Anthony Davis (running back, born 1952) facts for kids

Anthony Davis (born September 8, 1952), also known as "A.D.", is a former American football player. He was a running back, which means he carried the ball a lot. He played in four different professional football leagues during his career. These were the World Football League (WFL), Canadian Football League (CFL), National Football League (NFL), and United States Football League (USFL).

Davis played both college football and baseball at the University of Southern California (USC). He was part of five national championship teams there. Two of these championships were in football, and three were in baseball.

College Football Star

Anthony Davis was an amazing college football player. In 1974, he was named an All-American. This means he was one of the best players in the country. For three years in a row, he led the USC Trojans in rushing yards, points scored, and kick return yards.

Memorable Games Against Notre Dame

Davis is famous for scoring 11 touchdowns in just three games against the Notre Dame team. In one game on December 2, 1972, USC won 45–23. Davis scored six touchdowns in that game! This set a new record for his school.

Two of his touchdowns in that game came from kickoff returns. He ran the opening kickoff back 97 yards for a touchdown. Later, after Notre Dame scored, he returned another kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. In this game, he gained 218 yards from three kickoff returns. This was an NCAA record for the highest average gain per return in a single game.

Setting Records at USC

During his time at USC, Davis returned 37 kickoffs for a total of 1,299 yards. His average of 35.1 yards per return was an NCAA record. He also set an NCAA record with six career kickoff returns for touchdowns. This record stood until 2009. In 1974, his kickoff return average of 42.5 yards was the highest ever for a single season leader.

Davis was also the first player in the Pacific-8 Conference to rush for over 1,000 yards in three seasons in a row. He rushed for 1,191 yards in 1972, 1,112 in 1973, and 1,469 in 1974. Overall, he carried the ball 784 times for 3,772 yards and 44 touchdowns at USC. He was also chosen for the First-team All-Pac-8 Conference in 1973 and 1974.

The Amazing Comeback Game

On November 30, 1974, Davis helped USC make an incredible comeback. They were playing against the #4 ranked Notre Dame team. USC was losing 24–0 in the second quarter. Just before halftime, Davis scored a touchdown on a seven-yard pass.

To start the second half, Davis returned the kickoff 102 yards for another touchdown. Only a few minutes later, he scored a third touchdown with a six-yard run. Then, he added his fourth touchdown of the game with a four-yard dash. He even scored a two-point conversion after one of his touchdowns. Amazingly, Davis scored 26 of USC's first 27 points in that game, helping them win 55–24.

Heisman Trophy and Team Success

In 1974, the votes for the Heisman Trophy were due before the USC-Notre Dame game. Davis finished second in the voting. After this, Heisman voting was changed to happen after all regular season games.

From 1972 to 1974, with Davis as the tailback, the Trojans had a great record of 31 wins, 3 losses, and 2 ties. They won three conference titles, two Rose Bowl games, and two national championships. Davis set 24 school, conference, and NCAA records. He gained over 5,400 all-purpose yards and scored 52 touchdowns.

Baseball Achievements

Anthony Davis was not only a football star, but also a talented baseball player. He played as an outfielder and was a switch-hitter for USC's baseball teams. These teams won the College World Series in 1972, 1973, and 1974.

In 1974, playing with wood bats, Davis hit for a .273 batting average. He also hit six home runs, had 45 RBIs (runs batted in), and stole 13 bases.

During his time at USC, Davis won five national championships in total. Two were in football and three were in baseball. He is the only player in USC history to start for a national champion football team (1972) and a national champion baseball team (1974).

In 2004, the Notre Dame vs. USC game on November 27 was called "Anthony Davis Day." This was to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his record-breaking game against Notre Dame. Davis was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine three times. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Professional Football Career

After college, the Minnesota Twins baseball team drafted Davis in 1975. However, he decided not to play for them.

World Football League Experience

The New York Jets in the NFL drafted Davis in the second round of the 1975 NFL draft. But Davis chose to play for the Southern California Sun in the new World Football League (WFL) in 1975. He signed a big contract worth $1.7 million over five years.

He led the WFL in rushing with 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also caught 40 passes for 381 yards and one touchdown. On kickoff returns, he gained 235 yards and scored one touchdown. In total, he scored 18 touchdowns in the WFL. His 16 rushing touchdowns in 12 games set a WFL record. The league stopped playing in October, and Davis moved on.

Time in the Canadian Football League

In 1976, Davis went to the Canadian Football League. He became the league's first "million dollar man." He played for the Toronto Argonauts. He rushed for 417 yards and caught 37 passes for 408 yards, scoring four touchdowns. Davis later said he wasn't happy playing for the Argonauts.

National Football League Journey

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got the NFL rights to Davis. His old USC coach, John McKay, was the coach there. However, Davis's NFL career was not as successful. In 1977, he rushed for 297 yards and scored one touchdown in eleven games for the Buccaneers.

In 1978, Davis played two games for the Houston Oilers. He broke his leg twice in the same spot that season. He then played two games for the Los Angeles Rams, rushing for seven yards.

United States Football League Return

In 1983, at age thirty, Davis played a short time for the Los Angeles Express in the new USFL. He rushed for 32 yards in twelve carries.

Life After Football

After his football career, Anthony Davis became successful as a real estate developer in the 1980s and early 1990s. He also acted in small roles in movies and on television sometimes.

In 1990, Davis played professional baseball again in a league called the Senior Professional Baseball Association. He played as an outfielder for the San Bernardino Pride club.

In 2020, Davis was featured in a documentary called "Quiet Explosions: Healing the Brain." The film talks about a brain condition that Davis has, which can be caused by repeated head impacts.

See also

• List of NCAA major college yearly punt and kickoff return leaders