Willie Davis (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Willie Davis |
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: April 15, 1940 Mineral Springs, Arkansas |
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| Died: March 9, 2010 (aged 69) Burbank, California |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: September 8, 1960, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| NPB: April 2, 1977, for the Chunichi Dragons | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: September 30, 1979, for the California Angels | |||
| NPB: September 30, 1978, for the Crown Lighter Lions | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .279 | ||
| Hits | 2,561 | ||
| Home runs | 182 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,053 | ||
| Stolen bases | 398 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .297 | ||
| Home runs | 43 | ||
| Runs batted in | 132 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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William Henry Davis (born April 15, 1940 – died March 9, 2010) was an amazing American baseball player. He played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) and in Japan from 1960 to 1979. He was a key player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, helping them win two World Series championships and three National League titles between 1963 and 1966.
Willie Davis was super fast and agile, both in the outfield and when running the bases. He won three Gold Glove Awards for his excellent fielding. He was also picked for the National League (NL) All-Star team twice. After playing for the Dodgers, he also played for the Montreal Expos, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Diego Padres. He then spent two seasons playing in Japan before returning to MLB for one final season with the California Angels in 1979.
When he retired in 1979, Willie Davis had collected 2,561 hits in his 18-year career. He was known for his speed, stealing 398 bases. He also led the NL in triples twice. He holds many Los Angeles Dodgers records, including career hits (2,091) and triples (110). His amazing 31-game hitting streak in 1969 is still a Dodgers team record today!
Contents
Willie Davis's Baseball Journey
Early Life and High School Sports
As a young boy, Willie Davis moved to Los Angeles. There, he became a star in three sports at Theodore Roosevelt High School. He was excellent at baseball, basketball, and track and field. He was incredibly fast, running the 100-yard dash in 9.5 seconds. He also set a city record in the long jump. A Dodgers scout named Kenny Myers discovered him. Willie signed with the team right after high school in 1958.
Starting with the Dodgers
Willie Davis played his first game with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1960. The next year, he took over as the center fielder from a famous player named Duke Snider. Willie stayed in that position for 13 years. Many thought he was one of the fastest baseball players in the 1960s.
He stole 20 or more bases for eleven years in a row. His best year was 1964 when he stole 42 bases! With teammate Maury Wills, Willie's speed helped the Dodgers' offense a lot. In 1962, their speed helped teammate Tommy Davis get a record 153 runs batted in (RBI). Willie Davis and Maury Wills were a big reason the Dodgers won National League titles in 1963, 1965, and 1966.
Key Seasons and World Series Wins
In 1962, Davis had a batting average of .285. He also had 85 RBIs, 21 home runs, 103 runs, and 171 hits. That same year, Davis and Wills set a National League record for stolen bases by two teammates, with 136 total. This was the first of two seasons that Willie led the National League in triples.
Willie Davis was part of two World Series championship teams, in 1963 and 1965. In the 1963 World Series, he hit a two-run double that won Game 2. In Game 4, which clinched the World Series, his sacrifice fly brought in the winning run. In the 1965 World Series, Davis set a record by stealing three bases in one game.
A Tough World Series Moment
In Game Two of the 1966 World Series, Willie Davis had a difficult moment. He made three errors on two plays in the fifth inning. First, he lost a fly ball in the sun, which led to a two-base error. Then, he dropped another fly ball and threw it over third base. This allowed two opposing players to score. After the game, he explained, "Even when you can't see the ball you have to take a stab at it." The Dodgers lost that World Series. However, in Game Four, Davis made an amazing leaping catch at the center field fence, stopping a home run.
Hitting Streaks and Awards
Willie Davis had his best batting average of .311 in 1969. His 31-game hitting streak that year was incredible. It was the longest in Major League Baseball since 1949. This streak broke the Dodgers' previous record of 29 games. When he tied the record, the team's message board showed a telegram from the old record holder, Zack Wheat, congratulating him. Willie was named the NL Player of the Month for August because he batted an amazing .459 during that time.
In 1970, Davis batted .305 and had a career-high 16 triples. He led all major league players in triples that year. In 1971, he batted .309, making it his third straight season batting over .300. He was chosen for his first All-Star team in 1971. He also won his first of three Gold Glove Awards that year.
Willie Davis won three Gold Glove awards in a row, from 1971 to 1973. He was the first left-handed throwing outfielder in the National League to win this award. He was known for his excellent fielding. He led NL outfielders in putouts twice and center fielders in assists twice. He also led center fielders in fielding percentage twice.
In his two All-Star games (1971 and 1973), he was perfect, getting three hits in three tries. One of those hits was a home run off the famous pitcher Nolan Ryan.
Later Career and Retirement
After 13 years with the Dodgers, Willie Davis was traded to the Montreal Expos in 1973. He had a great season with the Expos, leading the team in hits, runs, doubles, triples, and RBIs. He was then traded to the Texas Rangers and later to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975. In 1976, he played for the San Diego Padres.
After his time in MLB, he spent two years playing baseball in Japan for the Chunichi Dragons and Crown Lighter Lions. He returned to MLB for his final season with the California Angels in 1979. He retired from baseball after playing in the Mexican League in 1980.
Over his 18-year career, Willie Davis had a .279 batting average. He hit 182 home runs and had 1,053 RBIs. He also collected 2,561 hits and stole 398 bases. His 2,237 games played in center field rank among the top players in baseball history.
Life After Baseball
Willie Davis married Jeanna LemYou in 1963. He adopted her son, Gregory. They also had two daughters, Kimberly and Jennifer, before they divorced in 1975. Willie later had another son, Shonan, with his second wife, Amy.
Willie Davis appeared in several TV shows, including Mr. Ed, The Flying Nun, and Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law. He also co-starred in the 1970 comedy movie Which Way to the Front? In one episode of Bewitched, a character mentions that Willie Davis hit a grand slam, even though he didn't in the real game that day!
Willie Davis passed away in his home in Burbank, California, on March 9, 2010. He was 69 years old. He was voted the 21st-greatest Arkansas sports figure by Sports Illustrated.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
