Shortstop, Chicago White Sox
Age: 35 (Aug. 23)
3rd season
with White Sox
Bats – Both,
Throws – Right
Height: 5’9” Weight: 180
Prior to 1905:
A native of Cohoes, New York, Davis was playing for tavern-sponsored baseball teams by age 15 in 1886. Already a switch-hitter, he was with a semipro team in Albany in 1889. With a player shortage in the NL due to competition from the Players League in 1890, Davis joined the Cleveland Spiders and appeared primarily in the outfield where he accounted for 35 assists while batting .264 with 22 doubles, 9 triples, 6 home runs, 73 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, a .336 on-base percentage, and a .375 slugging percentage. In 1891 he hit .289 with 35 doubles, 12 triples, 3 home runs, 89 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, a .354 OBP, and a .409 slugging percentage, while striking out only 29 times. A good and versatile defensive player, he was again primarily used in the outfield as well as at third base, and on three occasions as a pitcher (with bad results). In 1892 his batting average dropped to .241, but with 27 doubles, 12 triples, 5 home runs, 82 RBIs, 36 stolen bases, and a .312 OBP helped by drawing 58 walks. In 1893 Davis was traded to the New York Giants for star catcher/first baseman Buck Ewing, where he was installed at third base and batted .355 with 22 doubles, 27 triples, 11 home runs, 119 RBIs, 37 stolen bases, a .410 OBP, and a .554 slugging percentage. Along the way he set a short-lived league record with a 33-game hitting streak. He became a fan favorite and was mentored by manager Monte Ward, with whom he bore a physical resemblance once he grew a handlebar mustache. 1894 was another strong season in which Davis hit .352 with 27 doubles, 19 triples, 9 home runs, 93 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, a .434 OBP, and a .541 slugging percentage. With the purchase of the Giants by Andrew Freedman in 1895, Ward stepped down as manager and the intelligent and articulate Davis became his successor at age 24, making him the NL’s youngest manager at the time. The club got off to a 16-17 start when Davis was relieved of his managerial duties. With Freedman refusing to give him his requested release, Davis stayed on as a player and batted .340 with 36 doubles, 9 triples, 5 home runs, 101 RBIs, 48 stolen bases, a .417 OBP, and a .500 slugging percentage. Moved to shortstop during the 1896 season, Davis continued to thrive while the Giants, under the abrasive and miserly Freedman floundered. He hit .320 with 25 doubles, 12 triples, 5 home runs, 99 RBIs, 48 stolen bases, a .387 OBP, and a .449 slugging percentage. In 1897 Davis topped the NL with 135 RBIs while batting .353 with 31 doubles, 10 triples, 10 home runs, 65 stolen bases, a .410 OBP, and a .509 slugging percentage. Playing at shortstop for the full year, he excelled, leading NL shortstops in putouts (339) and double plays (67). His excellent range and throwing ability were on full display at his new position. In 1898 Davis hit .307 with 20 doubles, 5 triples, 2 home runs, 86 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, a .351 OBP, and a .381 slugging percentage. His fielding remained solid at shortstop. Bothered by injuries in 1899 “Gorgeous George” batted .337 with 28 extra-base hits (22 of them doubles), 59 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, a .394 OBP, and a .420 slugging percentage. Named team captain in 1900, he again became player/manager after the club got off to a dreadful start on the way to a last-place finish. Davis was once again a productive hitter and proficient fielder. The Giants again performed poorly in 1901 although Davis batted .301 with a .356 OBP and .426 slugging percentage. He jumped to the AL’s White Sox in 1902 in which Davis hit .299 with 27 doubles, 7 triples, 3 home runs, 93 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, a .386 OBP, and a .402 slugging percentage. In the offseason the Giants, now managed by John McGraw, got his signature on a two-year contract in a deal that threatened the nascent peace agreement between the NL and AL. In a case that ended up in federal court, White Sox owner Charles Comiskey managed to get an injunction that forced Davis to play for his team. He ended up appearing in only four games for the Giants and didn’t play at all for the White Sox. Returning to the White Sox in 1904, his batting production declined to .252 with 27 doubles, 15 triples, one home run, 69 RBIs, 32 stolen bases, a .311 OBP, and a .359 slugging percentage.
1905 Season Summary
Appeared in 151
games
SS – 151
[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]
Batting
Plate Appearances
– 654 [6, tied with Jesse Burkett & Willie Keeler]
At Bats – 550 [15]
Runs – 74 [8]
Hits – 153 [11,
tied with Jiggs Donahue]
Doubles – 29 [8,
tied with Lave Cross & Elmer Flick]
Triples – 1
Home Runs – 1
RBI – 55 [17]
Bases on Balls
– 60 [5]
Int. BB – N/A
Strikeouts – 66
[13]
Stolen Bases – 31
[9, tied with John Anderson]
Caught Stealing
– N/A
Average - .278 [10]
OBP - .353 [6]
Slugging Pct. -
.340
Total Bases – 187
[17]
GDP – N/A
Hit by Pitches
– 4
Sac Hits – 40 [2]
Sac Flies – N/A
Midseason
snapshot: 2B – 16, HR - 0, RBI - 29, SB – 19, AVG - .280, OBP – .367
---
Most hits, game
– 4 (in 4 AB) at Washington 6/14
Longest hitting
streak – 14 games
Most HR, game –
1 (in 3 AB) at St. Louis Browns 10/7
HR at home – 0
HR on road – 1
Multi-HR games
– 0
Most RBIs, game
– 3 at Detroit 7/7
Pinch-hitting –
No appearances
Fielding
Chances – 877
Put Outs – 330
Assists – 501
Errors – 46
DP – 56
Pct. – .948
---
The White Sox
went 92-60 to finish second in the AL, 2 games behind the pennant-winning
Philadelphia Athletics while leading the league in fewest home runs (11). A
strong start boosted the White Sox into contention, and they spent several days
in first during May on their way to a 44-27 first half record. In second and
occasionally first during July, they settled into a close second in late
September, with a 2-2 October trip against the St. Louis Browns sealing their
fate.
Aftermath of 1905:
The White Sox won the AL pennant in 1906 despite being the league’s lightest-hitting club. Davis contributed to “the Hitless Wonders” by batting .277 with 26 doubles, 6 triples, 80 RBIs, 27 stolen bases, a .338 OBP, and a .355 slugging percentage. On a club that prospered on pitching and defense, Davis was a key player. Illness caused him to miss the first three games of the World Series against the highly-favored cross-town Cubs, but in the three games he appeared in he hit .308 with 3 doubles, 4 runs scored, and 6 RBIs as the White Sox won in six games. Davis’ performance dropped off in 1907 and ’08 due to age and injuries, and after appearing in only 28 games in 1909 he was given his release, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career, he batted .295 with 2665 hits that included 453 doubles, 163 triples, and 73 home runs. He scored 1545 runs and compiled 1440 RBIs, 619 stolen bases, a .362 OBP, and a .405 slugging percentage. With the White Sox he batted .259 with 785 hits, 393 runs scored, 140 doubles, 32 triples, 6 home runs, 377 RBIs, 162 stolen bases, a .333 OBP, and a .332 slugging percentage. Following his playing career, Davis operated a bowling alley (he was apparently an excellent bowler), managed a minor league team, scouted for the New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns, and coached at Amherst College. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998, 58 years after his death in 1940 at age 70.
---
Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league
in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum
of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who
led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a
minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between
the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc.
players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the
postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.
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