DaytonDailyNews.com

DAYTON — Bob Dyke was told by the University of Dayton last week that his basketball season-tickets would have to be hand-delivered because the school was having trouble sending the tickets through the mail. But the East Dayton resident didn't fall for the ruse.

Dyke probably would know whether there was a glitch with the postal service since he's a mailman himself.

"I've been delivering plenty of them," he said.

He figured UD was planning to show its appreciation to some of its fans by dropping the tickets off with a personal thank you.

"I didn't know if it'd be the band, cheerleaders, (athletic director Ted) Kissell or the coach," he said, "but I was talking to my buddies at the watering hole and my co-workers, and we knew something was going down."

Something was.

UD coach Brian Gregory and star senior Charles Little brought Dyke's season tickets to his doorstep Monday night, and the family was overwhelmed with delight.

Exiting the house to greet them, Morgan Dyke, a 12-year-old St Helen's Catholic School student and a huge Flyer fan, cupped a hand over her mouth in astonishment, took one step and fell off the porch.

"You guys are the best fans in the world, and we appreciate it," Gregory said. "(UD) is a special place to be, and you help make it that way."

"This is dynamite," Dyke said. "This is great public relations."

While Bob Dyke figured out UD was plotting something with that suspicious phone call, others were taken totally by surprise.

Ray and Dawn Socrates weren't home when Gregory and Little pulled up, but Dawn's son, Drew Bauer, arrived at his parents' house on Winslow Ct. in East Dayton as the Flyer contingent was getting out of the coach's Mercedes Benz.

Bauer sped away but came back a few minutes later and was flabbergasted when Gregory explained the reason for the visit.

"I was wondering what a Benz was doing in this area," Bauer said.

Turning to Little, he raved, "You made some great plays last year."

Little replied, "I'm going to make some more this year."

UD picked out 20 season-ticket holders for house calls, all of them fans who sit in upper-arena sections. Kurt Huelsman, Devin Searcy and London Warren also knocked on doors Monday night, each accompanied by a coach.

"It's a good way to give back to the fans and show them we care about them as much as they care about us," Little said. "Like the coach has been saying, these aren't the best (economic) times, and for them to still come out and support us is really good."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or at dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.