Glenn Davis (baseball)

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Glenn Earl Davis (born March 28, 1961 in Jacksonville, Florida) is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played with the Houston Astros (1984-90) and Baltimore Orioles (1991-93). He batted and threw right-handed.

In his boyhood years, Davis grew up in an abusive household, often considering suicide as a way of escape. His parents eventually divorced, and Davis' life took a turn for the better when he was adopted at the age of 9 by George and Norma Davis, father and mother of former major-league pitcher Storm Davis. Though they are not related, Glenn and Storm have long considered themselves brothers. Davis earned a baseball scholarship and played one season at the University of Georgia before signing a minor-league contract with the Houston Astros.

He began his major-league career with the Astros in 1984, in which he finished 5th in the National League rookie of the year voting. He was an all-star in 1986, winning the Silver Slugger award and finishing 2nd in the MVP voting as the Astros narrowly missed reaching the World Series. He would finish in the top 10 in MVP voting in both 1988 and 1989, establishing himself as one of the best power hitters in the league.

In 1990, Davis was limited to 93 games because of injury. That offseason, he was part of what many consider to be worst trade in Baltimore Orioles history in 1991, when he was traded to the Orioles from the Astros in exchange for Steve Finley, Pete Harnisch, and Curt Schilling.[1]. Schilling went on to become one of the best pitchers in baseball, Finley was a two-time all-star and five-time gold glove winner, and even Harnisch had two 16-win seasons after leaving Baltimore.

Davis suffered a strange neck injury and never fulfilled the promise he showed in the late 80s, hitting only 24 home runs over 3 seasons for the Orioles. In 1993 he was involved in a bar fight in which his jaw was broken. He was later released from the Orioles and tried to make comeback to the major leagues. Despite hitting .282 with 27 home runs and 97 RBIs in 129 games for the Omaha Royals in 1994, he was not given another opportunity at the major league level. Some speculate that he may have been "blackballed" from baseball because of his troubled tenure with the Orioles. Davis played in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers as "Glenn" from 1995 until his retirement in 1996.

In a 10-season major league career, Davis posted a .259 batting average with 190 home runs and 603 RBI in 1015 games.

In 1992, Davis founded The Carpenter's Way home for troubled children in Columbus, Georgia.^[1] He currently serves as an elected city councilor for the city of Columbus.^[2]

Davis is married to the former Teresa Beesley from Columbus, Georgia and has three children, Sharayah, Tiffany, and Gabrielle.

[edit] Highlights

• Twice All-Star (1986, 1989)
• Silver Slugger Award (1986)
• 3-time Top 10 National League MVP (1986, 1988-89)
• Topps All-Rookie Team (1984)

[edit] See also

• Top 500 home run hitters of all time
• Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game

[edit] References

1. ^ The Carpenter's Way - Our History, Founder Glenn Davis, carpentersway.org; retrieved February 2007
2. ^ City Council, columbusga.org; retrieved February 2007

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference