Davis was active in civil rights, refusing to allow the Raiders to play in any city where black and white players had to stay in separate hotels.

Louis Davis rented a sixth-floor walkup for his family off Utica Avenue, became very successful in the garment trade, and put his two sons through college before seeking a more comfortable dwelling in Atlantic Beach, New York.

In the 1980s, with Badain ill and in need, Davis brought his elderly former coach to the West Coast to witness his Raiders in the Super Bowl, and paid the man's debts.

Davis stated, in his interview, that he would be able to persuade small-town boys from the Northeast to attend The Citadel, which often had difficulty in recruiting star players because of its regimented lifestyle.

[25] Davis was an effective recruiter as a USC assistant coach, bringing one prospect, Angelo Coia to the Los Angeles Coliseum at night, and as the lights were slowly turned off, asked the student to imagine himself playing there before 100,000 people.

Clark and Davis hoped that 1959 would bring a conference championship and the chance to play in the Rose Bowl, but in April 1959 USC was sanctioned by the NCAA again, this time for inducing recruits signed by other schools into breaking their letters of intent.

Gillman later stated that he hired Davis for his success both as a coach and as a recruiter, and because "Al had that knack of telling people what they wanted to hear.

[34] According to witnesses present at the negotiations, Davis did not have a high opinion of Valley and McGah, indicating during their absence that they did not know the right questions to ask.

He declined, insisting on a multi-year deal as both head coach and general manager, with complete control over football operations, to which they eventually agreed and settled on a three-year stint[35] at an annual salary of $20,000.

Valley and his partners used the threat of leaving to induce city officials to construct Frank Youell Field, a temporary facility in downtown Oakland next to the Nimitz Freeway which held about 15,000 people, the use of which was shared with high schools.

[38] The Raiders' offices were on an open mezzanine overlooking a downtown Oakland hotel lobby; Davis got Valley to move them to more private facilities.

Wide receiver Art Powell had played out his contract with New York and become a free agent, and had apparently been signed by the Buffalo Bills.

"[41] In the season opener, at Houston's Jeppesen Stadium against the Oilers, the two-touchdown underdog Raiders won, 24–13, then came home to defeat the Bills 35–17.

By the end of its sixth season in 1965, the American Football League had overcome its initial status of bare-bones survivor to become a significant rival to the NFL.

With a television contract with NBC and major stadiums constructed or being built, the AFL could afford to compete on equal terms for players with the NFL.

"[48] Davis's target in the war was the NFL's quarterbacks, arranging for AFL teams to sign star players, such as Roman Gabriel of the Rams, who would be free agents after 1966 although that season had not yet begun.

It required the Jets and Raiders to pay indemnities to the Giants and 49ers for establishing teams within their exclusive territories, and it also put him out of a job: the merger agreement immediately abolished the post of AFL commissioner.

[52] After resigning as AFL commissioner, Davis formed a holding company, A.D. Football, Inc., and returned to the Oakland Raiders as one of three general partners, along with Wayne Valley and Ed McGah.

When he died, he was one of three NFL owners who had the title or powers of general manager, the others being Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Mike Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals.

By the time he took complete control of the Raiders, he had assumed his classic image—slicked-back hair in a 1950s-style ducktail, dark sunglasses, white tracksuits and Brooklyn-tinged speech ("the Raiduhs").

Although the Raiders later fell on harder times, going 37–91 from 2003 to 2010, they are one of only five teams to play in the Super Bowl in four different decades, the others being the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, New York Giants and Denver Broncos.

Davis was chosen by a record nine Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees to present them at the Canton, Ohio ceremony: Lance Alworth, Jim Otto, George Blanda, Willie Brown, Gene Upshaw, Fred Biletnikoff, Art Shell, Ted Hendricks and Madden.

Davis failed in his efforts to get luxury suites added to Oakland-Alameda Coliseum in 1980 and, despite 12 straight seasons of sellouts, announced plans to move the team to Los Angeles but was blocked by a court injunction.

When the upstart United States Football League filed its antitrust suit in 1986, Davis was the only NFL owner who sided with the USFL.

Davis angered much of the Raider community by dealing him to the Oilers for quarterback Dan Pastorini, a trade many regarded as selfishly seeking revenge while strengthening the team's top AFC rival.

Marcus Allen, the MVP in the Raiders' Super Bowl XVIII victory, was ordered benched by Davis for two years following a contract dispute.

[66] The day after his death, the Raiders defeated the Houston Texans 25–20 on a final play interception by safety Michael Huff in the end zone.

[67] Davis was the first NFL owner to hire an African American head coach, Art Shell, and a female chief executive, Amy Trask.

Davis was also afflicted with Merkel-cell carcinoma,[75] a rare skin cancer, and had undergone throat surgery in the days preceding his death.

On the final play of the game, Raider free safety Michael Huff intercepted Texan quarterback Matt Schaub in the end zone to preserve the victory.