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Today In Brewer History: Happy Birthday, Tommy Davis

By Kyle Lobner
Tommy Davis is on the left here as a collection of dignitaries watch Don Newcombe throw out the first pitch prior to the start of the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 15, 2010.
Tommy Davis is on the left here as a collection of dignitaries watch Don Newcombe throw out the first pitch prior to the start of the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 15, 2010.

On this day in 1939 Herman Thomas Davis was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was just 17 years old when the Brooklyn Dodgers signed him as an amateur free agent in 1956, but the team had already moved to Los Angeles when he made his major league debut in 1959.

Davis had played eight seasons with the Dodgers and one each as a Met and White Sox when the new Seattle Pilots selected him with the 16th pick in the expansion draft. Davis played in 123 of the Pilots' first 128 games as a franchise before being traded to the Astros. He hit .271/.318/.379 in those games, making 112 appearances in left field.

Davis hardly had time to unpack a suitcase after leaving the Pilots: He played nine more major league seasons spread over six teams, including two separate stints with both the A's and Cubs. He finished with a career. 294/.329/.405 batting line in 1999 major league games.

Davis' lasting legacy, however, might be his inclusion in teammate Jim Bouton's Ball Four. A check of the index reveals he was mentioned in the book 43 times. There are only a few others who can claim more.

With help from Brewerfan.net and the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:

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