New Castle News
December 14, 2007 02:44 pm
—
Harold Davis, who helped put Westminster College football on the map, has died.
One of four Titans players inducted the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Davis was a standout quarterback from 1953-56 and became the first and only three-time, first-team All-American football player in school history.
Davis died on Sunday at his home in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., after a long battle with cancer. He was 73.
Playing under legendary coach Harold Burry, Davis led Westminster to a 28-1-1 overall record during a time when African-Americans rarely played his position. The Titans shined with Davis at quarterback as the team went undefeated for the first time in school history in 1953 (8-0). Westminster also went 6-0-1 in 1955 and 8-0 in 1956.
A native of Youngstown, Ohio, and a graduate of North High School, Davis also lettered in basketball and track at Westminster. His 1,209 career points scored still ranks him 19th all-time on the school’s career scoring list.
Davis earned a degree in economics and graduated from Westminster in 1957. Despite being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, Davis chose to serve in the U.S. Army after college.
After his stint in the military, Davis served as an administrator in the Youngstown Public School District before working as an executive for the Xerox Corporation for 22 years. A resident of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Davis was president of H&S Consulting during his retirement years.
Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in August of 2004 along with players such as Darrell Green (Texas A&I), Jimbo Covert (Pitt), Joe Theismann (Notre Dame) and Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State), Davis joined Westminster greats Burry (Hall of Fame induction class of 1996), former lineman/linebacker Larry Pugh (1998) and former head coach Joe Fusco (2001).
Davis is survived by his wife of 49 years, Shirley (Clarett), sons H. Wade and Michael, three grandsons, a brother Frank Davis and a sister Ann White.
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Photos
Playing under legendary coach Harold Burry, Harold Davis led Westminster to a 28-1-1 overall record during a time when African-Americans rarely played quarterback.