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Alvin Davis

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Alvin Davis
Davis in Seattle, Opening Day2007
First baseman/Designated hitter
Born:(1960-09-09)September 9, 1960(age 63)
Riverside, California,U.S.
Batted:Left
Threw:Right
Professional debut
MLB:April 11, 1984, for the Seattle Mariners
NPB:July 10, 1992, for the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
Last appearance
MLB:June 25, 1992, for the California Angels
NPB:September 15, 1992, for the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
MLB statistics
Batting average.280
Home runs160
Runs batted in683
NPB statistics
Batting average.275
Home runs5
Runs batted in12
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Alvin Glenn Davis(born September 9, 1960), nicknamed "Mr. Mariner",[1][2]is an American formerMajor League Baseballfirst basemananddesignated hitter.He played eight of his nine seasons for theSeattle Marinersand won theAmerican LeagueRookie of the Year Awardin1984.[3]

Early years

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The youngest of four sons,[4]Davis was born and raised inRiverside,California.His father died in 1970.[4]Davis graduated fromJohn W. North High Schoolin 1978.[3]He was selected in the eighth round (189th overall) of the1978 Major League Baseball draftby theSan Francisco Giants,but opted to attendArizona State Universityplaycollege baseballfor theArizona State Sun Devils.[5]Davis, who batted left-handed and threw right-handed, was later drafted by theOakland Athleticsin the sixth round (144th overall) of the1981 Major League Baseball draft,but opted to stay in college and earned a degree in finance.[3][4][6]

Minor league career

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After his senior season at Arizona State in 1982, Davis wasdraftedin June by theSeattle Marinersin the sixth round (138th overall).[7]He played the rest of the season inDouble-Afor theLynn Sailorsin theEastern League,batting.284 with 12home runsand 56runs batted in(RBI) in 74 games.[8]Davis continued at that level in 1983 inTennessee,with theChattanooga Lookoutsin theSouthern League.He hit.296 with 18 home runs and 83 RBI in 131 games, and nearly averaged a walk per game.[8]

Davis began the1984season inTriple-A,with theSalt Lake City Gullsof thePacific Coast League.After just one game, he was promoted to the majors, due to a hand injury toKen Phelpson April 6,[4]and Davis remained with Seattle for eight seasons, through1991.In that only game for Salt Lake, he went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, and never returned to the minors.[8]

Major league career

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Seattle Mariners

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During a nine-year major league career, Davisbatted.280 with 160 home runs and 683 RBI in 1,206 career games.[9]He hit 20-plus homers in three seasons, and drove in over 100 runs twice.[9]

Davis holds the Mariners and Major League Baseball record for the most consecutive games reaching base to start a career, with 47.[10]Well-liked by Mariners fans, Davis held most of the young franchise's offensive records until the arrival ofKen Griffey Jr.,Edgar Martínez,andAlex Rodriguez.His fellow players thought highly of him as well. "You know sooner or later we're going to score some runs," teammateEd Vande Bergsaid in 1984. "We have mister everything on the offense – Mr. Alvin Davis."[11]Tommy Johncalled him a "modern-dayGeorge Scott,"explaining," When Scott first came into the league, no one knew how to pitch to him, and they didn't find out for three years. "[11]

Davis made his major league debut in the Kingdome on April 11, 1984; he homered in his first two big leaguegames,[12][13]and collected two doubles in his sixth and three doubles in the next.[14]After his first week, Davis had a.370 batting average, a.778 slugging percentage, and a seven-game hitting streak. He reached base in each of the first 47 games of his career, and was chosen for his onlyAll-Star Gameas a rookie. Named the Mariners' MVP, he was also voted the American League'sRookie of the Year,with a.284 batting average, 27 home runs, and 116 RBI in 152 games.[9][15]Davis hit a career-high 29 home runs in 1987, and he had perhaps his best season in 1989, when he finished second in the American League with a.920OPS.[9][16]

With the addition ofPete O'Brienin1990,Davis was increasingly used as Seattle's designated hitter. He only saw action on defense as a first baseman in 52 games that season, further reduced to just 14 games in 1991. His batting average fell to.221 in 1991 with 12 home runs and 69 RBI in 145 games;[9]with youngTino Martinezin the organization, Davis was not in the team's plans for1992.

Davis' season high for home runs was 29 in1987and his most RBI (116) came as a rookie in 1984. His highest batting average for a season was.305 in1989.[9]Davis hit the last home run in Chicago's Comiskey Park on September 29th, 1990.[17]

California Angels

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After eight years in Seattle, Davis signed a one-year, $800,000 contract with theCalifornia Angelson February 14, 1992.[18]In 40 games with the Angels in a platoon role, he hit.250 with no homers and 16 RBI.[9]Davis had two hits in his final major league game,[19]but was released after only a half season in late June.[20]He soonjoined theKintetsu BuffaloesofOsakainJapan,[20]and appeared in 40 games in thePacific League,batting.275 with five home runs and 12 RBI.[8]

Personal life

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Davis lives in his hometown of Riverside with his wife Kim; they have three children. Davis has been a volunteer at Cornerstone Fellowship Bible Church in Riverside, California for the past nine years overseeing the church's finances and has served as a member of the church's elder board for over 20 years.[21]He has also previously coached baseball atMartin Luther King High Schoolfor ten years.[1][22]After his father's death in 1970, Davis and his mother Mylie had a very close relationship, and she relocated from Riverside to Tempe when he was in college.[4]

In 1997, Davis was inducted into theSeattle Mariners Hall of Fame.[23]

In 2012, Davis returned to the Seattle Mariners organization as a roving minor league instructor.[1][24]

His niece is professional wrestlerCandice LeRae.

References

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  1. ^abcStone, Larry (March 5, 2013)."Alvin Davis: Mr. Mariner reconnects with his old team".The Seattle Times.RetrievedJuly 30,2017.
  2. ^Levi, Adam (June 30, 2017)."Mariners Greatest Hits:" Mr. Mariner "Alvin Davis".Fox Sports.FanSided.RetrievedJuly 30,2017.
  3. ^abcEskenazi, David; Rudman, Steve (April 11, 2014)."Wayback Machine: Alvin Davis, Mr. Mariner".Sports Press Northwest.RetrievedJuly 30,2017.
  4. ^abcdeMaisel, Ivan (June 11, 1984)."At last, a man to shout about".Sports Illustrated.p. 64.
  5. ^"8th Round of the 1978 MLB June Amateur Draft".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedMarch 27,2023.
  6. ^"6th Round of the 1981 MLB June Amateur Draft".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedMarch 27,2023.
  7. ^"6th Round of the 1982 MLB June Amateur Draft".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedMarch 27,2023.
  8. ^abcd"Alvin Davis Minor & Japanese Leagues Statistics".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedMarch 27,2023.
  9. ^abcdefg"Alvin Davis Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedMarch 27,2023.
  10. ^Thorpe, Jacob (September 24, 2013)."Safe to say, Almonte makes strong first impression".Seattle Mariners.MLB.Archived fromthe originalon March 3, 2016.RetrievedMay 26,2015.
  11. ^ab"VandeBerg, M's clip Angels".Ellensburg Daily Record.UPI.May 7, 1984.RetrievedMarch 31,2020– viaGoogle News.
  12. ^"M's burn Bosox".Spokane Chronicle.(Washington).Associated Press.April 12, 1984. p. 33.
  13. ^"Brunansky bruises Mariners".Spokane Chronicle.(Washington).Associated Press.April 14, 1984. p. 14.
  14. ^"Davis cuffs Caudill, A's around, 5-4".The Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington).Associated Press.April 19, 1984. p. 33 – viaGoogle News.
  15. ^"M's Davis gets his shot; earns AL Rookie honors".Lewiston Morning Tribune.(Idaho).Associated Press.November 21, 1984. p. 2C – viaGoogle News.
  16. ^"1989 American League Batting Leaders".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedMarch 27,2023.
  17. ^https:// baseball-reference /boxes/CHA/CHA199009290.shtml
  18. ^"Alvin Davis signed by Angels".The Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington). February 14, 1992. p. C5 – viaGoogle News.
  19. ^"Major League stat sheet".Lewiston Morning Tribune.(Idaho).Associated Press.June 26, 1992. p. 3B – viaGoogle News.
  20. ^ab"Alvin Davis headed for Japan".Lewiston Morning Tribune.(Idaho).Associated Press.June 27, 1992 – viaGoogle News.
  21. ^"Leadership and Staff".Cornerstone Fellowship Bible Church.
  22. ^"Running Home to the Father".Awana.Archived fromthe originalon May 4, 2012.
  23. ^"Alvin Davis - Mariners Hall of Fame".Seattle Mariners.MLB.RetrievedAugust 10,2008.
  24. ^Baker, Geoff (July 26, 2012)."Hisashi Iwakuma returns to Japan for personal reasons, but Mariners expect him to make next start".The Seattle Times.Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016.RetrievedMarch 6,2013.
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