Willie Davis was a legend on and off the field,
TEXARKANA, Ark. — Texarkana native Willie Davis passed away April 15, at age 85, to kidney failure after being hospitalized for a month in Santa Monica, California.
Davis attended Booker T. Washington High School in Texarkana, played collegiately at Grambling State University and was selected 181st in the 1956 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.
Davis’ NFL career did not begin until 1958, because of his military obligations. Davis spent two years in Cleveland before being traded to the Green Bay Packers, where he played for a decade.
Davis also never missed a game during his career with the Packers.
Davis became the first African American captain in Packers history in 1965, when Packers head coach Vince Lombardi appointed him to share the duties on defense with Hank Gremminger. He became the lone defensive captain in the following year.
Davis’ brother and Texarkana businessman Al Davis reflects on his brother’s accomplishments throughout his life.
“Willie was four years older than me,” Al Davis said. “We both attended Grambling College at the time but Willie played for the legendary college football coach Eddie Robinson. He was named a NAIA All-American at Grambling. He started in Cleveland and finished his career in Green Bay. Paul Brown was the coach of the Browns at the time and we were a little disappointed when he was being traded.
“He had a great career with the Packers. While he was in Cleveland, he had a chance to play with Jim Brown and other Browns greats. When he was drafted in the army, he spent two years doing that and when he came back, he was traded to Green Bay.”
The Green Bay Packers also released a statement following Davis’ passing.
“The Green Bay Packers Family was saddened today to learn about the passing of Willie Davis,” Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said. “One of the great defensive players of his era, Willie was a significant contributor to the Packers’ five NFL championship teams during the 1960s.
“I enjoyed getting to know Willie and his wife, Carol, especially when he served as our honorary captain for the 2010 NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl XLV, and again for the 2014 NFC Championship Game. He also was a great role model for our players, having gone on to a very successful career after football and serving on the Packers Board of Directors.”
Davis served on the Packers Board of Directors from 1994 to 2005.
Davis was the first minority owner of a full-brewery in America in 1970. Willie Davis also served on numerous boards at companies such as Sara Lee, Dow Chemical, MGM Resorts International, American Express and Schlitz Brewing.
“It was amazing to watch my brother climb the ladder through corporate America,” Al Davis said. “Well, it’s something almost unbelievable when I sit back and think about it. People of color didn’t have that kind of power and influence in that time. It’s like everyone knows who you are. A lot of people in Los Angeles were proud of my brother, being that he opened a brewery there and he was the owner, plus he was a man of color.
“It made me feel proud that a small-town kid from Texarkana could reach the stars the way he did. He was more proud of his accomplishments in the business world, more so than he was on the football field. I believe because that shows his intelligence and also the hard work my mother instilled in us.”