Willie Davis
Born: 4/15/1940 in Mineral Springs, AR, USA
Died: 3/9/2010 in Burbank, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1960-09-08 | Final Game: 1979-09-30
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: William Henry Davis
Biography
Willie Davis was a prominent Major League Baseball player whose career spanned from 1960 to 1979. Born in 1940, Davis established himself as a dynamic position player, known for his speed and powerful batting. Over the course of 2,429 games, he recorded 2,561 hits, a batting average of .279, and drove in 1,053 RBIs. His ability to steal bases was particularly notable, as he amassed a total of 398 stolen bases, showcasing his aggressive style of play that was characteristic of the era in which he competed.
Davis was selected as an All-Star twice during his career, reflecting his status as one of the top players of his time. His contributions were especially significant in the context of the 1960s and 1970s, an era marked by both offensive excitement and the evolving strategies of the game. With 182 home runs to his name, he was not only a threat on the base paths but also a consistent power hitter. Willie Davis remains a celebrated figure in baseball history, remembered for his impressive career achievements and his influence on the game during a dynamic period.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58.0 | 55.0 | 11.0 | 17.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.309 | 0.345 | 0.455 | 0.800 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | 58.0 | 55.0 | 11.0 | 17.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.309 | 0.345 | 0.455 | 0.800 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2429 | 9174 | 1217 | 2561 | 395 | 138 | 182 | 1053 | 398 | 418 | 977 | 0.279 | 0.311 | 0.412 | 0.723 | 5178.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | LAD | NL | 22 | 88 | 12 | 28 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 0.318 | 203.1 |
| 1961 | LAD | NL | 128 | 339 | 56 | 86 | 19 | 6 | 12 | 45 | 12 | 27 | 46 | 0.254 | 246.3 |
| 1962 | LAD | NL | 157 | 600 | 103 | 171 | 18 | 10 | 21 | 85 | 32 | 42 | 72 | 0.285 | 978.0 |
| 1963 | LAD | NL | 156 | 515 | 60 | 126 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 60 | 25 | 25 | 61 | 0.245 | -707.1 |
| 1964 | LAD | NL | 157 | 613 | 91 | 180 | 23 | 7 | 12 | 77 | 42 | 22 | 59 | 0.294 | 453.5 |
| 1965 | LAD | NL | 142 | 558 | 52 | 133 | 24 | 3 | 10 | 57 | 25 | 14 | 81 | 0.238 | -1366.9 |
| 1966 | LAD | NL | 153 | 624 | 74 | 177 | 31 | 6 | 11 | 61 | 21 | 15 | 68 | 0.284 | 146.9 |
| 1967 | LAD | NL | 143 | 569 | 65 | 146 | 27 | 9 | 6 | 41 | 20 | 29 | 65 | 0.257 | -207.4 |
| 1968 | LAD | NL | 160 | 643 | 86 | 161 | 24 | 10 | 7 | 31 | 36 | 31 | 88 | 0.250 | -293.0 |
| 1969 | LAD | NL | 129 | 498 | 66 | 155 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 59 | 24 | 33 | 39 | 0.311 | 1515.1 |
| 1970 | LAD | NL | 146 | 593 | 92 | 181 | 23 | 16 | 8 | 93 | 38 | 29 | 54 | 0.305 | 755.6 |
| 1971 | LAD | NL | 158 | 641 | 84 | 198 | 33 | 10 | 10 | 74 | 20 | 23 | 47 | 0.309 | 1245.8 |
| 1972 | LAD | NL | 149 | 615 | 81 | 178 | 22 | 7 | 19 | 79 | 20 | 27 | 61 | 0.289 | 1296.7 |
| 1973 | LAD | NL | 152 | 599 | 82 | 171 | 29 | 9 | 16 | 77 | 17 | 29 | 62 | 0.285 | 730.5 |
| 1974 | WSN | NL | 153 | 611 | 86 | 180 | 27 | 9 | 12 | 89 | 25 | 27 | 69 | 0.295 | 633.1 |
| 1975 | STL | NL | 98 | 350 | 41 | 102 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 50 | 10 | 14 | 27 | 0.291 | 241.5 |
| 1975 | TEX | AL | 42 | 169 | 16 | 42 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 25 | 0.249 | 241.5 |
| 1976 | SDP | NL | 141 | 493 | 61 | 132 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 46 | 14 | 19 | 34 | 0.268 | -382.2 |
| 1979 | LAA | AL | 43 | 56 | 9 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 0.250 | -141.4 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 56 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0.179 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | ALCS | CAL | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 |
| 1966 | WS | LAN | 4 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.062 |
| 1965 | WS | LAN | 7 | 26 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.231 |
| 1963 | WS | LAN | 4 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0.167 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 2323 | 2219 | 5449 | 143 | 127 | 23 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | LAN | OF | 22 | 21 | 52 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | LAN | OF | 114 | 84 | 224 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| 1962 | LAN | OF | 156 | 152 | 379 | 13 | 15 | 0 |
| 1963 | LAN | OF | 153 | 139 | 337 | 16 | 8 | 3 |
| 1964 | LAN | OF | 155 | 152 | 400 | 16 | 7 | 2 |
| 1965 | LAN | OF | 141 | 136 | 318 | 6 | 11 | 1 |
| 1966 | LAN | OF | 152 | 150 | 347 | 9 | 11 | 0 |
| 1967 | LAN | OF | 138 | 135 | 300 | 6 | 9 | 2 |
| 1968 | LAN | OF | 158 | 157 | 345 | 9 | 10 | 2 |
| 1969 | LAN | OF | 125 | 122 | 271 | 8 | 6 | 1 |
| 1970 | LAN | OF | 143 | 139 | 342 | 12 | 3 | 4 |
| 1971 | LAN | OF | 157 | 153 | 404 | 7 | 8 | 0 |
| 1972 | LAN | OF | 146 | 146 | 373 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| 1973 | LAN | OF | 146 | 145 | 344 | 6 | 7 | 0 |
| 1974 | MON | OF | 151 | 144 | 369 | 8 | 12 | 1 |
| 1975 | SLN | OF | 89 | 81 | 187 | 5 | 6 | 2 |
| 1975 | TEX | OF | 42 | 39 | 100 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1976 | SDN | OF | 128 | 121 | 349 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| 1979 | CAL | OF | 7 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 12 |
| Center Field | 2239 |
| Right Field | 79 |
| Designated Hitter | 8 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1973 | Player of the Week | Week of 1973-07-13 |
| 1972 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1971 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1971 | TSN All-Star | OF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 16th | 12.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1971 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 16th | 13.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1969 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 21th | 7.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1966 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 28th | 1.0 | 280 | 0 |