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Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
By Phil Trexler
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 10:16 p.m. EST, Jan 19, 2009
All the obstacles were in place for Walter L. Davis III.
Everyday life in the projects of East Akron, his large family left fatherless by murder, his failing personal battle to cage his youthful anger.
He toed the line at home, where his hardworking mother ruled with a firm hand over her five children.
But on the streets, Davis let loose his frustration, almost becoming an urban warrior marching to battle.
Davis said his life took a turn at East High and Joy Park, where he found direction and discipline in the sport of wrestling, with a coach who made a lifelong impression on the lost teenager.
This month, the kid who once fought on the streets of South Arlington made history. Davis was sworn in as Ohio's first elected African-American county sheriff.
He did so in affluent Delaware County, on the same ballot where John McCain rolled over Barack Obama.
The coincidence of Davis' ceiling-breaker isn't lost with the inauguration of Obama as the country's first African-American president.
''I think [Obama] will tell you, as I will. . . .there was no sign-up sheet for which line you want to stand in: a white line, an Indian line, an Asian line, an African-American line,'' Davis said.
''I'm fortunate to have an opportunity to continue to serve in this capacity. I am truly blessed. I look at this as an opportunity to empower a lot of people to be better at doing what it is that we should be doing: public service.''
East High graduate
Davis' life road leads out of Akron's East High in the late 1970s, to the campus of Cuyahoga Community College, to a 28-year career with the State Highway Patrol and to an unlikely appointment in Delaware County, where he was hand-picked to replace a disgraced sheriff.
None of it might have happened, Davis said, if not for the influence of his mother, Brenda ''Smoke'' Coleman-Grant, and his direction-changing relationship with veteran Joy Park recreation coach and mentor Jim Robinson.
Davis and his four siblings were raised by Grant at a housing project at Arlington and Milton streets on the city's East Side. His father, Walter Davis II, was 26 when he was murdered. The future sheriff was about 6 years old.
His mother worked various jobs — waitressing, cleaning homes — to keep her children fed and dressed. Davis said his mother's work ethic stays with him to this day.
Away from home and his mother's discipline, Davis said, he was an early teenage scrapper with attitude. He fought at school, ignored his teachers and shoved responsibility to the side.
''I was a troubled young man growing up in search of direction, leadership, a role model,'' he said.
Grant said she worried about her oldest son's future, fearing he would wind up living the hard life like his father. She said she saw a change in her son when she voiced her comparison.
''I was very worried about him,'' said Grant, who still lives in Akron. ''His father had a rough side, and I thought he'd be just like him.''
Coach's influence
Enter ''Snake'' Robinson and his wrestling program for inner-city kids. Whenever Davis visits Akron and sees Robinson, he reminds the old coach of the influence he had on the kid from East Akron.
''Every time I see him. . .I look him in the eye and say, 'You saved my life,' '' said Davis, 48. ''He put his arm around me and he turned this aggressive, young, snot-nosed kid into a good, responsible, productive citizen.
''He didn't give up on me. He helped nurture me and he was the role model who helped me. He took all that negative aggression and attitude that I had into something positive.''
Under the tutelage of Robinson (he could not be reached for comment), Davis turned his aggression into a successful wrestling career at East. He won two City Series titles and finished fourth in Ohio in the 119-pound division his senior year, 1978.
Road to law enforcement
From there, Davis was recruited to Cuyahoga Community College, where he earned the nickname ''Magnum'' while continuing to wrestle. He also took his first law-enforcement classes.
His college classes and graduation led to meetings with State Highway Patrol troopers, who encouraged him to join the force. His entry was delayed by an eighth of an inch. Davis stood just under the patrol's former 5-foot-8 minimum height requirement. The rule later was changed.
By July 1981, Davis was a state trooper. Over the next two-plus decades, from patrol posts in Elyria and Columbus, he investigated white-collar crimes, prison assaults and homicides. Later, he helped recruit new troopers.
He met his wife, Brenda, at his church and they married in 2001. They have a son, 6-year-old M.J., and a 20-year-old niece, Britnee, whom the Davises have raised as a daughter.
Davis remained close to the sport of wrestling, serving as a high school referee for more than 20 years.
Political interest
The Davises built a home in 2002 and moved to Genoa Township in mostly white Delaware County.
Neighbors, impressed to have a trooper living close by, urged him to become a trustee on the development's homeowners board.
That led to a run for township trustee, a failed venture in his first taste of politics. But he helped out on other campaigns and along the way, Davis caught the eye of county Republicans, who were looking to replace an outgoing sheriff plagued by controversy.
Davis defeated five applicants for the appointment in 2007. He became the first African-American to serve as an Ohio sheriff. No opposition candidate emerged for the election last year.
''As he will explain time and time again, he's not a politician, he's just a good cop,'' said Joel Spitzer, treasurer of the Delaware County Republican Party. ''And that's something I think that was attractive to a lot of people in [the party].
''We never wanted to say, 'Here's the first African-American sheriff in Ohio.' It was, 'Here's Magnum Davis, somebody's who going to be a great sheriff, who's going to protect the people of Delaware County and re-establish some pride in the sheriff's office.' ''
Davis is retired from the Highway Patrol, focusing on the duties of sheriff and keeping Delaware County one of the best places to raise a family, a ranking it obtained from Forbes magazine.
He remains close to Akron, offering a $1,000 scholarship to an East High student every year. He started similar scholarships in Delaware County's eight high schools, part of the ''pay it forward'' belief he learned from others. Some in his party see him as a possible candidate for Congress one day.
As sheriff, he said, his task is about refocusing the department, turning it back toward the right path, devoid of corruption.
It is a job not unlike the one Robinson did for that kid in East Akron.
''I'm looking at building a team, and as I told my team members, I want us to be the best in class in what we do,'' he said. ''I want to do this, not for money, I'm doing this because I have an opportunity to serve and protect.''
All the obstacles were in place for Walter L. Davis III.
Everyday life in the projects of East Akron, his large family left fatherless by murder, his failing personal battle to cage his youthful anger.
He toed the line at home, where his hardworking mother ruled with a firm hand over her five children.
But on the streets, Davis let loose his frustration, almost becoming an urban warrior marching to battle.
Davis said his life took a turn at East High and Joy Park, where he found direction and discipline in the sport of wrestling, with a coach who made a lifelong impression on the lost teenager.
This month, the kid who once fought on the streets of South Arlington made history. Davis was sworn in as Ohio's first elected African-American county sheriff.
He did so in affluent Delaware County, on the same ballot where John McCain rolled over Barack Obama.
The coincidence of Davis' ceiling-breaker isn't lost with the inauguration of Obama as the country's first African-American president.
''I think [Obama] will tell you, as I will. . . .there was no sign-up sheet for which line you want to stand in: a white line, an Indian line, an Asian line, an African-American line,'' Davis said.
''I'm fortunate to have an opportunity to continue to serve in this capacity. I am truly blessed. I look at this as an opportunity to empower a lot of people to be better at doing what it is that we should be doing: public service.''
East High graduate
Davis' life road leads out of Akron's East High in the late 1970s, to the campus of Cuyahoga Community College, to a 28-year career with the State Highway Patrol and to an unlikely appointment in Delaware County, where he was hand-picked to replace a disgraced sheriff.
None of it might have happened, Davis said, if not for the influence of his mother, Brenda ''Smoke'' Coleman-Grant, and his direction-changing relationship with veteran Joy Park recreation coach and mentor Jim Robinson.
Davis and his four siblings were raised by Grant at a housing project at Arlington and Milton streets on the city's East Side. His father, Walter Davis II, was 26 when he was murdered. The future sheriff was about 6 years old.
His mother worked various jobs — waitressing, cleaning homes — to keep her children fed and dressed. Davis said his mother's work ethic stays with him to this day.
Away from home and his mother's discipline, Davis said, he was an early teenage scrapper with attitude. He fought at school, ignored his teachers and shoved responsibility to the side.
''I was a troubled young man growing up in search of direction, leadership, a role model,'' he said.
Grant said she worried about her oldest son's future, fearing he would wind up living the hard life like his father. She said she saw a change in her son when she voiced her comparison.
''I was very worried about him,'' said Grant, who still lives in Akron. ''His father had a rough side, and I thought he'd be just like him.''
Coach's influence
Enter ''Snake'' Robinson and his wrestling program for inner-city kids. Whenever Davis visits Akron and sees Robinson, he reminds the old coach of the influence he had on the kid from East Akron.
''Every time I see him. . .I look him in the eye and say, 'You saved my life,' '' said Davis, 48. ''He put his arm around me and he turned this aggressive, young, snot-nosed kid into a good, responsible, productive citizen.
''He didn't give up on me. He helped nurture me and he was the role model who helped me. He took all that negative aggression and attitude that I had into something positive.''
Under the tutelage of Robinson (he could not be reached for comment), Davis turned his aggression into a successful wrestling career at East. He won two City Series titles and finished fourth in Ohio in the 119-pound division his senior year, 1978.
Road to law enforcement
From there, Davis was recruited to Cuyahoga Community College, where he earned the nickname ''Magnum'' while continuing to wrestle. He also took his first law-enforcement classes.
His college classes and graduation led to meetings with State Highway Patrol troopers, who encouraged him to join the force. His entry was delayed by an eighth of an inch. Davis stood just under the patrol's former 5-foot-8 minimum height requirement. The rule later was changed.
By July 1981, Davis was a state trooper. Over the next two-plus decades, from patrol posts in Elyria and Columbus, he investigated white-collar crimes, prison assaults and homicides. Later, he helped recruit new troopers.
He met his wife, Brenda, at his church and they married in 2001. They have a son, 6-year-old M.J., and a 20-year-old niece, Britnee, whom the Davises have raised as a daughter.
Davis remained close to the sport of wrestling, serving as a high school referee for more than 20 years.
Political interest
The Davises built a home in 2002 and moved to Genoa Township in mostly white Delaware County.
Neighbors, impressed to have a trooper living close by, urged him to become a trustee on the development's homeowners board.
That led to a run for township trustee, a failed venture in his first taste of politics. But he helped out on other campaigns and along the way, Davis caught the eye of county Republicans, who were looking to replace an outgoing sheriff plagued by controversy.
Davis defeated five applicants for the appointment in 2007. He became the first African-American to serve as an Ohio sheriff. No opposition candidate emerged for the election last year.
''As he will explain time and time again, he's not a politician, he's just a good cop,'' said Joel Spitzer, treasurer of the Delaware County Republican Party. ''And that's something I think that was attractive to a lot of people in [the party].
''We never wanted to say, 'Here's the first African-American sheriff in Ohio.' It was, 'Here's Magnum Davis, somebody's who going to be a great sheriff, who's going to protect the people of Delaware County and re-establish some pride in the sheriff's office.' ''
Davis is retired from the Highway Patrol, focusing on the duties of sheriff and keeping Delaware County one of the best places to raise a family, a ranking it obtained from Forbes magazine.
He remains close to Akron, offering a $1,000 scholarship to an East High student every year. He started similar scholarships in Delaware County's eight high schools, part of the ''pay it forward'' belief he learned from others. Some in his party see him as a possible candidate for Congress one day.
As sheriff, he said, his task is about refocusing the department, turning it back toward the right path, devoid of corruption.
It is a job not unlike the one Robinson did for that kid in East Akron.
''I'm looking at building a team, and as I told my team members, I want us to be the best in class in what we do,'' he said. ''I want to do this, not for money, I'm doing this because I have an opportunity to serve and protect.''
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Akron, Oh
Posted 12:20 PM, 01/20/2009
good story
Akron, OH
Posted 02:17 PM, 04/28/2009
This is a great story! His family should be very proud of him. We need more like him!
akron, oh
Posted 08:14 PM, 04/29/2009
walter was a class act as a kid. and still is as an adult. he just needed discipline, structure, and self pride. i've coached and mentored some of the top kids in this area especially while at walsh hs with coach barger and donnie horning...but as a student walter took a back seat to no one. it is an honor being remembered as one who played a valuable role in his life.
