BRAD PYE JR ON AL DAVIS
BRAD PYE JR ON AL DAVIS
Two of my idols and heroes—Al Davis, Oakland Raiders owner and the late L. A. County Supervisor Hahn—have passed away.
Al Davis died Saturday Oct. 8 at his home in Oakland. He was 82 and my friend since his days as a member of the late Don Clark’s USC staff.
Al Davis, the late Sid Gillman and I fought the wars for the old AFL against the NFL until Al Davis was named Commissioner of the AFL. Al Davis played a major role in bringing about the merger between the leagues. I served as an Administrative assistant on Al Davis’ AFL Commissioner’s staff. This was long before blacks were hired on Pete Rozelle’s NFL staff or the staffs of NFL teams.
Al Davis became the Branch Rickey (the man who signed Jackie Robinson as the first black in MLB) when he stepped up to the integration scrimmage line and named his Hall of Fame tackle, Art Shell, as the first black head coach in the history of pro football in modern times, since Fritz Pollard.
Al Davis hired Art Shell for a second time to coach his Raiders. And at his death, Hue Jackson, the former Dorsey High QB in Los Angeles, was Al Davis’ third hire of an African American
Head coach.
.
Here are some of the things Al Davis did as an assistant coach for Sid Gillman coached San Diego Chargers and Al Davis did with his Oakland Raiders and as AFL Commissioner:
Al Davis and this column conductor signed such AFL greats as Paul Lowe, the late Ernie Ladd, Charlie McNeill, Larry Todd, Art Powell and many others. Al Davis was his own man. Whatever it took to make it to three Super Bowl championships, Al Davis got it done.
Al Davis was the first man in the history of pro football to serve as scout, Coach of the Year, assistant coach, AFL commissioner and owner.
Here are some things Al Davis should be given credit for:
* Named the late Dr. Aaron C. Wade, as the first black game official in the history of the old AFL
on my recommendation.
* Named me (Brad Pye, Jr.) as an administrative assistant on his AFL staff
* First owner to select a black QB No. 1 in the NFL draft—Tennessee State’s Eldridge Dickey.
Al Davis added another black QB Terrelle Pryor (Ohio State all-American) for his Raiders in the NFL’s Suppmental draft.Al Davis’ Raiders staff today looks like a little United Nation.
Al Davis wasn’t the most popular assistant at USC with some of the old grads when two of his recruits—all-American tackle Ron Mix, a Jew and Willie Wood, the first black QB in the history of USC were named co-captains of the team. It should be noted that Al Davis left his Raiders on the field in the hands of a black head coach (Hue Jackson) and a black QB (Jason Campbell). He told me Campbell is the best QB he has had since his Super Bowl Hall of Famer Jim Plunkett.
These are just a few of the racial barrier breakers Al Davis deserve credit.
.
Al Davis loved the following poem I recited at one of his lavish birthday celebrations at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. Al was born on July Fourth.
It goes like this:
I’m proud of people who are proud they are black, but intelligent enough to be oblivious of that.
I’m proud of people who are proud they are like Al Davis, who are proud they are white.. We all had to be some color and God knows any color should be all right.
I’m even proud of people like Al Davis who truly understands, it’s the character that makes the difference and color never made a woman or a man.
I might add in the words of the late Chester L. Washington, my former L.A. Sentinel City Editor:
“It takes both the black and white keys of a piano to play the stars spangled banner.
Goodbye old pal. Like one of your players said after Sunday’s 25-20 victory over the Houston Texans, we will never let you go.