Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1990
Gary Davis was one of the greatest running backs ever to wear a Cal Poly Mustang uniform. He came to Cal Poly as a "walk-on," earned a scholarship and proceeded to rewrite the record books. Gary still holds several Cal Poly rushing records and he was recognized for his "slashing" style of running.
He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the National Football League Draft in 1976. He was scouted and signed by Bobby Beathard, who worked at that time for the Dolphins. In his rookie year, he returned 26 kicks for 617 yards, earning an average of 24 yards per carry. He was a starter for the Dolphins for three years. In 1980 he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then moved to the Cleveland Browns, where he finished his football career in 1982.
In 1986, he founded a sports-oriented rehabilitation program for juvenile offenders and directed it until 1991. Currently, he is a case manager with a non-profit organization affiliated with the prison system. He lives in Atascadero with his wife Donna, who works at Cal Poly, and their two sons.
