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Harry Davis
Nickname(s): Jasper
1873-1947

1B-OF-3B 1895-99, 1901-17 Giants, Pirates, Washington NL, A's , Indians
Manager in 1912 Indians

Harry Davis's Teammates

  • Led League in hr 04-07
  • Led League in rbi 05-06

GamesAverageHRRBI
Career 1757.27774952
World Series 16.24607

Wins-LossesWinning %
Manager 54-71.432

Books and articles about Harry Davis

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» 1906: Coombs and Harris Battle for 24 Innings

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» Photo: Fair Play in the Fall Classic from The American League

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» Ty Cobb's Greatest Thrill in Baseball by Dan Holmes

The gentlemanly Davis was an outstanding slugger for Connie Mack's Philadelphia teams in the early 20th century. In the A's 1911 WS victory over the Giants, he and Frank "Home Run" Baker each drove in five runs. Only Davis, Baker, Babe Ruth, and Ralph Kiner have led a ML in home runs four or more years in a row. Davis accomplished the feat 1904 through 1907 and also led in doubles in 1902, '05, and '07 and in RBI in '05 and '06. The native Philadelphian was named the A's first captain and managed whenever Connie Mack was absent. The highly regarded sign stealer remained with the team as a player or coach until 1927, except for 1912, when he became manager of Cleveland. His strict disciplinary tactics failed to help the Indians and he quit after 127 games with the team in sixth place. From 1913 to 1917 he made token appearances in the A's lineup. While still with the A's, he became a Philadelphia city councilman. (ME/JK)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
» July 8, 1902: A rough outing as Boston righthander Doc Adkins faces 16 batters and gives up 12 hits and 12 runs in the 6th inning of a Philadelphia A's 22–9 win over the Somersets. Five players—Hartsel, Davis, Lave Cross, Seybold, and Murphy—collect two hits apiece in the frame. The A's new 2B Danny Murphy does not arrive until the 2nd inning and takes the field with no batting practice: he is 6-for-6, including a grand slam off Cy Young, while handling 12 chances flawlessly in a sensational debut. Teammate Harry Davis adds another grand slam to tie the major-league record for a game. The 45 hits —27 by the A's—by the two teams sets an American League record. Rube Waddell picks up the win, facing just three batters in relief, while singling in the big inning.

» August 13, 1902: In the 6th inning of a game with the Tigers, Harry Davis of the A's attempts a double steal with Dave Fultz, who is on 3B. But Davis does not draw a throw as he goes into 2B. On the next pitch he "steals" 1B. The next time he steals 2B he does draw a throw and Fultz scores from 3B. This double steal maneuver will be attempted in later years by Fred Tenney (July 31, 1908), and Germany Schaefer (September 4, 1908), though the details are contradictory.

» July 22, 1905: Weldon Henley of the Athletics, who will win four games all year, fires a no-hitter against the 7th place St. Louis Browns 6-0. Harry Davis and Lave Cross each have three hits off Barney Pelty. St. Louis cops a split by defeating Rube Waddell, 3-2, in the nitecap.

» September 28, 1905: In a game that helps decide the pennant, the A's beat the White Sox 3-2, as Topsy Hartsel scores from 2nd base with the winning run in the 7th inning. Harry Davis's RBI single to short left hits Hartsel's mitt, which the left fielder had left in the outfield when he came off the field. The A's take the series two games to 1, and will finish two games ahead of Chicago.

» September 3, 1906: Kid Elberfeld, the hot-headed Tabasco Kid, assaults umpire Silk O'Loughlin and is forcibly removed by police in the first game of New York's 4-3 win over the Athletics. In the 2nd game, New York base runner Willie Keeler collides with SS Lave Cross trying to field a ground ball, and two runs score. O'Loughlin sees no interference, a call so hotly disputed by A's captain Harry Davis that, after eight minutes of arguing, the umpire forfeits the game to New York. For New York, it is a major-league record 5th straight doubleheader sweep in consecutive days.

» September 26, 1906: The Athletics finally score after being shut out for a major-league record 48 consecutive innings, dating back to September 22nd. Harry Davis breaks the long drought with a 2-run double against Cleveland in the 6th, but the A's still lose 5-3. The 1968 Cubs will tie this record.

» September 30, 1907: An overflow crowd lines the OF at Philadelphia's Columbia Park for the showdown Monday doubleheader between the A's and Tigers. In the first game, the home team gets off to a 7-1 lead against 25-game winner Bill Donovan. But Rube Waddell, who relieves in the 2nd, fails to hold the lead. A 2-run home run by Ty Cobb ties it 8-8 in the 9th. Both teams score once in the 11th; an umpire's ruling costs Philadelphia the game in the 14th: Harry Davis hits a long fly into the crowd in left CF, ordinarily a ground-rule double. As Tiger CF Sam Crawford goes to the crowd's edge, a policeman stands up and moves, either to interfere or to get out of the way. Home plate umpire Silk O'Loughlin says there is no interference, then reverses his ruling when base umpire Tom Connolly offers a different opinion. When play resumes, the Athletics' Danny Murphy hits a long single that would have scored Davis. The game is called because of darkness in the 17th, a 9-9 tie. The 2nd game is never played. The Tigers, in first place, leave for Washington where they will win 4. They will finish one 1/2 games in front.

» August 13, 1908: Cy Young Day is celebrated by 20,000 in Boston. He pitches briefly against an All-Star team that includes Jack Chesbro, Hal Chase, Willie Keeler, Harry Davis, and George Mullin. The game is interrupted several times for presentations to the great hurler, including a great loving cup from the AL for all his accomplishments.

» April 23, 1910: At Boston, CF Tris Speaker pulls off his 2nd unassisted DP, the gem occurring in the 2nd inning against the Athletics. Speaker snares a low line drive and beats baserunner Harry Davis back to 2B. The game goes 11 innings with the A's prevailing 5–3. Eddie Plank is the starter and winner over Eddie Cicotte.

» October 14, 1911: The Athletics go into the World Series minus their star rookie 1B Stuffy McInnis. The veteran Harry Davis replaces him and drives in the first run as Chief Bender tries again to outpitch Christy Mathewson. The Giants are dressed in the same black uniforms they wore in their 1905 conquest of the Mackmen, and this Series starts as their last meeting ended: Mathewson wins it 2–1. The largest crowd ever to watch a ball game—38,281—is at the Polo Grounds. Gate receipts are $77,379.

» October 27, 1911: A's longtime captain and 1B Harry Davis is named manager of Cleveland. He won't last the 1912 season and 28-year-old J.L. Birmingham will take over, going 21–7 to earn the job.