page_title: David Showell
section_title: Early life
hierarchical_section_title: David Showell / Early life
caption_attribution_description: English: "Keep us flying. Buy War Bonds." Color poster of a Tuskegee Airman (probably Lt. Robert W. Diez) by an unidentified artist. 1943. source
context_page_description: David Anthony Showell, an African American, was a fighter pilot during the Second World War in one of the all-black Tuskegee Airmen squadrons. After the war he was a prominent player for Lafayette College during the 1948 and 1949 football seasons. The Sun Bowl Committee's decision to exclude Showell from the game due to his race led to Lafayette's rejection of its Sun Bowl invitation and the subsequent student protests at the college.
context_section_description: David Showell was born on October 14, 1924. Showell and his eight siblings spent their childhood at 816 Madison Avenue in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania. During his childhood and adolescent years, Showell attended Lincoln Elementary School, Washington Junior High, and Prospect Park High where he played baseball and football. As a high school senior he  excelled in football, and he was the top scorer in Delaware County, Pennsylvania with 135 points during the 1942 season. In the same season, he led his team to three championships: the Suburban Class A and B and the Chester Pike Conference. He was awarded many accolades for his athletic talent and was honored at Ridley Township's annual football banquet when they presented him with a cup for being its most outstanding opponent that season. Showell was also chosen for the All-Delco, All-Scholastic, and All-Suburban teams. The Prospect Park yearbook named him "one of the greatest backs ever to play for Prospect Park High."
caption: Color poster of a Tuskegee Airman
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