DALE M. DANIEL, MD
August 23, 1939 – April 17, 1995

Dale M. Daniel, MD, achieved widespread acclaim and admiration for his honest and thorough research methods and unquenchable curiosity. He studied and wrote extensively on knee ligament injuries and their treatment, publishing many scholarly articles and chapters. He authored and edited the book Knee Ligaments: Structure, Function, Injury and Repair. Along with his collaborators he developed several instruments for objective documentation of knee motion. He was honored for his work on numerous occasions; he received the AOSSM award for Outstanding Clinical Research on instrumental measurement of the ACL-deficient knee and the O’Donoghue Award for his investigation of clinical outcomes after ACL injury.

Dr. Daniel was admired as much for his integrity as for his investigative skills. In 1991 he was presented the inaugural Partner of the Year Award by the Southern California Permanente Medical Group of San Diego, which recognized his contributions to his family and community, his public activism, and his mentorship of young orthopaedic surgeons. He received the Humana Award from the AOSSM in 1991 and the Bay Area Knee Society Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993.

To the residents, fellows, and staff who worked with him, Dr. Daniel was an incomparable role model and mentor. He was a calm and peaceful man who lent a sense of purpose and idealism to those around him. To him, the word “fellowship” carried great meaning. He believed that the purpose of scholarly interaction should be the enrichment of fellow and staff alike. His approach to teaching was to share ideas and understanding rather than dictate information, and he was as open to the ideas of his “students” as they were to his teaching. His ability to seek and recognize wisdom in others won him great respect and admiration among those who worked under him.

Dale Daniel understood, as few others have, how our ability to help patients is limited by the availability of meaningful data. His research, as well as his interaction with fellows, staff, and colleagues, reflected this understanding. His prospective clinical studies on knee ligament injuries have provided a foundation for clinical practice that will be enduring. He will continue to be one of the most revered teachers and trusted scientists in the field of sports medicine.

Donald C. Fithian, MD

Dale M. Daniel’s contributions remain an inspiration and example to all, and for this, we honor him through the Kaiser Permanente National Orthopaedic Conference.