David Walker, 1942-2008

The founder of Competitive Jump Rope has passed.
Here is a report as noted from Jim Greene.



David Walker, 1942-2008
July 20, 2008

By Jim Greene of the Century Road Club Bicycling Association

David Walker (Det. Sgt. retired NYPD), who founded the annual Father’s Day Skyscraper Harlem Cycling Classic and who revived the sport of Double Dutch, passed away last night in St. Luke’s Hospital of kidney failure. Dave was 66 years old.

In 1973, Dave started a bicycle safety program for children. This bicycle safety program has become the Skyscraper, one of the largest cycling events in the country, often attracting world class, olympic cyclists. This year was the 35th Skyscraper Classic.

Also in 1973, aware that there were no intramural sports for girls in the schools, Dave held a Double Dutch demonstration at Harlem’s I.S. 10 for the NYC Board of Education. The Board of Ed loved it and from the late 1970s through the late 1980s, Double Dutch was an intramural sport in the NYC public schools, with the championships held in Lincoln Center. Today, the big event is the Holiday Double Dutch Classic at the Apollo Theatre which attracts teams from around the world. “Rhythm in the Ropes,” a documentary filmed at the 2004 Holiday Classic and shown on ESPN2, won the Emmy for most outstanding sports documentary.

as reported by
http://www.crca.net/2008/07/david-walker-1942-2008/

Now,
For my input; my experience.
Mr. Walker was an extremely kind and giving soul.
I was teaching at an elementary school in Berkeley in 2007 when I gave Mr. Walker a call one morning. I was frustrated...and elated.

I was frustrated because Chauncey Bailey had been assassinated in Oakland weeks before.
I was frustrated because I found very few people in Northern California willing to take time to elaborate on how to get involved, learn about, and eventually coach jump rope.
I was frustrated because the African American community in particular in the Bay Area is in crisis. More importantly, I wanted to take a seat at a table of leaders to harness the beautiful inspirations that are inherent to inner-city community and channel those energies through Double Dutch jump rope skills.

Yes, Double Dutch in particular. Jump rope is good for kids. We all know that. But there is something about Double Dutch that yields a completely different world of flavor.
Period.

So we talked for an hour.
The next day we talked for two hours about everything from literature to the particulars of coordinating groups of young people in sport.
This was in August of 2007.
By October I purchased a round-trip ticket to New York and was invited as David's personal to come and 'just observe' how the Winter Holiday Classic at the Apollo goes down. Well, it was a life changing experience for me.

I was convinced that I would have a lifelong affair with jump rope arts. But at that time, it wasn't clear to me how. But I come from a thoroughly hip-hop tradition.

One Satuday, December 1st 2007 I walked along 92nd avenue with David as he asked me, "So why are YOU interested in jump rope?"

From there I explained that I was an old school b-boy; choreography. I dig syncopation, rhythm, beats, and style. And I also cared about the fact that these are signature elements of African American soulful expression. I was convinced that these ingredients were key in reaching out and making a difference beyond teaching inner-city youth.

He chipped in about taking a group of dancers to France to perform in a dance festival when he came to a realization about the 'rhythm' of jump rope. He explained that it was,"...the Cuban drum, the rhythm..." that was critical in Double Dutch.

We talked soul.
David was a soulful brother.
And I feel blessed to have had my conversation and laughter with him.
I'm glad I had a chance to share 3D with him.
I'm glad he said it was beautiful.

And as much as I am saddened by his passing, I am encouraged by his legacy that Lauren, his daughter, continues as President of the National Double Dutch League.

True peace,

-Byron R. Delcomb