Harry Davis

Harry H. Davis (July 19, 1873 – August 11, 1947) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the New York Giants (1895–96), Pittsburgh Pirates (1896–98), Louisville Colonels, Washington Senators (1898–99), Philadelphia Athletics (1901–11, 1913–17), and Cleveland Naps (1912). He was the first player to hit for the cycle in American League history, doing so in 1901.

Early life

Davis was born in Philadelphia. He had no middle name, but he added the middle initial H to distinguish himself from others who shared his first and last names. He attended Girard College; the institution served as an elementary school and high school. Davis, who picked up the lifelong nickname of "Jasper" at Girard, graduated in 1891 and played amateur baseball until beginning his professional baseball career in 1894.

Career After having played the 1900 season for the minor league Providence Grays, he decided to quit baseball, but Athletics manager Connie Mack made him an offer too large to refuse to return to baseball in 1901 with the Athletics. amassing only 33 plate appearances over the next five seasons combined.

In 1755 games over 22 seasons, Davis posted a .277 batting average (1841-for-6653) with 1001 runs, 361 doubles, 145 triples, 75 home runs, 951 RBI, 285 stolen bases, 525 bases on balls.335 on-base percentage and .408 slugging percentage. He finished his career with an overall .978 fielding percentage primarily as a first baseman. In 16 World Series games (1905,'10,'11) he batted .246 (15-for-61) with 8 runs, 5 doubles, 7 RBI and 3 walks.

Later life He continued as a coach and scout with Mack's Athletics until 1927 and also served as a Philadelphia City Councilman.

Davis died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1947, at the age of 74.