in 1936.

Davis’ story, however, does not end on the basketball court.

On Sept. 5, with six days left in the Games, eight Arab terrorists slipped into Olympic Village, killed two Israeli team members and seized nine other hostages. Early the next morning, all nine Israeli athletes were killed following a shootout between the terrorists and West Germany police at a military airport.

After hearing the news about the terrorist attack, Davis said, “I was in total disbelief.”

With his lifetime to reflect on the turmoil and tragedy of the 1972 games, Davis told the Rogers Scholars the events have helped him keep his life in the proper perspective. He recommended that they, too, fight to remain focused on family and helping others despite the distractions of on-the-job pressures and stress.

And always be proud to be an American, Davis said.

“We should all be proud to live in the best country on this planet,” Davis said.

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