Whether he was on the gridiron or in the boardroom, Willie Davis was bigger than life.
Football fans remember Davis as the Hall of Fame defensive end who played on five Green Bay Packer championship teams, while music aficionados remember him as the owner of several radio stations including KACE-FM in Inglewood, Calif., and KHTI-FM and KATY-FM in Southern California’s Inland Empire, all of which were under Davis’ All-Pro Broadcasting. Through All-Pro, he also owned WZTI and WLUM-FM in Milwaukee, both of which merged with Shamrock Communications’ WJZI (now WLDB-FM) to form the Milwaukee Radio Alliance. Davis served as chairman of the alliance upon its inception.
Davis’ football career was impressive. In the NFL for 12 years, 10 with Green Bay, Davis never missed a game. In the 1960s he wore No. 87 as a Green Bay Packer under Coach Vince Lombardi. Davis, who attended Grambling, was acquired by the Packers from the original Cleveland Browns (now the Baltimore Ravens) on July 12, 1960, in a straight-up trade for offensive end A.D. Williams. It was considered one of the most lopsided deals in NFL history.
By 1969 Davis was done with pro football. After serving as a color commentator for NBC’s NFL games, he got the broadcasting bug. By 1976, Davis, who was born in Lisbon, LA, had taken on ownership of the radio stations in Southern California and Milwaukee. In 2008, his hard work and successful efforts garnered him an induction into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. His induction video began as follows, “He was one of the icons — not just in football, not just in broadcasting, but also I think in the business world.” During both of his careers, Davis achieved the reputation as a stand-up-guy. Willie Davis died on April 15, 2020, at the age of 85.
Legends are defined by their work and how it impacts the culture. We remember Willie Davis so others don’t forget. #livinglegendsfoundation30 #blackmusicmonth #culturecreator #rootedinblackmusic