Milt Davis
Encyclopedia
Milton Eugene Davis was a defensive back
who played four seasons in the NFL for the Baltimore Colts
. He had 27 career interceptions with the Colts, and he led the NFL in interceptions in 1957 and 1959.
The 6 in 1 in (185.42 cm) 188 pounds (85.3 kg) defensive back was born May 31, 1929 on the Fort Gibson
Indian reservation
in Muskogee, Oklahoma
to parents of African American
and Native American
ancestry. He moved as a toddler to Los Angeles, California
He attended Jefferson High School
and Los Angeles City College
, both in Los Angeles. He worked at the Vista Del Mar Jewish orphanage
as a counselor while attending college. His track
performance earned him a partial scholarship
at the University of California, Los Angeles
. He earned a spot on the UCLA Bruins football
team in both 1952 and 1953 under coach Red Sanders, and played in the team's 1954 Rose Bowl
28-20 loss to the Michigan State Spartans
.
The Detroit Lions
drafted him in 1954, the same year he was drafted
into the United States Army
, serving there for two years. After his return from the Army, the Lions told him "We don't have a black teammate for you to go on road trips, therefore you can't stay on our team."
The Baltimore Colts
gave Davis a tryout
and signed him as a free agent
. In his rookie
season in 1957, he had 10 interceptions which were returned for a total of 219 yards, two of them for touchdown
s including a return of 75 yards. He was on the Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team that season.
In the 1958 season, he had four interceptions, which he returned for a total of 40 yards. In the 1958 NFL Championship Game
against the New York Giants
, played at Yankee Stadium
, Davis — despite playing with two broken bones in his right foot — forced one of two first-half fumble
s by Giants running back
Frank Gifford
, both of which led to touchdowns by the Colts; The Colts won 23-17 in overtime in a game called "The Greatest Game Ever Played".
Davis had seven interceptions in the 1959 season, which he returned for 119 yards, including a 57-yard return for a touchdown. In the 1959 NFL Championship Game
, the Colts beat the Giants for a second consecutive season, this time by a 31-16 score. In 1960 he had six interceptions which he returned for 32 yards.
Angered at the treatment of black players
, including segregated
hotels and restaurants, Davis retired after four seasons in the NFL and returned to complete work on a doctorate
in education
at UCLA. He worked as a scout
for several NFL teams and taught at John Marshall High School
. He was a professor of natural history
at Los Angeles City College
from 1964 to 1989, then retired
to Oregon
with his wife, where he raised cattle
, llama
and sheep. He died in Elmira, Oregon
of brain cancer at age 79 on September 29, 2008.
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
who played four seasons in the NFL for the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
. He had 27 career interceptions with the Colts, and he led the NFL in interceptions in 1957 and 1959.
The 6 in 1 in (185.42 cm) 188 pounds (85.3 kg) defensive back was born May 31, 1929 on the Fort Gibson
Fort Gibson
Fort Gibson, now located in Oklahoma and designated Fort Gibson Historical Site, guarded the American frontier in Indian Territory from 1824 until 1890...
Indian reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
in Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
to parents of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
ancestry. He moved as a toddler to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
He attended Jefferson High School
Jefferson High School (Los Angeles, California)
For schools with a similar name, see Jefferson High School.Thomas Jefferson High School, usually referred to as Jefferson High School was founded in 1916, it is the fourth oldest public high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District...
and Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College, known as LACC, is a public community college in the East Hollywood section of Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard...
, both in Los Angeles. He worked at the Vista Del Mar Jewish orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
as a counselor while attending college. His track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
performance earned him a partial scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
. He earned a spot on the UCLA Bruins football
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
team in both 1952 and 1953 under coach Red Sanders, and played in the team's 1954 Rose Bowl
1954 Rose Bowl
The 1954 Rose Bowl game, played on January 1, 1954 was the 40th Rose Bowl game. The Michigan State Spartans defeated the UCLA Bruins, 28–20. Michigan State halfback Billy Wells was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game. This was the first year that Michigan State University was counted in...
28-20 loss to the Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
.
The Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
drafted him in 1954, the same year he was drafted
Selective Service System
The Selective Service System is a means by which the United States government maintains information on those potentially subject to military conscription. Most male U.S. citizens and male immigrant non-citizens between the ages of 18 and 25 are required by law to have registered within 30 days of...
into the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, serving there for two years. After his return from the Army, the Lions told him "We don't have a black teammate for you to go on road trips, therefore you can't stay on our team."
The Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
gave Davis a tryout
Tryout
Tryout was an amateur press journal published from 1914-1946 by Charles W. Smith of Haverhill, Massachusetts. It was connected to the National Amateur Press Association....
and signed him as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. In his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
season in 1957, he had 10 interceptions which were returned for a total of 219 yards, two of them for touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s including a return of 75 yards. He was on the Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team that season.
In the 1958 season, he had four interceptions, which he returned for a total of 40 yards. In the 1958 NFL Championship Game
NFL Championship Game, 1958
The 1958 National Football League Championship Game was played on December 28, 1958 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. It was the first ever National Football League playoff game to go into sudden death overtime. The final score was Baltimore Colts 23, New York Giants 17. The game has since...
against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, played at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
, Davis — despite playing with two broken bones in his right foot — forced one of two first-half fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
s by Giants running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Frank Gifford
Frank Gifford
Francis Newton "Frank" Gifford is a Hall of Fame former American football player and American sportscaster.-Early life:Gifford was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Lola Mae and Weldon Gifford, an oil driller....
, both of which led to touchdowns by the Colts; The Colts won 23-17 in overtime in a game called "The Greatest Game Ever Played".
Davis had seven interceptions in the 1959 season, which he returned for 119 yards, including a 57-yard return for a touchdown. In the 1959 NFL Championship Game
NFL Championship Game, 1959
The 1959 National Football League Championship Game was played on December 27, 1959 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. The game was a rematch of the 1958 championship game that went into overtime. The 1959 game was the 27th annual NFL championship game...
, the Colts beat the Giants for a second consecutive season, this time by a 31-16 score. In 1960 he had six interceptions which he returned for 32 yards.
Angered at the treatment of black players
Black players in American professional football
Details of the history of black players in American professional football depend on the professional football league considered: the National Football League , which evolved from the first professional league, the American Professional Football Association, or the American Football League, , a...
, including segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
hotels and restaurants, Davis retired after four seasons in the NFL and returned to complete work on a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
at UCLA. He worked as a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for several NFL teams and taught at John Marshall High School
John Marshall High School (Los Angeles, California)
John Marshall High School is a high school located in the Los Feliz district of the City of Los Angeles at 3939 Tracy Street, in Los Angeles, California, USA.Marshall, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District...
. He was a professor of natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
at Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College, known as LACC, is a public community college in the East Hollywood section of Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard...
from 1964 to 1989, then retired
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
to Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
with his wife, where he raised cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, llama
Llama
The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
and sheep. He died in Elmira, Oregon
Elmira, Oregon
Elmira is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located west of Eugene and north of Veneta and Oregon Route 126, near the Long Tom River and Fern Ridge Reservoir....
of brain cancer at age 79 on September 29, 2008.