Red Davis was born November 14, 1907, in Franks, OH, and attended Willard High School, where he was an all-around athlete in baseball, basketball, football, and track. Red led the basketball team in scoring his junior and senior years and graduated as the second leading all-time scorer in basketball at Willard High School.

In 1926, Red entered Geneva College. At the helm of the 1929 Covenanters football team, Red proved himself a capable leader. The captain his junior and senior years, Red earned four varsity letters in football and played defense and offense. Red was rated one of the best tackles in the district and was able to shift positions to the backfield toward the end of his senior season to help replace two injured halfbacks.

Upon graduation from Geneva, Red signed with the NFL's Portsmouth Spartans (nka the Detroit Lions). He was sent to the Philadelphia Eagles and became a member of the first Philadelphia Eagles team in 1933. The Eagles played nine games that year, with Red appearing and starting in seven games. On November 12, 1933, the Eagles played their first Sunday game, against the NFL champion Chicago Bears, ending in a 3-3 tie. Red was in the starting lineup for the Eagles and played against Pro Football Hall of Famers Bronko Nagurski and "Galloping Ghost" Red Grange.

On November 19, 1933, in Philadelphia at the Baker Bowl, the Eagles defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates (nka the Pittsburgh Steelers) 25-6 in front of 6,000 fans. On the field that game with Red were three other Beaver County Sports Hall of Famers: Forrest Douds coached the Pirates, and Sam Cooper and Franklin Hood were on the roster for the Pirates.

The Eagles played the Green Bay Packers twice during the 1933 season. The Packers were led by Curly Lambeau, with Beaver County Sports Hall of Famer Cal Hubbard on the roster. In Red's final professional game, on December 10, 1933, in the Baker Bowl in Philadelphia, the New York Giants beat the Eagles 20-14. Red threw a 54-yard touchdown pass and kicked two extra points in a losing effort against the Giants. In his NFL career, Red rushed for 57 yards on 15 attempts with a touchdown, caught 4 passes for 50 yards, completed 2 of 6 passes with a touchdown, and kicked 3 extra points.

In 1995, Red was inducted into the Willard High School Hall of Fame. Red was also inducted into the Geneva College Athletics Hall of Fame as part of its 2020 Legacy Hall of Fame Class.

Sylvester Edward "Red" Davis died August 5, 1988, at age 80, in Garden Grove, CA.