Willie Davis (baseball)
Encyclopedia
William Henry Davis was a center fielder
in Major League Baseball
who played most of his career for the Los Angeles Dodgers
. At the end of his career he ranked seventh in major league history in putout
s (5449) and total chances
(5719) in the outfield, and third in games in center field (2237); he was also ninth in National League
history in total outfield games (2274), and won Gold Glove Award
s from 1971 to 1973. He had thirteen seasons of 20 or more stolen base
s, led the NL in triples
twice, and retired with the fourth most triples (138) by any major leaguer since 1945. He holds Los Angeles club records (1958–present) for career hits
(2091), runs
(1004), triples (110), at bat
s (7495), total bases
(3094) and extra base hit
s (585). His 31-game hitting streak
in remains the longest by a Dodger. At one point during the streak, when the team was playing at home, the big message board at Dodger Stadium
quoted a message from a telegram sent to Davis and the team from Zack Wheat
, the team's former record holder, at his home in Missouri
.
, California
, where he was a three-sport standout in baseball
, basketball
, and track & field at Theodore Roosevelt High School
. He once ran a 9.5-second 100-yard dash, and set a city record in the long jump
of 25 feet 5 inches (7.75 m). Discovered by the Dodgers scout
, Kenny Myers, Davis signed with the ballclub upon graduating from Roosevelt in 1958. While playing for Reno, he scored from first base on a single
nine times in one season.
Davis played his first game with the Los Angeles Dodgers in . The following season he replaced the former All-Star Duke Snider
in center field, where Davis stayed for 13 years. Widely considered to be one of the fastest baseball players of the 1960s, Davis had 20 or more stolen base
s in eleven consecutive seasons. Davis's career-high in stolen bases was 42 in . Along with Maury Wills
, Davis put a lot of footspeed at the top of Dodgers' lineup
, and this helped them to either win or tie for the National League lead at the ends of the baseball seasons of 1962, '63, '65, and '66. Also, in 1962, these two players "set the plate" for their teammate Tommy Davis
to lead the National League with 153 runs batted in (RBI) -- the only time that a Los Angeles Dodger has ever accumulated 150 or more RBI in one baseball season.
In , Davis batted
0.285 with 85 runs batted in
, and he posted career highs in home run
s (21), runs (103), and hits (171). In that same season, Davis and Wills set an National League record for stolen bases by two teammates in season with 136 (Wills with 104 and Davis with 32).
Davis batted a career-high 0.311 in . His hitting streak that year, from August 1 to September 3, was the longest one in the major leagues since Dom DiMaggio
hit in 34 straight games in , and it broke Zack Wheat
's franchise record of 29, set in . In , Davis batted .305, and he had another hitting streak of 25 games in , ending with a 0.309 batting average and in double figures in double
s, 33; triples, 10;, home runs, 10; and stolen bases, 20. Davis also led the NL in triples in 1962 and 1970.
Davis was selected for the National League All-Star
teams in 1971 and in 1973, batting a combined 3-for-3, with a home run off the pitcher Nolan Ryan
. Davis won a Gold Glove each year from 1971 to 1973. In the 1965 World Series
, Davis set a record (since broken) of three stolen bases (including one during which he stumbled and fell, the pitcher hesitated throwing to first base, and Davis literally crawled into second base safely) in a single game. He led the league in put-outs twice, but also twice led the league in errors
. Unfortunately for him, Davis committed an all-time World Series record of three errors on just two consecutive plays in the fifth inning of Game Two of the 1966 World Series
(in the final game of Sandy Koufax
's great pitching career), first by losing a fly ball in the sun, then by dropping the next fly ball and overthrowing third base. When questioned after the game, he said, "It's not my wife; it's not my life. It's just a game."
After season, Davia was traded to the Montreal Expos
for the pitcher Mike Marshall. Davis batted 0.295 for Montreal before being traded to the Texas Rangers
in December 1974. Davis batted just 0.249 for the Rangers in 42 games in 1975 before finishing the season with the St. Louis Cardinals
, batting 0.291. In 1976 he batted 0.268 for the San Diego Padres
, and then he spent two years in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons
and Crown Lighter Lions
.
in , and made two pinch hitting appearances in the American League Championship Series
before retiring. In an 18-season career, Davis accumulated a 0.279 batting average with 182 home runs and 1053 RBI in 2429 games played
. He also collected 2561 hits and 398 stolen bases. His total of 2237 games in center field ranks behind only Willie Mays
(2827) and Tris Speaker
(2690) in major league history. In addition to the Los Angeles records he retains, his club mark of 1952 games was surpassed by Bill Russell
in ; Steve Garvey
broke his records of 849 RBI and 321 doubles in and respectively. Garvey and Ron Cey
passed his Los Angeles club record of 154 home runs in 1979; Davis' record for left-handed hitters was broken by Shawn Green
in .
Willie also appeared in several TV programs, including Mr. Ed, The Flying Nun
, and Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
. He also was a co-star of the Jerry Lewis
comedy film from 1970, Which Way to the Front?
. In a 1969 episode of Bewitched
Samantha, attending a game at Shea Stadium
to see the New York Mets
host the Dodgers, remarks "Willie Davis just hit a grand slam!" The episode was filmed August 22, 1969, a date when the Mets coincidentally beat the Dodgers at Shea. In reality, Davis went 2 for 4 in the game, but did not hit a grand slam.
Davis was found dead in his home in Burbank, California
on March 9, 2010, by a neighbor who sometimes brought him breakfast. Initial indications show that he most likely died of natural causes. Davis is survived by his two sons, Gregory and Casey, and two daughters, Kimberly and Jennifer.
Willie Davis an Arkansas native was voted #21 greatest Arkansas Sports Figure by Sports Illustrated. The list had the football player with the same name of the Packers listed, but he never even lived in Arkansas, this was a mistake and it was supposed to be William Henry Davis of baseball.
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played most of his career for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. At the end of his career he ranked seventh in major league history in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s (5449) and total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
(5719) in the outfield, and third in games in center field (2237); he was also ninth in National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
history in total outfield games (2274), and won Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
s from 1971 to 1973. He had thirteen seasons of 20 or more stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s, led the NL in triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
twice, and retired with the fourth most triples (138) by any major leaguer since 1945. He holds Los Angeles club records (1958–present) for career hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(2091), runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(1004), triples (110), at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s (7495), total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
(3094) and extra base hit
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
s (585). His 31-game hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
in remains the longest by a Dodger. At one point during the streak, when the team was playing at home, the big message board at Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
quoted a message from a telegram sent to Davis and the team from Zack Wheat
Zack Wheat
Wheat played his first full season in . He played every game for the Superbas that season as the regular left fielder, leading the league in games played. He batted .284 that season, the second-lowest average of his career, which led the team, and was among the league leaders in hits, doubles, and...
, the team's former record holder, at his home in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
Career
As a youngster, Davis moved to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he was a three-sport standout in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and track & field at Theodore Roosevelt High School
Theodore Roosevelt High School (Los Angeles)
See also Roosevelt High School for schools of the same nameTheodore Roosevelt High School is a high school located in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles, California named for the 26th president of the United States....
. He once ran a 9.5-second 100-yard dash, and set a city record in the long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
of 25 feet 5 inches (7.75 m). Discovered by the Dodgers scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
, Kenny Myers, Davis signed with the ballclub upon graduating from Roosevelt in 1958. While playing for Reno, he scored from first base on a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
nine times in one season.
Davis played his first game with the Los Angeles Dodgers in . The following season he replaced the former All-Star Duke Snider
Duke Snider
Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider , nicknamed "The Silver Fox" and "The Duke of Flatbush", was a Major League Baseball center fielder and left-handed batter who played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Mets , and San Francisco Giants .Snider was elected to the National Baseball Hall of...
in center field, where Davis stayed for 13 years. Widely considered to be one of the fastest baseball players of the 1960s, Davis had 20 or more stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in eleven consecutive seasons. Davis's career-high in stolen bases was 42 in . Along with Maury Wills
Maury Wills
Maurice Morning "Maury" Wills is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and switch-hitting batter who played most prominently with the Los Angeles Dodgers , and also with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos...
, Davis put a lot of footspeed at the top of Dodgers' lineup
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
, and this helped them to either win or tie for the National League lead at the ends of the baseball seasons of 1962, '63, '65, and '66. Also, in 1962, these two players "set the plate" for their teammate Tommy Davis
Tommy Davis
Herman Thomas Davis, Jr. is an American former Major League Baseball left fielder and third baseman. He played from 1959-1976 for ten different teams, but he is best known for his years with the Los Angeles Dodgers. During an 18-year baseball career, Davis batted .294 with 153 home runs, 2,121...
to lead the National League with 153 runs batted in (RBI) -- the only time that a Los Angeles Dodger has ever accumulated 150 or more RBI in one baseball season.
In , Davis batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
0.285 with 85 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, and he posted career highs in home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s (21), runs (103), and hits (171). In that same season, Davis and Wills set an National League record for stolen bases by two teammates in season with 136 (Wills with 104 and Davis with 32).
Davis batted a career-high 0.311 in . His hitting streak that year, from August 1 to September 3, was the longest one in the major leagues since Dom DiMaggio
Dom DiMaggio
Dominic Paul DiMaggio , nicknamed "The Little Professor", was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 11-year baseball career for the Boston Red Sox...
hit in 34 straight games in , and it broke Zack Wheat
Zack Wheat
Wheat played his first full season in . He played every game for the Superbas that season as the regular left fielder, leading the league in games played. He batted .284 that season, the second-lowest average of his career, which led the team, and was among the league leaders in hits, doubles, and...
's franchise record of 29, set in . In , Davis batted .305, and he had another hitting streak of 25 games in , ending with a 0.309 batting average and in double figures in double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s, 33; triples, 10;, home runs, 10; and stolen bases, 20. Davis also led the NL in triples in 1962 and 1970.
Davis was selected for the National League All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
teams in 1971 and in 1973, batting a combined 3-for-3, with a home run off the pitcher Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
. Davis won a Gold Glove each year from 1971 to 1973. In the 1965 World Series
1965 World Series
The 1965 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers against the American League champion Minnesota Twins, who had won their first pennant since 1933 when the team was known as the Washington Senators...
, Davis set a record (since broken) of three stolen bases (including one during which he stumbled and fell, the pitcher hesitated throwing to first base, and Davis literally crawled into second base safely) in a single game. He led the league in put-outs twice, but also twice led the league in errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
. Unfortunately for him, Davis committed an all-time World Series record of three errors on just two consecutive plays in the fifth inning of Game Two of the 1966 World Series
1966 World Series
The 1966 World Series matched the Baltimore Orioles against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Orioles sweeping the Series in four games to capture their first championship in franchise history...
(in the final game of Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
's great pitching career), first by losing a fly ball in the sun, then by dropping the next fly ball and overthrowing third base. When questioned after the game, he said, "It's not my wife; it's not my life. It's just a game."
After season, Davia was traded to the Montreal Expos
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
for the pitcher Mike Marshall. Davis batted 0.295 for Montreal before being traded to the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in December 1974. Davis batted just 0.249 for the Rangers in 42 games in 1975 before finishing the season with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, batting 0.291. In 1976 he batted 0.268 for the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, and then he spent two years in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons
Chunichi Dragons
The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:...
and Crown Lighter Lions
Seibu Lions
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based west of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Prince Hotels, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Group...
.
Finishing up with baseball and moving on
A convert to Buddhism, Davis constantly fingered his prayer beads and chanted before games. He played his final major league season with the California AngelsLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in , and made two pinch hitting appearances in the American League Championship Series
1979 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 3, 1979 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandGame 1 was a match-up of Nolan Ryan in his final season with the Angels, and Jim Palmer for the Orioles. The Angels jumped out to the early lead when Dan Ford homered in the top of the first. The Angels extended the lead...
before retiring. In an 18-season career, Davis accumulated a 0.279 batting average with 182 home runs and 1053 RBI in 2429 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. He also collected 2561 hits and 398 stolen bases. His total of 2237 games in center field ranks behind only Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
(2827) and Tris Speaker
Tris Speaker
Tristram E. Speaker , nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 , and still holds the record of 792 career doubles...
(2690) in major league history. In addition to the Los Angeles records he retains, his club mark of 1952 games was surpassed by Bill Russell
Bill Russell (baseball)
William Ellis Russell is a former shortstop, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. Russell played his entire 18-year, 2,181-game career with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the starting shortstop for four National League pennant winners and one World Series champion...
in ; Steve Garvey
Steve Garvey
Steven Patrick Garvey , nicknamed "Mr. Clean" because of the squeaky clean image he held throughout his career in baseball, is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current Southern California businessman...
broke his records of 849 RBI and 321 doubles in and respectively. Garvey and Ron Cey
Ron Cey
Ronald Charles Cey |Washington]]) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics . Cey batted and threw right-handed...
passed his Los Angeles club record of 154 home runs in 1979; Davis' record for left-handed hitters was broken by Shawn Green
Shawn Green
Shawn David Green is a former Major League Baseball player.Green was a 1st round draft pick and a two-time major league All-Star...
in .
Willie also appeared in several TV programs, including Mr. Ed, The Flying Nun
The Flying Nun
The Flying Nun is an American sitcom produced by Screen Gems for ABC based on the 1965 book The Fifteenth Pelican, by Tere Rios, which starred Sally Field as Sister Bertrille...
, and Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law is an American legal drama, jointly created by David Victor and former law professor Jerry McNeely, that starred actor Arthur Hill. The series was broadcast on ABC from 1971 to 1974...
. He also was a co-star of the Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
comedy film from 1970, Which Way to the Front?
Which Way to the Front?
Which Way to the Front? is a 1970 film starring Jerry Lewis. It would be Lewis' last released film for eleven years , until 1981's Hardly Working. The unreleased The Day the Clown Cried was filmed in the years between...
. In a 1969 episode of Bewitched
Bewitched
Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
Samantha, attending a game at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
to see the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
host the Dodgers, remarks "Willie Davis just hit a grand slam!" The episode was filmed August 22, 1969, a date when the Mets coincidentally beat the Dodgers at Shea. In reality, Davis went 2 for 4 in the game, but did not hit a grand slam.
Davis was found dead in his home in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
on March 9, 2010, by a neighbor who sometimes brought him breakfast. Initial indications show that he most likely died of natural causes. Davis is survived by his two sons, Gregory and Casey, and two daughters, Kimberly and Jennifer.
Willie Davis an Arkansas native was voted #21 greatest Arkansas Sports Figure by Sports Illustrated. The list had the football player with the same name of the Packers listed, but he never even lived in Arkansas, this was a mistake and it was supposed to be William Henry Davis of baseball.
See also
- Arkansas Greatest Sports Figures http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/features/si50/states/arkansas/greatest/
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions
