Dave Bing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dave Bing
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Bing in 2012
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| 74th Mayor of Detroit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office May 11, 2009 – January 1, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Kenneth Cockrel Jr. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Mike Duggan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | November 24, 1943 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Political party | Democratic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Yvette Bing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Syracuse University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Profession | Professional athlete, businessman, politician | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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David "Dave" Bing (born November 24, 1943) is an American who was a professional basketball player. He also became a successful businessman and a politician. From 2009 to 2014, he served as the 74th mayor of Detroit, Michigan. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
After playing college basketball at Syracuse University, Bing played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a point guard for the Detroit Pistons (1966–1975), Washington Bullets (1975–1977), and Boston Celtics (1977–78). He averaged over 20 points and six assists per game. He was chosen for seven NBA All-Star Games. In 1976, he won the game's Most Valuable Player award. The Pistons honored him by retiring his #21 jersey. He was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and the NBA 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.
After his basketball career, Bing started Bing Steel. This company earned him a national award in 1984. His business grew into the Bing Group. It became one of Michigan's largest steel companies.
In 2008, Bing entered politics as a Democrat. He ran for mayor of Detroit. He wanted to finish the term of the previous mayor, who had resigned. Bing won the election and became mayor in May 2009. Later that year, he was re-elected for a full term. During his time as mayor, Detroit faced many challenges. He did not run for re-election in 2013. Mike Duggan became the next mayor.
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Dave Bing's Early Life
Bing was born on November 24, 1943, in Washington, D.C. His mother, Juanita, was a housekeeper. His father, Hasker, was a bricklayer and a church deacon. He was the second of four children. They lived in a small house in northeast Washington. His father gave him the nickname "Duke." Bing said it was because he always "wanted to be top dog."
Bing played basketball as a child. Older kids often told him he was too small. But he played very well. He even played against Motown musician Marvin Gaye. Gaye chose to sing on the sidelines after not playing well. Bing and Gaye became good friends. Even though he played basketball, Bing loved baseball the most. It was the most popular game in his neighborhood. He was a big fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson.
He went to Spingarn High School in 1958. He was great at baseball despite having poor eyesight. His basketball coach, William Roundtree, encouraged him to play basketball again. Coach Roundtree became like a father to Bing. Bing joined the team and became a high-scoring player. He was known for his jump shot and driving to the basket. In his senior year, he had to choose between baseball and basketball. He picked basketball, hoping for a college scholarship. He knew Los Angeles Lakers star Elgin Baylor had taken that path. Bing led his team to victory in a tournament and won MVP. In high school, he was a top player. In 1962, Parade magazine named him to the All-American Team.
College Basketball Career
Bing went to Syracuse University. He was roommates with future coach Jim Boeheim. He was the top scorer for the Orangemen for three years. He scored 22.2 points per game in 1964, 23.2 in 1965, and 28.4 in 1966. In his final year, he was the fifth-highest scorer in the nation. He was Syracuse's first consensus All-American in 39 years. The Sporting News also named him to their All-America First Team. He was named Syracuse Athlete of the Year.
During his three years at Syracuse, Bing played 76 games. He averaged 24.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He scored a total of 1883 points and had 786 rebounds.
Professional Basketball Career
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Dave Bing's way of playing basketball was unique for his time. He was a lean, fast, and powerful point guard. He would set up plays for his teammates. But he also shot and scored more points than most other players in his position. People used to joke about him and his teammate, Jimmy Walker. They said it was a shame they could only play with one ball at a time.
Playing for the Detroit Pistons (1966–1975)
In 1966, the Detroit Pistons picked Bing as the 2nd overall player in the 1966 NBA draft. In his first year, he scored 1,601 points (20.0 points per game). He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1967. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. The next year, in 1968, he led the NBA in scoring. He had 2,142 points (27.1 points per game).
On November 23, 1968, Bing had an amazing game. He scored 39 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and made 10 assists. This is called a triple-double. It happened in a close 127–128 loss to the Baltimore Bullets.
Bing missed 2½ months of the 1971–72 season. He had an eye injury from a preseason game. He only played in 45 games that season. While with the Pistons, he played in six NBA All-Star Games. These were in 1968, 1969, 1971, and 1973–1975. He was also named to the All-NBA First Team in 1968 and 1971.
Playing for the Washington Bullets (1975–1977)
After leaving the Detroit Pistons, Bing played two seasons with the Washington Bullets. He was named an NBA All-Star again in 1976. This time, he won the game's MVP Award.
Playing for the Boston Celtics (1977–1978)
He played his last season with the Boston Celtics. He averaged 13.6 points per game. He retired after the 1977–1978 season.
In his whole NBA career, Bing played 901 games over 12 seasons. He averaged 20.3 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.8 rebounds. He scored a total of 18,327 points and had 5,397 assists.
Dave Bing's Honors and Awards
- In 1977, Bing received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. This award is for community service.
- He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990.
- In 1996, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
- He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
- In 2021, he was named one of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Dave Bing's Personal Life
Bing is the godfather of former NBA player Jalen Rose. In 2020, Bing wrote his autobiography. It is titled Attacking the Rim.
Dave Bing's Business Career
When Bing was 22, he had an NBA contract worth $15,000. He tried to get a home loan but was turned down by a bank. This made him decide to work at the bank during the offseason. He learned about banking, customer service, and mortgages.
After retiring from basketball, he worked at a steel processing company. He learned about shipping and sales.
Starting Bing Steel
In 1980, Bing started his own company, Bing Steel. He started with four employees. He rented a warehouse and used $250,000 in loans and $80,000 of his own money. He lost all his money in six months. So, the company changed its focus. Instead of making steel, it became a middleman. General Motors was their first big customer. The company made a profit in its second year. By 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave Bing an award. He was named the National Minority Small Business Person of the Year. By 1985, Bing Steel had grown to two plants and 63 employees. It made $40 million in revenue. The company's assets were sold in 2009.
The Bing Group
Bing Steel later became the Bing Group. This was a larger group of companies. Its main office was in Detroit. The company supplied metal parts to the automobile industry.
At the 1990 NBA All-Star Game, Bing received an award. It was the Schick Achievement Award. This was for his success after his NBA career.
Early Political Work
Bing supported Kwame Kilpatrick early in his political career. Kilpatrick was a former mayor of Detroit. However, Bing was one of the first business leaders in Michigan to ask Kilpatrick to resign. This happened when problems arose around Kilpatrick's time in office. Kilpatrick resigned as mayor in September 2008.
Bing also led Detroit's effort to host the 2004 Democratic National Convention. In November 2002, Detroit lost to Boston. One reason was that Detroit had fewer hotel rooms.
In January 2009, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Bing received an award. It was the National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award. This award honors athletes who have helped with civil and human rights. It was given during a basketball game in Memphis, Tennessee.
Bing also volunteered for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America program.
Dave Bing as Mayor of Detroit
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L-R: Ford Motor Company VP Tony Brown, Faurecia CEO Yann Delabrière, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, Rush Trucking CEO Andra Rush, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, and Bing
2009 Elections
On October 16, 2008, Bing announced he would run for Mayor of Detroit. He wanted to finish the term of Kwame Kilpatrick, who had resigned. Bing won the first round of voting on February 24, 2009. On May 5, 2009, he won the general election. He defeated the interim mayor, Kenneth Cockrel Jr.. Bing had only recently moved back into Detroit city limits. He had lived in suburban Franklin, Michigan before.
Bing was re-elected for a full term on November 3, 2009. His inauguration for this full term was held at the Fox Theatre.
Leadership Style
Compared to the previous mayor, Bing was more quiet and focused. He chose not to use many of the special benefits given to the mayor. Bing also did not take a salary as mayor for at least his first year. He was not afraid to make tough decisions, even if they were unpopular.
Money and Economy
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When Bing became mayor, Detroit was facing big money problems. The city government had a $30 million budget deficit. The city also had a total of $332 million in debt. The city's money problems continued during much of his time as mayor. However, by the time he left office, the city's deficit had gone down by $7 million.
In 2011, Bing suggested cutting $4 million from the City Council staff. He also wanted to hire new people for the fire department. In mid-2011, Bing said no to the budget the City Council passed. He felt their cuts were too much. He thought they would hurt police and fire services. The City Council's budget cut $50 million more than Bing's plan. Bing's budget was for $3.1 billion in spending. The City Council voted to override his decision. The city's 2012 budget cut 20% from the fire department. This made it harder for the city to handle fires, including arson. In mid-2012, 164 fire department workers lost their jobs. In 2013, Bing suggested a $1 billion budget. This was $300 million less than the year before.
By the time he was re-elected, Bing had let go of over 400 city workers. He also ended 16 contracts the city had with trade unions. Bing faced protests from unions during his time as mayor. By the end of his term, Bing had cut 1,000 city government jobs. This was a 9% decrease in the city's workforce. Many city workers also had lower salaries and fewer benefits. Some even had to take furloughs (unpaid time off). Bing also hired outside companies to do many city jobs. The city's public health department was replaced by a new group. This group was a public-private partnership. The workforce-development department was replaced by a nonprofit organization. Managing payroll and benefits for city workers was also given to outside companies.
The city saw new private projects during Bing's time. New small businesses opened. Chrysler invested $198 million in a plant, creating 250 new jobs. Businessman Dan Gilbert also made big developments downtown.
Fixing Blight
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Bing suggested tearing down old neighborhoods and reducing city services. He talked about moving people out of less populated areas. This was a controversial idea for city residents. Bing wanted to encourage people to move from empty neighborhoods. Then, those neighborhoods could be torn down. Public services could then be focused on more crowded areas. Past mayors had promised to tear down abandoned homes but did little. Under Bing, the city started tearing down abandoned homes. By early 2013, 6,700 homes had been torn down since Bing took office. But tens of thousands more abandoned homes remained. Bing's program was not popular with some residents. To help neighborhoods, Bing started a program in 2011. It gave $150,000 in grants to fix up foreclosed homes. To encourage police officers to live in the city, Bing made it easier for them. They only needed $1,000 to buy abandoned homes and get renovation grants.
Bing started the Detroit Works Project. It was later called Detroit Future City. This project aimed to create a 50-year plan for the city. It was meant to be a community-led vision for solving the city's problems. The city government did not expect so many people to attend community meetings. There was controversy when Bing talked about moving residents. This public anger threatened the project.
Bing also wanted to fix the city's broken street lights. This was a major problem. In 2012, Bing convinced the state government to create a Public Lighting Authority for Detroit. They set aside money for $185 million in bonds for this. Bing appointed a board for the lighting authority. This board signed a contract with DTE Energy to fix the streetlights. However, the work did not start until early 2013. By then, Bing had left office. Bing's successor, Mike Duggan, continued these efforts. They were very successful. Bing often does not get much credit for this work. This is because he was not in office when it was completed.
Other Projects
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Early in his time as mayor, Bing worked on renovating Cobo Center. This is the city's main convention center. The renovation happened while Bing was mayor. It was managed by a new group that governed the center.
Bing also started the Active and Safe Campaign. This was a public-private partnership. It raised money for public safety. It also raised money for recreation programs and improving city parks.
Bing made an unpopular suggestion to reduce city bus service on Sundays. This idea never happened.
Emergency Management and City Bankruptcy
On March 1, 2013, Governor Rick Snyder announced a plan. He would appoint an emergency manager for Detroit. This was because of the city's money problems. Detroit became the largest U.S. city to be managed this way. Bing had warned this might happen. He wanted the city to avoid it. When the city was placed under emergency management, Bing lost much of his power as mayor. Bing said he was against emergency management. But he was willing to work with the new manager. Kevyn Orr was soon appointed as the emergency manager. Many people in the city criticized Bing. They felt he should have fought harder against emergency management.
In July 2013, before Bing left office, Detroit made history. It became the largest city in U.S. history to declare municipal bankruptcy. This was the decision of emergency manager Kevin Orr. Many people criticized Bing for not doing more to stop this.
Not Running for Reelection in 2013
Besides losing power to the emergency manager, Bing had many health problems. His approval ratings were as low as 14%. On May 14, 2013, Bing announced he would not run for another term. This was for the election later that year.
