Ten fun facts about Al Davis

Fact 1
He was the principal owner and general manager of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) from 1972 to 2011.

Fact 2
Allen Davis was born to a Jewish family.

Fact 3
Under Davis' management, the Raiders became one of the most successful teams in professional sports.

Fact 4
Childhood friends depicted him as more of a talker than a fighter, though very good with his mouth.

Fact 5
Young Al’s sport of choice was basketball, and he gained a reputation of a hard player, if not the most skillful.

Fact 6
His motto for the team was “Just win, baby.”

Fact 7
He was the first NFL owner to hire an African American head coach and a female chief executive.

Fact 8
Davis was active in civil rights, refusing to allow the Raiders to play in any city where black and white players had to stay in separate hotels.

Fact 9
He was also the second NFL owner to hire a Latino head coach.

Fact 10
He remains the only executive in NFL history to be an assistant coach, head coach, general manager, commissioner and owner.

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