Walter Francis "Buddy" Davis was an American athlete. After winning a gold medal in the high jump at the 1952 Olympics he became a professional basketball player. Walt Davis (United States) set the men's high jump world record of 2.12 m in Dayton, Ohio on June 27, 1953. It stood 3 years, until Charles Dumas's 2.15 m on June 29, 1956. Wiki link