Luckett Davis
October 16, 1932 – December 1, 2022
Luckett Vanderford Davis, age 90, passed away December 1, 2022. He was born in Smyrna, Tennessee on October 16, 1932 to Warmuth L. and Florence Vanderford Davis. Luckett graduated from Smyrna High School in 1951, then received his B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University (1955), M.S. from Duke University (1958), and his Ph.D. from Duke University in 1962. He was an instructor in biology at Vanderbilt University from 1960-1961; Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1961-1963; Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of the Pacific, 1963-1964; Associate Professor of Biology at Winthrop University, 1964-1968; Professor of Biology at Winthrop University, 1968-1998; Chair of the Biology Department at Winthrop University, 1976-1998; and Emeritus Professor of Biology at Winthrop University since 1998. The honors he received are Society of Sigma XI, Duke University, 1959; Phi Beta Kappa, Duke University, 1962; Phi Kappa Phi, Winthrop University, 1964; Presidential Distinguished Service Award, Winthrop University, 1987; Phi Kappa Phi Teaching Award, 1972; and a Citation of Recognition for Exceptional Dedication and Service from Winthrop University for 34 years of service. His non-academic activities included membership in the Rock Hill Striders Running Club from 1979-2005, President of the Rock Hill Striders, and Director of the Great Pumpkin Road Race for many years; he ran in 407 road races during this time. He was a Charter Member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) and he researched and contributed biographical entries for American National Biography, published by Oxford University Press.
Luckett was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Wendell Davis and Donald A. Davis. He is survived by his nephews, Randall (Cheryl) Davis, Kent Davis; and niece, Suzanne (Tim) Swann.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made by check to the Luckett Davis Biology Endowment, Winthrop University Foundation, 302 Tillman Hall, Rock Hill, SC 29733 or online at www.winthrop.edu/give.
Luckett possessed an outstanding and extensive collection of boxing record books, magazines, newspapers, and extracted information from microfilm newspapers. In 2019 he donated his entire collection to Winthrop University. His collection spans from the 1860s through 2014 and consists of professional research on the history and statistical analysis of boxing. He wrote extensively on the sport and this collection contains his research and correspondence with boxers – as well as other researchers. The collection contains his research notes, his own published articles, as well as complete, or near complete runs, of boxing publications such as The Ring, Boxing Weekly, Boxing News, Fight Magazine, and many others – including international publications from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Finland, The Netherlands, and many more countries. The collection also holds 372 reels of microfilm containing newspapers from the late 1800s through the 1920s and 1930s, published both in the United States and abroad.
The link for the record of the Luckett Davis Boxing Collection is Luckett Davis Boxing Collection – Accession 1561. Any queries should be addressed to Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University, Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA. (Email: archives@winthrop.edu or telephone 803-323-2334.)