Chili Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chili Davis |
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Davis in 1983
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| Outfielder / Designated hitter | |||
| Born: January 17, 1960 Kingston, Jamaica |
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| debut | |||
| April 10, 1981, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1999, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .274 | ||
| Hits | 2,380 | ||
| Home runs | 350 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,372 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Charles Theodore "Chili" Davis was a professional baseball player from Jamaica and America. He was born on January 17, 1960. Chili played as an outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball (MLB). His career lasted from 1981 to 1999.
He played for several teams, including the San Francisco Giants, California Angels, Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, and New York Yankees. After his playing career, Chili Davis became a hitting coach. He coached for teams like the Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox. Chili was a switch-hitter, meaning he could bat from both the left and right sides of the plate. He threw the ball right-handed. He was also the first player born in Jamaica to play in an MLB game.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Chili Davis was born in Kingston, Jamaica. When he was 10, he moved to Los Angeles with his three brothers and sister. He went to Fremont High School before transferring to Susan Miller Dorsey High School in Los Angeles.
In high school, Chili played catcher and first base. Before he started playing in the minor leagues, he only hit right-handed. Later, he learned to hit from both sides, becoming a switch-hitter.
Playing in the Major Leagues
Chili Davis had a long 19-year career in MLB. He played in 2,436 games. During his career, he had a batting average of .274. He hit 350 home runs and had 1,372 RBI. These are impressive numbers for any baseball player.
Early Years with the Giants and Angels
Chili started his career as an outfielder with the San Francisco Giants. In his first full season in 1982, he hit 19 home runs. He also had 76 RBI and 24 stolen bases. He was a great fielder too, leading all National League outfielders in assists. In 1984, he had a high batting average of .315. He was chosen for the All-Star team twice with the Giants, in 1984 and 1986.
After seven seasons with the Giants, Chili signed with the California Angels in 1988. He continued to hit well there. In 1988, he hit 21 home runs and had 93 RBI. The next year, he hit 22 home runs and had 90 RBI. In 1990, he started playing more as a designated hitter (DH). This meant he focused on hitting and didn't play in the outfield as much.
World Series Wins with the Twins and Yankees
After joining the Minnesota Twins in 1991, Chili Davis became a full-time DH. His ability to switch-hit was very helpful for the Twins' lineup. He hit well from both sides of the plate. In 1991, he led the Twins in home runs (29) and RBI (93). He helped the Twins win the American League West title.
In the 1991 World Series, Chili hit two home runs. The Twins defeated the Atlanta Braves in an exciting seven-game series. This was Chili's first World Series championship. After a less productive year in 1992, he returned to the California Angels.
Chili had four strong years during his second time with the Angels. In 1993, he hit 27 home runs and had a career-high 112 RBI. He also hit .311 in 1994 and was an All-Star again. In 1997, he was traded to the Kansas City Royals. With the Royals, he hit a career-high 30 home runs.
Chili spent his last two seasons with the New York Yankees. He won two more World Series rings with them, in 1998 and 1999. This brought his total to three World Series championships. In his final season in 1999, he hit 19 home runs and had 78 RBI.
Amazing Moments on the Field
- On August 2, 1984, Chili Davis had a perfect game at the plate. He got four hits in four tries. His teammates only had three hits combined! The San Francisco Giants beat the Cincinnati Reds 5–2. Chili also hit a triple and drove in two runs.
- On September 15, 1987, Chili got ready for the playoffs with a fantastic game. He went 4-for-4 again, hitting two home runs and driving in four runs. He also scored four runs himself. The San Francisco Giants won 13–3 against the San Diego Padres.
Chili Davis finished his career with 350 home runs. This ranks him among the top switch-hitters in baseball history. He also hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same game eleven times. This was tied for the most all-time when he retired.
He mostly played in the outfield from 1981 to 1989. From 1990 onwards, he spent more time as a designated hitter. In 1993, he even pitched for two innings in one game! He didn't allow any runs or hits, but he did hit one batter. For his last five seasons, he was only a designated hitter.
Life After Playing: Coaching
After he stopped playing, Chili Davis became a hitting coach. He coached the Australian National Baseball team for three years. In 2010, the Los Angeles Dodgers hired him as a hitting coach for their instructional league.
He then joined the Pawtucket Red Sox as their hitting coach. In 2011, he became the hitting coach for the Oakland Athletics. In 2014, he moved to the Boston Red Sox as their hitting coach. He also coached for the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets. He was known for helping players improve their hitting skills.
Fun Facts About Chili Davis
Chili Davis spends his time with his wife, Ann, and their three sons in Arizona. He also has family in California. His sister, Olive, once organized a fundraising event. At this event, Chili pitched to help raise money for education.
His nickname "Chili" came from his childhood. His father gave him a very bad haircut. Other kids teased him, saying it looked like someone had put a "chili bowl" on his head and cut around it. The funny nickname stuck!
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
