Bill Davenport

Raymond Wayne Davenport (December 16, 1906 – April 27, 2001) was an American professional football player. A halfback, he played college football for the Hardin–Simmons Cowboys and later for one season in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers. He was a high school coach in between his time at Hardin–Simmons and for a year after his stint with the Packers before returning to college and playing a year for the George Washington Colonials in 1933. He later returned to his home state of Texas where he was a businessman.

Early life Davenport was born on December 16, 1906, in San Saba, Texas. He attended San Saba High School and is the school's only alumnus to make it to the NFL. At San Saba, he was a standout athlete, winning four varsity letters in football and basketball, three in baseball and track and field, and one in tennis. As a senior in 1924–25, he was voted the school's most outstanding athlete. Nicknamed "Mike", he was also "distinguished in extra-curricular activities" while at San Saba, and he graduated as part of the class of 1925. He won a letter for the Hardin–Simmons football team in his first year in 1926 and was used as a fullback and halfback. In addition to football, he also competed in track and field and basketball. He received more letters in football in 1927 and 1928, although he was injured for part of the latter year.

After having been "one of the leading athletes" at Hardin–Simmons, Davenport graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1929 and then became a teacher at Richland Springs High School, where he coached athletics and football. He then returned to Hardin–Simmons in 1930 and was one of the conference's leading scorers, playing despite suffering an injury early in the season that initially left "his respiratory muscles partly paralyzed" and required a stay in the hospital. He was awarded a letter for the 1930 football season. The Green Bay Press-Gazette described him as "a rugged back and he comes here highly recommended ... Davenport can play either [halfback] or fullback and he is credited with being an exceptional blocker." He became the first NFL player from Hardin–Simmons. He made the team and appeared in two games, one as a starter,

In 1932, Davenport became head coach at Lake View High School in San Angelo, Texas. The following year, he enrolled at George Washington University, where he studied law for two years and began playing for the George Washington Colonials football team at fullback. The Washington Times Herald described him as "powerful and rangy ... head-on runner [with] high knee action ... most aggressive [and a] good type of player to have around." He played one season for George Washington and then spent the 1934 season with an independent football team known as the Washington Federals; The Washington Daily News noted that the Federals "play like pros but they're just playing for the fun of it."

Later life and death In 1934, Davenport began working for the federal government in Washington, D.C., where he was an auditor until 1936.

In 1964, Davenport entered politics, running for the city commission in San Angelo.

Davenport was a freemason and a member of the Kiwanis club, being named the Kiwanian of the Year in 1973. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of San Angelo. Davenport was married to Rondyl Johnson. He died on April 27, 2001, in San Angelo, at the age of 94.