William Morse Davidson, (December 5, 1922 – March 13, 2009) was an American businessman. He was President, Chairman and CEO of Guardian Industries, one of the world's largest manufacturers of architectural and automotive glass. He was also owner of several North American professional sports teams and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The chairman of Palace Sports and Entertainment, Davidson was principal owner of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association, the Detroit Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the co-owner of the Detroit Fury of the Arena Football League. Davidson also owned the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League and Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League. His Pistons won the NBA Finals in 1989, 1990, and 2004; his Shock won the WNBA Finals in 2003, 2006 and 2008; his Vipers won the 1997 Turner Cup; and his Tampa Bay Lightning won the 2004 Stanley Cup. Early life and education A Detroit native, Davidson was born to a Jewish family on December 5, 1922; he was a 1940 graduate of Central High School. Davidson entered the University of Michigan in 1940, where he was a member of the track and field team; he majored in business at what is now the Ross School of Business. Davidson later joined the U.S. Navy and played Armed Forces Football during World War II. Following the war, Davidson garnered his Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1949. After three years of law practice, he rescued a wholesale drug company and a surgical supply company from bankruptcy. Career Early career and family business Davidson would also take over his family's Guardian Glass Co. in 1957, the same year the company declared bankruptcy. Guardian Glass would be the precursor to his company Guardian Industries, one of the largest glass suppliers in the world. Davidson encouraged risk-taking, discouraged second-guessing and was seen as aggressive. Not without controversy, Guardian was sued at least six times between 1965 and 1988. In 1989, Guardian was ordered to pay its competitor Johns Manville $38 million for stealing fibreglass-making technology. Guardian now stands as one of the world's giants of glass manufacturing with facilities in Asia, Europe, Africa and South America in addition to its sprawling North American interests. Pistons ownership Being acquainted with football, Davidson wanted to acquire a football franchise. In 1974, Davidson and college classmate