SU Grad and Raiders Owner Al Davis Dies
10/8/2011 1:07:55 PM | Football
Legendary Oakland Raiders owner and 1950 Syracuse University graduate Al Davis died on Saturday morning at his home. He was 82.
"We have lost a Syracuse legend and pioneer with the passing of Al Davis. We are all deeply saddened," said Syracuse University Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross. "His impact on the NFL is unmatched and was obvious. His standard for excellence has been copied by many. We will miss his communication with us and his love for Syracuse. We will memorialize his legacy, as he will never be forgotten in the Syracuse community."
One of the most successful owners in professional sports, Davis built a legacy at the helm of the Raiders with his mottos "Commitment to Excellence" and "Just Win Baby."
And win Davis did. In his 48 years with the club, the Raiders posted 28 winning seasons, including 16 in a row from 1965 through 1980, and won three Super Bowls (1976, 1980, 1983).
Davis' journey began as an Orange scholar-athlete playing for the junior varsity football, basketball and baseball teams while pursuing a degree in English. Davis tenaciously studied the game of football by attending practices and sitting at the top of Hendricks Hill overlooking Archbold Stadium every Saturday. He tracked each play the Orange ran. Following every game, he and Syracuse head coach Ben Schwartzwalder compared notes.
Davis' skills translated nicely into football coaching ranks. He started as an assistant at Adelphi College then made stops at Army, the Baltimore Colts, The Citadel, Southern California and the Los Angeles Chargers. He joined the Chargers' coaching staff in 1960, a move that launched him into stardom. Three years later, he became the youngest head coach in professional football when he was named head coach and general manager of the Raiders. Davis made his mark immediately as he was named AFL Coach of the Year in his first season after guiding the Raiders to a 10-4 record.
In addition to his success with the Raiders, Davis also served as the commissioner of the AFL in 1966. Eight weeks later he was lauded as one of the driving forces between the NFL-AFL merger. In 1969, Davis was once again a prime force in the realignment of professional football when two, 13-team conferences — the AFC and NFC — were formed for 1970.
As a member of the NFL Management Council's Executive Committee, Davis was also a major factor in achieving collective bargaining agreements with the players. He also a pioneer in hiring minorities in the NFL. Davis hired the first black head coach of the modern era -- Art Shell in 1988. He hired the first Latino coach, Tom Flores, and the first woman CEO, Amy Trask.
The 1992 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee was honored at Syracuse University in 1985 as an honorary Letterman of Distinction.
