Jim Davenport
From BR Bullpen
James Houston Davenport
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 175 lb.
- School University of Southern Mississippi
- Debut April 15, 1958
- Final Game June 23, 1970
- Born August 17, 1933 in Siluria, AL USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
Jim Davenport has spent more than 40 years with the San Francisco Giants as a player, coach, manager, and front office executive.
Davenport signed with the Giants, then in New York, prior to the 1955 season and made his pro debut with the club, now in San Francisco in 1958. He was the Giants regular third baseman his first six years in the majors and had his finest year in 1962, when he hit .297 with 14 homers while making the All-Star team and playing in the World Series. He lost his everyday job in 1964 but hung on with the club in a utility role for seven seasons, also serving on the team's coaching staff in his final year of 1970.
With his playing days behind him, Davenport was a San Diego Padres coach in 1974 and 1975 before returning to the Giants staff as third base coach in 1976 Giants. He remained a Giants coach through 1982 and then returned to the staff in 1984. The next season, he managed the club for much of the year before being replaced by Roger Craig.
Davenport moved on to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he was a coach in 1986 and 1987, and later to the Cleveland Indians, where he was a member of the staff in 1989. After a stint as a Detroit Tigers scout, he again returned to the Giants organization and was first base coach in 1996. He currently works in the club's front office.
Davenport managed the Italian national team in the 2001 European Championship, the first time since the 1960s that Italy did not make it to the Gold Medal game, settling for Bronze.
His son, Gary Davenport, is a coach in the Giants minor league system, in 2006 with the Connecticut Defenders and 2007-2008 with the San Jose Giants.
| Preceded by Danny Ozark | San Francisco Giants Manager 1985 | Succeeded by Roger Craig |
[edit] Notable Achievements
- NL All-Star (1962)
- NL Gold Glove Winner (1962)
[edit] Year-By-Year Managerial Record
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Phoenix Giants | Pacific Coast League | 74-70 | 3rd | San Francisco Giants | ||
| 1972 | Phoenix Giants | Pacific Coast League | 81-67 | 2nd | San Francisco Giants | ||
| 1973 | Phoenix Giants | Pacific Coast League | 70-73 | 4th | San Francisco Giants | ||
| 1985 | San Francisco Giants | National League | 56-88 | -- | San Francisco Giants | replaced by Roger Craig on September 18 | |
| 1995 | Phoenix Firebirds | Pacific Coast League | 20-24 | 8th | San Francisco Giants | replaced Keith Bodie (42-58) | |
| 1998 | Fresno Grizzlies | Pacific Coast League | 81-62 | 2nd (t) | San Francisco Giants | Lost in 1st round |
