Rex Chapman vouches for Davender

In an e-mail sent Thursday morning, former UK teammate Rex Chapman vouched for Ed Davender’s basic honesty and good nature. But Chapman acknowledged his disappointment about police charging Davender with three felony counts of theft by deception this week in connection with allegations of selling UK tickets he did not possess.
“That’s just bone headed,” wrote Chapman, who played with Davender on UK teams in the 1980s. “And I’ll tell Ed the same thing when we talk. He’s obviously lost his way recently a bit. Times are tough and in this economy I’ve seen people resort to things they would never have even considered otherwise.
“Moreover, I am positive that anybody Eddie D harmed or wronged in this whole deal will be repaid what they are owed. It’s the kind of guy he is. It may take him some time, but I know he’ll make it right. It’s who he’s always been.”
Chapman recalled an incident in December, 1991 in which he wanted to give Davender $2,000 to buy Christmas presents. Davender was working three jobs to try to earn money to buy gifts for the children of a brother who had been imprisoned.
Davender only accepted the money under the condition that Chapman expect to be repaid by the next Feb. 1.
“I want everyone to know that Eddie D not only brought me back the $2000 that he borrowed, but he added some $250 on to the tab just to show his appreciation,” Chapman wrote. “I wouldn’t accept it and we nearly got in a fight over it. Over the past 25 years or so Ed and I have had that type of relationship, though. He has gotten in a bind with family issues here and there, and I have loaned him a few dollars here and there. In all these years Ed Davender has NEVER NOT paid me back on time . . . or when he said he would. Not once.”