Ron Davis (pitcher)
Ron Davis | |
---|---|
Houston, Texas, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
Professional debut | |
MLB: July 29, 1978, for the New York Yankees | |
NPB: June 3, 1989, for the Yakult Swallows | |
Last appearance | |
MLB: September 24, 1988, for the San Francisco Giants | |
NPB: October 13, 1989, for the Yakult Swallows | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 47–53 |
Earned run average | 4.05 |
Strikeouts | 597 |
Saves | 130 |
NPB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 4–5 |
Earned run average | 3.97 |
Strikeouts | 34 |
Saves | 7 |
Teams | |
| |
Career highlights and awards | |
Ronald Gene Davis (born August 6, 1955) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played 11 years from 1978 to 1988. Davis played for the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins of the American League and the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants of the National League. He was selected to the American League All-Star team in 1981.
Life and career
Davis was born in
Originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs, he was traded while still in the minor leagues to the New York Yankees in 1978. While in New York he was used as the team's
Davis still holds the Yankee team record for most consecutive strikeouts in a single game with eight, recorded on May 4, 1981, against the
During the 1981 Major League Baseball strike, Davis worked as a waiter at a restaurant of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City. Two of the hotel's overhead walkways collapsed on July 18, killing 114 people. It was reported by the media that Davis helped in the subsequent rescue efforts.[2]
In April 1982, Davis was traded to the Minnesota Twins, along with Greg Gagne, and Paul Boris in exchange for Roy Smalley. Among Twins fans, with whom he came to be known as Ron "Boom-Boom" Davis, his name is still synonymous with ineffective relief pitching, despite finishing in the top five for saves in the American League in three of his five seasons with the team.[3] In 1984, he then tied the record for blown saves in a single season with 14. No one since has blown this many saves in a single season.[3] In 1986, his last year with the Twins, Davis began the year with two saves in April. These would be the last saves of his career. He gave up his first runs of that season in a game against the
Davis pitched for the Sun City Rays of the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1990.
Personal life
Davis's son, Ike Davis, was selected in the first round, number 18 overall, by the New York Mets in the 2008 MLB draft. When Ike was a youth, he attended a five-day baseball fundamentals camp run by his father for children ages 5–14, and Ron was Ike's little league coach until Ike was 14.[4] He would throw at his son in batting practice in high school.
In April 2010, Ike debuted in the major leagues for the Mets. Davis and his son are the 197th father-son combination to have both played in the major leagues.
References
- ^ a b "New York Yankees at California Angels Box Score, May 4, 1981 - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Card Corner: Ron Davis - The Hardball Times". www.hardballtimes.com.
- ^ a b "Ron Davis Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Obert, Richard (May 29, 2008). "Ex-big leaguer Davis running baseball camp". Azcentral.com. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)