Art Davis (American football)
Encyclopedia
Arthur Ganong "Art" Davis (born November 29, 1934) is a former American football player who played a single season in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
where he attended Clarksdale High School.
He matriculated at Mississippi State University
.
Davis played in the Senior Bowl, Blue-Gray Game (Gray team captain, 2 interceptions) and College All-Star Game. He also ran track and placed 3rd (photo-finish) in the SEC Championship 100 yard dash. In 2004, he was honored as an SEC Football Legend at the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, GA. In 2011, Davis was honored as a Mississippi Football Legend by the Jackson Touchdown Club. Davis is also a member of the Mississippi State and State of Mississippi Sports Halls of Fame.
Davis was selected in the first round, fifth overall, by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1956 NFL Draft
. He was limited during his rookie season in by an injured shoulder which he suffered in the College All-Star Game vs. the Cleveland Browns as well as a knee injury he sustained in college and again with the Steelers. The knee injury would also sideline him for the season. He announced his retirement from football prior to the season.
After professional football, Davis was an assistant coach at LSU, Georgia Tech and the University of Texas (1963 National Champions). Under Coach Darrell Royal, the Longhorns beat Navy, 28-6, in the 1964 Cotton Bowl.
Davis's older brother, Harper, was an all-SEC, four-year starter at Mississippi State and is a 2002 SEC Football Legend inductee. Harper is also as a member of the Mississippi State and State of Mississippi Sports Halls of Fame. He played professionally for the Los Angeles Dons, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers and was later the Head Football Coach at Millsaps College (1962-1986) in Jackson, Mississippi.
in 1956. They now reside in Wilsonville, Oregon.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
Early life
Davis was born in Clarksdale, MississippiClarksdale, Mississippi
Clarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
where he attended Clarksdale High School.
He matriculated at Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
.
Football career
At Mississippi State, Art Davis began his college career in 1952 as a freshman, starting at defensive back against defending National Champion, University of Tennessee. In 1953, Davis caught a touchdown pass from Jackie Parker to tie Ole MIss 7-7, knocking the Rebels out of Cotton Bowl contention. In 1954, Davis was voted the Southeastern Conference's Most Valuable Player (Nashville Banner, Atlanta Constitution) where he scored 10 touchdowns and grabbed 4 interceptions playing both ways. In that '54 campaign, Davis scored four touchdowns against LSU (3 rushing, 1 interception return) in a 25-0 win at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. In 1955, he was named first team All America by FWAA/Look Magazine and their National Player of the Year. He was voted as the top defensive back and 2nd best running back in the SEC (Atlanta Constitution). During the '55 season, playing with a separated shoulder and injured knee at Auburn, Davis ran for a touchdown, passed for another score, had a 54 yard punt and made 11 unassisted tackles in a 27-26 loss.Davis played in the Senior Bowl, Blue-Gray Game (Gray team captain, 2 interceptions) and College All-Star Game. He also ran track and placed 3rd (photo-finish) in the SEC Championship 100 yard dash. In 2004, he was honored as an SEC Football Legend at the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, GA. In 2011, Davis was honored as a Mississippi Football Legend by the Jackson Touchdown Club. Davis is also a member of the Mississippi State and State of Mississippi Sports Halls of Fame.
Davis was selected in the first round, fifth overall, by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1956 NFL Draft
1956 NFL Draft
The 1956 National Football League Draft was held on November 29, 1955.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
. He was limited during his rookie season in by an injured shoulder which he suffered in the College All-Star Game vs. the Cleveland Browns as well as a knee injury he sustained in college and again with the Steelers. The knee injury would also sideline him for the season. He announced his retirement from football prior to the season.
After professional football, Davis was an assistant coach at LSU, Georgia Tech and the University of Texas (1963 National Champions). Under Coach Darrell Royal, the Longhorns beat Navy, 28-6, in the 1964 Cotton Bowl.
Davis's older brother, Harper, was an all-SEC, four-year starter at Mississippi State and is a 2002 SEC Football Legend inductee. Harper is also as a member of the Mississippi State and State of Mississippi Sports Halls of Fame. He played professionally for the Los Angeles Dons, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers and was later the Head Football Coach at Millsaps College (1962-1986) in Jackson, Mississippi.
Personal
Davis married Frances Habig of Jackson, MississippiJackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
in 1956. They now reside in Wilsonville, Oregon.