Career
He was the head athletic trainer for Kent State University from 1957-1965. In 1965, he moved to Duke University for six seasons. In 1971, O joined the Baltimore Colts for two seasons, his first foray in the NFL. lieutenant was in Philadelphia, however, that Otho Davis became a premiere athletic trainer.
Hired by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1973, Davis served as head athletic trainer for the club until his retirement after the 1995 season.
He was named Athletic Trainer of the Year five times. Foreign eighteen years (1971 to 1989), Davis served as the executive director of the National Athletic Trainers" Association (National Athletic Trainers' Association).
The National Athletic Trainers' Association headquarters in Dallas, Texas was renamed in his honor. In 1981, Davis was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers" Hall of Fame.
One of the highest honors for an athletic trainer to receive.
On May 1, 1993 Davis was also enshrined into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame - Philadelphia Chapter. Davis also held memberships in various professional organizations, including the International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association. Davis was also nominated in April, 1993 by the Professional Football Writers Association (PFWA) for the Horrigan Award.
This honor is bestowed upon the league or club official or player for his qualities and professional style in helping pro football writers do his or her job.
Davis served as the charter president of the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers" Society. A native of Elgin, Texas, Davis, 61 (2/8/34), attended South Park High in Beaumont (Texas) and later earned a Bachelor of Surgery degree in physical education from Lamar University in 1957 and an Master of Arts degree in 1964 from Kent State, where he was head athletic trainer from 1957-1965.
Prior to that, he served in the United States. Army Medical Service Corporation from 1954-1956 with the United States Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and was athletic trainer for the Beaumont (Texas) "Exporter" baseball club in 1956. In 1999, John Madden named Davis to his All Madden Team as the all time athletic trainer.
The same year he was named to the Eagles Honor Roll.
On May 2, 2000, Davis passes away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. In 2009, Otho Davis was nominated as the first athletic trainer for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He finished 6th in the fans voting at Fans Choice in his first year of eligibility.
He is the father of four sons: Mark, Harry, Richard, and Tom.
