Piper Davis

Lorenzo "Piper" Davis (July 3, 1917 – May 21, 1997) was an American professional baseball player who played in the Negro American League from 1942 to 1950 for the Birmingham Black Barons. His nickname was the name of the mining town he was from.

Career Davis was the manager of the Black Barons in the late 1940s, including 1948, when they played in the last Negro World Series ever played, losing to the Homestead Grays.

On multiple occasions, Davis came close to being acquired by a major league team. In July 1947, his option was bought for 30 days by the St. Louis Browns, but the club failed to exercise the option. In 1949, the New York Giants attempted to purchase his contract, but Birmingham owner Tom Hayes blocked the deal, believing Davis was too valuable to his team. Mays credited Davis for teaching him two important lessons about how to play baseball. Davis encouraged Mays to charge balls hit through the infield, to better position himself to prevent runners from advancing. To help Mays hit the curveball, Davis told him to stand straighter and face the pitcher more in his stance. When the principal of Mays's high school objected to Mays playing professionally, Davis assured him that playing would not take away from Mays's schoolwork—he refused to let Mays make road trips during the school year. Since Mays was so young, Davis also made sure a player looked after him on road trips. "He was a warm man, fatherly, and all the players respected him," said Mays.