"Pro Football Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion whose life began at 363 Spring Street in Brockton," the plaque reads, and, sure enough, the younger Davis, along with several fans, made a post-event pilgrimage to Davis' childhood home.
"The only person in NFL history to serve as assistant coach, head coach, general manager, commissioner, and most prominently as a team owner. A pioneer for diversity, Davis was the first person in NFL history to hire a Black head coach, a Latino head coach, a female CEO, and pick a Black quarterback in the 1st round."
The plaque also touts the Raiders' on-field successes under Davis – 12 division titles, 12 AFC title game appearances and only seven losing seasons in his first 40 years with the team – while Brockton Mayor Robert F. Sullivan read a "citation" from the city to extend congratulations to the Davis family.
"Once a Brocktonian, always a Brocktonian," Sullivan said, and if that sounds familiar to Raiders fans, well…
"Brockton is known as the City of Champions."
Mark Davis told of his family's history with the city. His paternal grandparents Louis and Rose moved in the early 1900s to Brockton, where they had two sons, Jerry and Al, who was born on July 4, 1929.