Tecumseh Football Legend Tony Davis Dies; Local Friends and Fellow Athletes Share Memories

On Easter Sunday, April 5, family, friends and classmates of the Tecumseh Class of 1971 started hearing the news that Tony Davis, #25, a Tecumseh native and a University of Nebraska football legend, passed away due to complications from Parkinson's Disease. He was 73 years old.
"Tough" Tony, as he was known, recorded over 1,000 rushing in 1973 as a Cornhusker I-back/fullback. He was a member of the Cornhusker team from 1971 to 1975 and was named Most Valuable Offensive Player when Nebraska appeared in the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 1973 season, and repeated the honor, after the 1974 season, when the Huskers whipped Florida in the Sugar Bowl. Davis was inducted into the Cotton Bowl and Sugar Bowl Halls of Fame. In 1976, Davis was chosen in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He was elected into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1991.
“We're going to miss him,” said Petey Pooch, whom Tony referred to as one of his personal representatives to call whenever he wanted to return to Tecumseh. She, her husband Fred Pooch and other classmates of the Tecumseh Class of 1971 always gathered for a reunion or maybe just a meal whenever Tony wanted to return to his home town for a visit.
According to Bill Hitzman of Tecumseh, as a lineman, if an opponent didn't get out of Davis' way, he would run right over top of him. “He never avoided a hit,” Hitzman said. “He was always the same ol' Tony we went to school with.”
When Tony returned to Tecumseh a couple of months ago, some of his classmates still living in and around the area gathered at the Grain Bin for a social hour. “You could tell he wasn't well, but he still had the same spirit and the same voice,” said Jim Borrenpohl of Tecumseh. Borrenpohl remembers playing football with Davis in the Johnson County Courtyard while in grade school. “Tony knew since the fourth grade he was going to be a football player for UNL.”
Borrenpohl also remembers the Davis house, located on the south end of the football field. Borrenpohl said Davis and his brothers all drank gallons of milk, and he recalls that Davis would run the length of the football field to escape from his brothers.
“He had millions of friends, in high school, college and the pros and he would do anything for you,” said Borrenpohl.
Davis was the best man at Jim and Theresa Borrenpohl's wedding. On Easter Sunday, as well as on other occasions, the Borrenpohls filled the green relish tray Davis gave them as a wedding gift. “We were all brothers,” said Borrenpohl. “Through the years, Tony would occasionally call just to say hello and see how you were doing.”
Borrenpohl still remembers the high school game where four UNL scouts sat in the Tecumseh bleachers to watch Davis play. At another presentation at the Tecumseh Country Club, the University of Nebraska Head Football Coach Bob Devaney told how he needed Tony Davis not only as an I-back/fullback, but also as a blocker. “He was a great blocker,” said Devaney.
Borrenpohl indicated that Tony never really liked being called the Tecumseh Tornado, because his opponents would always be ready to take his head off.
During the fifth year class reunion, which was held at the pond on Gary Peters' farm, Borrenpohl said that Davis told him he had signed to play pro football with the Cincinnati Bengals for $283,000 and was able to buy his mother a car and a house.
“He never forgot Tecumseh,” Borrenpohl said.
Gary Peters of Elk Creek played football and basketball with Davis. He said Tony could shoot from the outside and you didn't want to get in front of him when Davis was shooting under the hoop. Peters also remembers Davis stepping up and scoring 32 points during a tournament basketball game against Wymore.
Ryan Haughton, head football coach at Johnson County Central Schools, had the opportunity to get to know Tony well in the last few years. Davis knew that his dad, Bruce Haughton and his brother attended school in Tecumseh. Haughton said Tony would come to JCC's football practices whenever he was in Tecumseh and Haughton would frequently text or email Davis the results of JCC's football games throughout the season.
“He kept a close eye on JCC's football program,” said Haughton.
In addition to attending some of JCC's football practices, Davis would come and talk to the football players before the game and sometimes during halftime. “Of course, as a coach, who would stop ‘Tough Tony’ from talking to your team,” said Haughton.
Most of the stories Davis shared with JCC's football teams would be about the high school games he played on the same field as the JCC players. He would also share some stories about playing football at UNL.
During his final trip to Tecumseh about two months ago, Davis donated a poster, plaque and award from the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame to be displayed at Johnson County Central Schools.
“He was a good fan of Thunderbird football during the past four to five years. I considered him a good friend who will go down in history as one of the greatest Tecumseh football players as well as the UNL Cornhuskers,” said Haughton. “Today, may be a sad day for Tecumseh and JCC football, but he preached inspiration to get ahead or beat the man in front of you. It was an honor to have him be a part of our program as well as to have him part of our family.”
“He was my oldest friend,” said Bill Campbell of Tecumseh, who knew Tony Davis for about 68 years, from the time when he was six and Davis was five. “He was a great humanitarian as he gave back more than he got,” said Campbell. “Tony had talent and a big heart. He made all his teammates better; he showed them how to win, and become better.”
Campbell said he and Davis were in constant contact. “We spent a lot of time together playing touch football, wiffle ball, baseball.” As adults, Bill and Tony also played a lot of golf together in Arizona and Nebraska.
“He made a mark in being good to people. If he could help people, he was going to help them. He was an unselfish, benevolent, caring and upbeat person,” recalled Campbell. “He cared about his roots in Tecumseh. “
Bill indicated that his dad, Clare, was instrumental in getting Tony Davis to play UNL football by contacting Bob Devaney and Bob Logston and telling them Davis had the talent to play football.
Campbell said a Celebration of Life is expected to be held for Tony Davis in Fort Collins, Colorado at a later date.