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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Legend Wobble Davidson Passes Away
6/21/1999 | Football
May 26, 1998
OXFORD, Miss. -- J. W. "Wobble" Davidson, 79, one of the real legends in Ole Miss sports history who served as an assistant under three Rebel football coaches and is in two sports halls of fame, passed away suddenly here Monday in Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi.
Services will be Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at St. Peter's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Duncan Gray III officiating. Burial will be in St. Peter's Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 at the Davidson home. Waller Funeral Home is in charge.
The family has requested memorials may be sent to the J. W. "Wobble" Davidson Scholarship Fund at the University of Mississippi.
"It is not an exaggeration to recognize Wobble Davidson as a person who was universally loved, respected, and admired," said Ole Miss Chancellor Robert C. Khayat. "He was a counselor disciplinarian, father figure and friend to thousands of men and women.
"His contributions to Ole Miss are beyond measure and he joins the select group of truly legendary people who dedicated their lives to the University and service to others."
A native of Memphis, Tenn,, Davidson, who retired from Ole Miss in 1986 as an Administrative Aide, served as an assistant coach in 1942 under Harry Mehre before spending three years in the Marine Corps. He returned to Ole Miss in January, 1946, as end coach for one season under Red Drew and then continued as an assistant under John Vaught, a position he held through the 1968 season.
"Wobble was a man of strong character who was very much loved by all the boys," Vaught said. "He was a very valuable man in a responsible position, who did a great job. He was the disciplinarian of our team and they were certainly influenced by Wobble's guidance."
While at Ole Miss, Davidson was also M-Club advisor for 23 years and served 11 years as head tennis coach. He and his family lived in Miller Hall, then the Ole Miss athletic dorm. The M-Club Scholarship at Ole Miss is named in his honor.
He also served as a professional scout for the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers, and the San Francisco 49ers.
He was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1981, the Ole Miss Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame presented him with its Distinguished American Award.
Davidson was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, the Southeastern Conference Tennis Association, and the Intercollegiate Coaches Association.
A 1942 graduate of Ole Miss, Davidson earned four letters in football, three in track, and two in basketball for the Rebels. An outstanding lineman on three of Harry Mehre's greatest teams (7-2, 9-2, 6-2-1), Davidson was co-captain of the 1941 football squad. He also earned his Master's degree from Ole Miss.
Enlisting in the Marine Corps, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in May of 1943, and during his 36 months of duty served overseas in the Saipan and Tinian campaigns. He was a 1st Lieutenant when discharged in December of 1945.
Davidson was a member of the American Legion & Disabled American Veterans.
He is survived by his wife, the former Sara Simmons of Greenville, Miss.; two children, Don Davidson of Oxford and Debra Mashburn of Memphis; one son-in-law, Tim Mashburn; and two grandchildren, Timothy Mashburn and Sara Catherine (Kate) Mashburn. Wobble, Sara, Don, and Debra all attended Ole Miss.
