Sidney Dambrot, who played for Duquesne’s nationally ranked basketball teams in the 1950s and passed on his love for the university to his son Keith, died Tuesday in Akron, Ohio. He was 90.
Keith Dambrot, who is entering his fifth season as Duquesne’s coach, turned 63 on the day his father died. He has said many times reviving Duquesne’s program is personal to him.
“I went to a lot of (Duquesne) games as a kid,” Keith Dambrot said when he was hired. “(I) saw the scrapbooks his mom had made.”
When he accepted the Duquesne job in 2017, he said his father approved of the move from the University of Akron.
“He’s a funny guy. Told me you gotta do what’s best for you and your family,” Dambrot said. “I think deep down it’s kinda fun for him. I’ll have these old guys come up and say, ‘Hey, I used to rebound for your dad.’ ”
Sidney Dambrot played for Duquesne from 1952-54 when the Dukes finished No. 4, No. 9 and No. 5 in the final Associated Press polls and went to the NCAA Tournament and the NIT.
An article from “The Duquesne Duke” on Nov. 6, 1953, stated, “(Sid) Dambrot was reported to be the best set shot in Metropolitan New York.” Sid Dambrot grew up in the Bronx, his son said.
