Brock Davis
From BR Bullpen
Bryshear Barnett Davis
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 5' 10", Weight 168 lb.
- School California State University, Los Angeles
- Debut April 9, 1963
- Final Game October 4, 1972
- Born October 19, 1943 in Oakland, CA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Brock Davis played six years in the major leagues during the second dead-ball era, hitting .260.
He was one of the many youngsters given a chance on the 1963 Colt .45s. The team had 16 players that year who were 22 years old or younger. Davis had been in college in 1962 with California State University, Los Angeles, was signed by the Colt .45s in 1963, and made his debut at age 19 on April 9, 1963. In his first year he hit .200 in 55 at-bats on a team that hit .220. He was part of the famous all-rookie lineup that the Colt .45s fielded on September 27, 1963.
From 1964-1970 Davis got only 33 major league at-bats, but then in 1971 at age 27 he became the regular centerfielder on the 1971 Chicago Cubs, playing next to Billy Williams in the outfield. The Cubs went 83-79 that year under manager Leo Durocher. Davis hit .256 on a team that hit .258.
His last year in the majors, 1972, was his best with the bat, as he hit .318 for the 1972 Milwaukee Brewers, a team which hit .235. A knee injury the following spring training ended his major league career, although the San Diego Padres and then the Chicago Cubs and then the Cleveland Indians obtained rights to him through at least 1975.
Davis played many years in the minor leagues as well, hitting over .300 in 1969, 1970, and 1971. He hit few home runs in the minors but many triples.
His given name was Bryshear, but he got the name "Brock" when a teammate yelled "Brock, Brock, hit the rock".
He had attended Fremont High School in South Central Los Angeles, a high school that also featured eventual major leaguers Bob Watson, Bobby Tolan, and Willie Crawford.
His highest salary in baseball was $56,000. After his baseball days, he became a bus driver for the Southern California Rapid Transit Authority. He moved to Corona, CA and was living there as of 1998. Two of his children signed professional baseball contracts and played in the minor leagues.
Hit his only home run on June 14, 1963 against the San Francisco Giants. Jack Sanford was the pitcher.
See Article and Interview with Brock Davis, 1998.
