Former Colts Defensive Back Milt Davis Dies at 79
INDIANAPOLIS – Milt Davis was a crucial member of some of the Colts' all-time great teams, an All-Pro defensive back in the 1950s.
Davis died of cancer in Oregon Monday. He was 79.
Davis, who signed with the Baltimore Colts in 1957 as a 28-year-old free agent, played on the franchise's 1958 and 1959 NFL Championship teams. He had 10 interceptions in 1957 as a rookie, returning two for touchdowns and making The Associated Press' All-Pro team.
"Milt Davis occupies a prominent place in Colts history," Colts Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jim Irsay said. "He was a very sturdy defensive back who started the 1958 and 1959 NFL Championship Games for the club.
"He is remembered among the many notable names in Colts history."
Davis played for the Colts from 1957-1960, leading the NFL in interceptions in 1957 and again in 1959. In the 1958 NFL Championship Game, a game commonly called the Greatest Game Ever Played, he played with two broken bones in his right foot and forced a fumble by Frank Gifford.
He had seven interceptions in 1959, when the Colts beat the Giants again in the NFL title game. He finished his career with 27 interceptions in 45 games.
