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Tommy Davis R.I.P.
Former White Sox outfielder Tommy Davis died Sunday night at the age of 83 in Phoenix, Arizona. The cause of his death wasn’t given.
Davis was a former two-time National League batting champion and a member of three World Series clubs with the Dodgers.
He was acquired by the White Sox from the Mets on December 15, 1967 by then G.M. Ed Short.
It was one of the worst trades he ever made and eventually, along with other bad deals, led to his firing in September 1970.
The Sox sent former Rookie of the Year, outfielder Tommie Agee and infielder Al Weis to New York for Davis, pitcher Jack Fisher and catcher “Buddy” Booker.
The move was made to try to help the Sox stagnant offense but dealing Agee, the first player to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season for the Sox made little sense.
Both men would go on to help the Mets win the 1969 World Series.
Davis meanwhile only played for the Sox in 1968 appearing in 132 games with eight home runs, 50 RBI’s and a .268 batting average. Twice that year he had games with four RBI’s, both times coming against the Senators. The Sox didn’t protect him and he was taken in the expansion draft by the Seattle Pilots.
While with the Sox Davis was indirectly involved in an unfortunate incident at Comiskey Park during the Democratic National Convention in August 1968.
On August 25 playing against the Twins, while he was in left field, he was the victim of racial comments from some supporters of Alabama Governor George Wallace. That upset supporters of Senator Eugene McCarthy who were in the same area of the left field stands and the situation began to get heated. Security quickly stepped in and averted what could have been an uglier situation.
Former White Sox outfielder Tommy Davis died Sunday night at the age of 83 in Phoenix, Arizona. The cause of his death wasn’t given.
Davis was a former two-time National League batting champion and a member of three World Series clubs with the Dodgers.
He was acquired by the White Sox from the Mets on December 15, 1967 by then G.M. Ed Short.
It was one of the worst trades he ever made and eventually, along with other bad deals, led to his firing in September 1970.
The Sox sent former Rookie of the Year, outfielder Tommie Agee and infielder Al Weis to New York for Davis, pitcher Jack Fisher and catcher “Buddy” Booker.
The move was made to try to help the Sox stagnant offense but dealing Agee, the first player to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season for the Sox made little sense.
Both men would go on to help the Mets win the 1969 World Series.
Davis meanwhile only played for the Sox in 1968 appearing in 132 games with eight home runs, 50 RBI’s and a .268 batting average. Twice that year he had games with four RBI’s, both times coming against the Senators. The Sox didn’t protect him and he was taken in the expansion draft by the Seattle Pilots.
While with the Sox Davis was indirectly involved in an unfortunate incident at Comiskey Park during the Democratic National Convention in August 1968.
On August 25 playing against the Twins, while he was in left field, he was the victim of racial comments from some supporters of Alabama Governor George Wallace. That upset supporters of Senator Eugene McCarthy who were in the same area of the left field stands and the situation began to get heated. Security quickly stepped in and averted what could have been an uglier situation.
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