Alcoa Centennial parade grand marshall Al "Sonny" Davis, Sr. Photo by Terri Williams Kellogg

Al “Sonny” Davis, Retired NFL Grand Marshall for Alcoa 100 Years Celebration

ALCOA, TN (Sept. 2019) – Residents and natives of Alcoa, Tennessee recently celebrated the city’s 100th year of incorporation with a parade and recognition of homegrown natives who have made contributions to the city.

The parade was the first for Alcoa High School since the 1970s.  Participants included all four Alcoa schools, the Alcoa Fire Department, Alcoa Police Department, Alcoa Public Works Department, the National Guard, and the Shriners.

Two icons from Alcoa City School’s history, Albert Davis, Sr. and Dick Abbott were the Grand Marshalls for the Centennial and Homecoming Parade.

Albert “Sonny” Davis, Sr. was among the first students to integrate Maryville High School.

Davis was an All-County, All-State and All-American football player in 1965 and 1966. In 1965, Davis became the first African-American to participate in integrated sports in Blount County. Davis along with Lester McClain was of the first African-Americans recruited to the University of Tennessee.

But extenuating circumstances left Davis to continue his career at Tennessee State University, and the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League, and with the New York Stars and Honolulu Hawaiians of the World Football League.

Davis is a member of the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame, Blount County Sports Hall of Fame, and the Alcoa High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Davis is a life-long resident of Blount County.

Abbott was an educator and coach in Alcoa schools for 30 years. He was the principal of Alcoa Elementary School from 1969-86. He was a teacher and assistant boys basketball coach from 1957-68, and the golf coach at Alcoa High School from 1961-73. Abbott also is a member of the Blount County Sports Hall of Fame.
The Alcoa centennial celebration continues through May, 2020.
Photos courtesy of Terri Williams Kellogg

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