Passing of Tom Scates

[jerseyhoya34]

guhoyas.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/051308aaa.html

I don't see this anywhere, but GUHoyas reports today of the untimely passing of former Captain Tom Scates (AB '79). Scates suffered a heart attack this past weekend.


Update 5/15: Wash Post Obituary

[hoyarooter]

Condolences to the family.

[stafford72]

Tom "Mount Scates" was always fun to watch play. He really seemed to enjoy himself on the court although he ran like "Lurch" and did not possess a lot of basketball skills. He was definitely an intimidating presence on the court. I think he became a doorman at one of the Hotels in DC compete with top hat and tails. He had the type of oversized body that seems prone to heart problems. He was a gentle giant.

[HoyaChris]

Few things make me cry, but Tom's passing is impossible to acknowledge with dry eyes.

Tom Scates was a walking contradiction. Visually he was absolutely the scariest appearing Hoya of all time, and nobody was even a close second. In person, he might have been a top five Hoya nice guy, perhaps because he had grown up so concerned of people's inherent fear of his appearance.

As a basketball player he developed from a non-factor as a freshman to an intimidating shotblocker in his senior year. Offensively inept, he had an out of body experience with a running scoop shot across the lane in a game against the final four Penn team at the Palestra in 1979 that is absolutely the strangest thing I have ever seen at a Hoya game.

If more people are not crying, it is because they never met the man.

[DanMcQ]

Oh my.

What an untimely loss.

HoyaChris encapsulated Tom well.

I'm at a loss for words, so check the front page for a remembrance by DFW:

www.hoyasaxa.com/sports/bball.htm#news

[RDF]

RIP--and best to his family/friends.

[moe09]

What a great outlook on life Mr. Scates had. I didn't know him, but just reading what he had to say about his work made my eyes well up. People like this will always be missed in this world. There are far too few of them to let them get away from us. My condolences to his family and friends because it is clear that someone special has left us.

I just wanted to post this here even though it's in the article because I found it so touching. In a world where so many people judge you by the clothes you wear or the car you drive it's nice to see people are out there that still care about what's really important in life, and those are the truly rich. Mr. Scates was truly rich.

"I started doing this because when I came back to DC... I found that I really enjoyed the work," said Scates in an article posted in the 1986-87 Georgetown media guide. "It took me from an introverted and quiet person to a more extroverted outlook because that's what is needed to do my job well. I found that at my size I was going to be remembered and I wanted the impression to be positive. I also found that a job which could mean $200.00 a day was worth keeping.

"As long as I am comfortable with my niche in life what do I care what someone else thinks?" he asked. "I meet new people all of the time, I make good money and I'm free of a lot of the worries that go with judging your worth by the status of your job."

[DanMcQ]

One Big Gentle Man

From GUHoyas.com:

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 17 at Mt. Jezrell Baptist Church, 317 N. Payne Street, Alexandria, Virginia:

viewing 11 am - noon
service 12 noon.

In addition, a memorial service will be held at Tom's place of employment on Wednesday, May 21 at 1 pm at the Comcast building, 508 D South Van Doren Street, Alexandria, Virginia. All are welcome to attend.

[lichoya68]

well said by all... a true gentle giant... and .i loved the fact he loved his job and people that he dealt with at the marriott ... he will be missed ...condolences to the family ... he left us too early

[rosslynhoya]

A Washington Monthly essay in 1990 apparently used Tom Scates as an illustration for what's right with student-athletehood:

Clean up or pay up; here's the solution to the college sports mess

findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_n6-7_v22/ai_9191217

[perrymcruled]

I never saw him play (that I remember), but one of my tutors in grade school went to Georgetown and used to tutor Scates too. Knowing that I was huge Hoya fan, she always talked about what a sweet guy Tom was and a great player.

Thoughts & prayers are with him, his family and those at Georgetown who loved him.

[lichoya68]

interesting washington monthly ariticle and good tribute to scates adn georgetown and the way they both did things ...a gentle giant

[kghoya]

i am too young to know of mr tom scates...but from what i have read on this thread and the from the provided links, he seemed like a very special, unique man

thanks for sharing and best to his family