2023 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 9
BY SENATORS BERNARD AND BOUDREAUX
A RESOLUTION
To commend Walter Davis on being inducted into the 2023 class of the Louisiana Sports
Hall of Fame.
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches, Louisiana, each year
collaborates with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association in selecting a limited number of
sports figures who embody the character, skill, and talent worthy of being named to the Hall
of Fame; and
WHEREAS, the 2023 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class includes
Walter Davis; and
WHEREAS, a native of Arnaudville, Louisiana, and a graduate of Beau Chene High
School, Walter Davis did not start out as a track and field athlete; in fact he was an all-state
basketball player who decided to try track his junior year of high school; and
WHEREAS, Walter Davis began his collegiate career at Barton County Community
College in Great Bend, Kansas, and in 1999 and 2000, he competed in the National Junior
College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships, and
became the 2000 NJCAA Outdoor Triple Jump Champion and the 2000 NJCAA Outdoor
Long Jump Champion; and
WHEREAS, Walter had a short but highly productive career at Louisiana State
University (LSU) from 2001 to 2002 after transferring from Barton County Community
College; and
WHEREAS, although he only spent two seasons at LSU, Walter Davis is the most
decorated man in LSU track history; he is a six-time national champion, a nine-time
All-American, a seven-time Southeastern Conference (SEC) champion, holds three LSU
school records, and a perfect record of 17-0 in triple jump competitions during his LSU
collegiate career; and
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WHEREAS, at the 2001 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Indoor
Track and Field Championships, Walter placed first in the triple jump and second in the long
jump, scoring 18 of LSU's 34 points in a one-point win over Texas Christian University and
helping the team win its first NCAA Indoor crown; and
WHEREAS, a year later at the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
held in Baton Rouge, Walter claimed both the triple jump and long jump titles, ran the
lead-off leg in the winning 4 by 100 relay, and scored twenty-two and a half percent of his
team's points, helping LSU win its second national title; and
WHEREAS, after winning the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National
Championship, the LSU men's track and field team received an invitation to visit the White
House; during the visit, Walter Davis presented President George H. W. Bush with an LSU
warm-up suit; and
WHEREAS, in 2000, having qualified for both the triple jump and the long jump,
Walter represented the United States of America (USA) at the 2000 Olympic Games held
in Sydney, Australia, and finished 11th in the triple jump; and
WHEREAS, in 2004, Walter represented the USA at the 2004 Olympic Games held
in Athens, Greece, competing in both the long jump and the triple jump; and
WHEREAS, also in 2004, Walter Davis was inducted into the Barton County
Community College Sports Hall of Fame; Walter is Barton County Community College's
first Olympian in any sport and the school record-holder for both the long jump and the triple
jump; and
WHEREAS, Walter Davis represented the USA at the World Indoor and Outdoor
Track and Field Championships a combination of eight times; and
WHEREAS, Walter Davis is the 2005 World Outdoor Triple Jump Champion, the
2006 World Indoor Triple Jump Champion, the 2003 World Indoor Triple Jump Silver
Medalist, and the 2007 World Outdoor Triple Jump Bronze Medalist; and
WHEREAS, in 2012, at the age of 33, Davis once again qualified for the USA
Olympic team; and
WHEREAS, Walter Davis was inducted into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame in
September 2019.
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend Walter Davis on being inducted into the 2023 class of the Louisiana
Sports Hall of Fame.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Walter Davis.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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