Dick Davis
Encyclopedia
Richard Earl Davis is a former professional baseball
player. He played all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball
from 1977 until 1982, primarily as an outfielder
. He also played five seasons in Japan with the Kintetsu Buffaloes
from 1984 until 1988.
by the Milwaukee Brewers
in 1972. After several years in the minors, he was called up to the Brewers in July 1977. He split time in the outfield and as a designated hitter
for the next four seasons, being used at DH more often than any other Brewer between 1978 and 1980.
in 1981, the Brewers traded Davis to the Philadelphia Phillies
for pitcher Randy Lerch
. Davis played some right field and also came off the bench as a pinch hitter
20 times. Though Davis missed most of July and August with an injury, he did hit .333 with 19 RBI in just 96 at bat
s. Davis continued in the same role to start the 1982 season, but would soon be on the move again.
for outfielder Wayne Nordhagen
. While the Phillies sent Nordhagen on to the Pittsburgh Pirates
on the same day in exchange for another outfielder, Bill Robinson, Davis stayed in Toronto for an entire week, appearing in 3 games and going 2-for-7 at the plate. On June 22, the Blue Jays traded Davis to the Pirates for a player to be named later
. On June 25, the Pirates sent a player to the Blue Jays—and it was Wayne Nordhagen.
Davis struggled for the rest of the season in Pittsburgh, batting just .182 in 77 at bats. Not a very good defensive outfielder, Davis needed to hit well to keep his job, and Pittsburgh wound up releasing Davis in March of .
of the Japanese Pacific League
, who signed him for the 1984 season. While Davis hit a solid .310 with 18 home runs in 1984, he really broke out in 1985, hitting 40 home runs, driving in 109 runs, and batting .343 in 128 games. During the season, he hit home runs in six straight games to tie a league record. He repeated his success in , batting .337 with In 1987, he drove in nine runs in one game on April 28.
Davis also had his share of troubles in Japan. In 1986, he charged the mound after being hit by a pitch by Osamu Higashio
and was fined 100,000 yen. Then, in 1988, his apartment was raided by the Japanese police, who found 14 grams of marijuana and related paraphernalia. After three weeks in police custody, he was released by the Buffaloes and sent home to the United States.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player. He played all or part of six seasons 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...
from 1977 until 1982, primarily as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He also played five seasons in Japan with the Kintetsu Buffaloes
Kintetsu Buffaloes
The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004...
from 1984 until 1988.
Brewers
Davis was signed as an amateur free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in 1972. After several years in the minors, he was called up to the Brewers in July 1977. He split time in the outfield and as a designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
for the next four seasons, being used at DH more often than any other Brewer between 1978 and 1980.
Phillies
During spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in 1981, the Brewers traded Davis to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for pitcher Randy Lerch
Randy Lerch
Randy Louis Lerch , is a former professional baseball pitcher who played in the major leagues for the Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos, and San Francisco Giants from 1975 to 1986....
. Davis played some right field and also came off the bench as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
20 times. Though Davis missed most of July and August with an injury, he did hit .333 with 19 RBI in just 96 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. Davis continued in the same role to start the 1982 season, but would soon be on the move again.
Wayne Nordhagen and MLB career end
In June 1982, Davis would be traded not once, but twice, each time for the same player. At the June 15 trading deadline, the Phillies first traded him to the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
for outfielder Wayne Nordhagen
Wayne Nordhagen
Wayne Oren Nordhagen is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter. He played eight seasons in the majors for the Chicago White Sox , Toronto Blue Jays , Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs .Drafted by the New York Yankees in 1968, Nordhagen played in 502 games in his eight...
. While the Phillies sent Nordhagen on to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
on the same day in exchange for another outfielder, Bill Robinson, Davis stayed in Toronto for an entire week, appearing in 3 games and going 2-for-7 at the plate. On June 22, the Blue Jays traded Davis to the Pirates for a player to be named later
Player to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
. On June 25, the Pirates sent a player to the Blue Jays—and it was Wayne Nordhagen.
Davis struggled for the rest of the season in Pittsburgh, batting just .182 in 77 at bats. Not a very good defensive outfielder, Davis needed to hit well to keep his job, and Pittsburgh wound up releasing Davis in March of .
Japanese career
Davis found a second career with the Kintetsu BuffaloesKintetsu Buffaloes
The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004...
of the Japanese Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
, who signed him for the 1984 season. While Davis hit a solid .310 with 18 home runs in 1984, he really broke out in 1985, hitting 40 home runs, driving in 109 runs, and batting .343 in 128 games. During the season, he hit home runs in six straight games to tie a league record. He repeated his success in , batting .337 with In 1987, he drove in nine runs in one game on April 28.
Davis also had his share of troubles in Japan. In 1986, he charged the mound after being hit by a pitch by Osamu Higashio
Osamu Higashio
Osamu Higashio is a former Japanese baseball player who played in the Japanese professional leagues from 1969-1988. He also was manager of the Seibu Lions from 1995-2001.-Professional career:...
and was fined 100,000 yen. Then, in 1988, his apartment was raided by the Japanese police, who found 14 grams of marijuana and related paraphernalia. After three weeks in police custody, he was released by the Buffaloes and sent home to the United States.