Hall of Fame Inductees
David Gardner was a four-year letterman in three sports at Lincoln from 1955-1960. David was voted Best Athlete in his senior class and received the Class of 1916 Prize in Athletics. He was a first team member of the Lions football team in his final three seasons. In November 1960, Lincoln plays its last game for 40 years as it loses 34-13 to rival Howard. Gardner played in the final Lincoln-Howard Classic at Griffith Stadium in Philadelphia as a senior in 1960. On Homecoming in 1960 against St. Augustine’s he was awarded the Most Valuable Back Trophy after rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown leading the Lions to victory.
As a member of the wrestling team he competed in the 167lb weight class winning CIAA Championships as a sophomore and senior while earning runner-up honors as a junior. He concluded his senior year with a fourth place finish at the NAIA Championships. On the track, he competed in the pole vault and ran as a half-miler. At the 1960 CIAA Championships he tied for third place in the pole vault competition as a senior.
David was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Lemington Elementary School and Westinghouse High School, class of ‘55. In elementary school he started on the violin, and then moved on to play cello and tuba in the respective high school orchestras and bands. He played first-chair tuba in the Pittsburgh All-City Band and cello with the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Mr. William Steinberg, Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The year-end concert was performing chair-for-chair with the members of the Pittsburgh Symphony. His first professional union card was with the Pittsburgh Musicians’ Union Local 471 playing tuba with their concert band.
David graduated from Lincoln University, PA, class of ’60, with a BA in General Science and a math minor. He played football, wrestled at 167 lbs and 177 lbs, and ran track (pole vault and half-miler), lettering all 4 years at Lincoln (12 letters). For a short time he played semi-pro football for the Harlem Ravens in New York City where he had relocated after graduation. He attended City College, NY where he received a Masters Equivalency in Science in Education.
He taught science and math in Jr. High/Middle School for 8 years in the NYC school system before entering into the theatrical profession in 1968. He was forced to use his middle name “Pendleton” as his surname since the Unions already had a Dave Gardner. Over the years he has performed in virtually every aspect of the performing arts, including Broadway (musical and drama), Off-Broadway, LORT Theatre, Television (soaps, TV films, sit-coms, etc.), and Film, as an actor and singer. He also performed with the vocal group Tony Williams and The Platters in the early 1980’s.
