Bill Davis
Born: 6/6/1942 in Graceville, MN, USA
Died: 1/13/2023 in Edina, MN, USA
MLB Debut: 1965-09-16 | Final Game: 1969-05-21
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'7" | Weight: 215 lbs
Full name: Arthur Willard Davis
Biography
Bill Davis, born in 1942, was a professional baseball player who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1969. Over the course of his career, Davis appeared in 64 games, showcasing his talents primarily in the outfield. His time in the league coincided with a transformative period in baseball history, marked by the integration of players and the evolution of offensive strategies.
Davis finished his career with a batting average of .181, accumulating 19 hits, including one home run and five runs batted in. Despite his limited offensive production, his contributions to the game extended beyond the numbers. He was part of a generation that navigated the transition from the more conservative playing styles of the earlier decades to the more dynamic approaches that would come to define the sport in the years following his retirement. Davis's career may not have been marked by overwhelming statistics, but his participation in this pivotal era of baseball left a lasting impact on the teams he played for and the fans who followed him.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.0 | 7.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.286 | 0.375 | 0.286 | 0.661 |
Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 18.0 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.64 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1945 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.286 | 0.375 | 0.286 | 0.661 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Pitching
| Season | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1945 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 15.0 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.69 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 105 | 3 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 28 | 0.181 | 0.281 | 0.238 | 0.519 | -248.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | CLE | AL | 10 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.300 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | CLE | AL | 23 | 38 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0.158 | 0.0 |
| 1969 | SDP | NL | 31 | 57 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 18 | 0.175 | -248.8 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 23 | 21 | 161 | 10 | 2 | 17 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | CLE | 1B | 9 | 8 | 47 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 1969 | SDN | 1B | 14 | 13 | 114 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 23 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota | Minneapolis | MN | 1962, 1963, 1964 |