Jim Davenport
James Houston Davenport
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 175 lb.
- School Mississippi Southern College
- High School Thompson High School
- Debut April 15, 1958
- Final Game June 23, 1970
- Born August 17, 1933 in Siluria, AL USA
- Died February 18. 2016 in Redwood City, CA USA
Biographical Information[edit]
Jim Davenport has spent more than 40 years with the San Francisco Giants as a player, coach, manager, and front office executive.
Signed by the New York Giants prior to the 1955 season, third baseman Davenport reached the majors with the team, now in San Francisco, CA, as an Opening Day starter in 1958. He was a regular at third for the next six seasons, leading the National League in fielding percentage in 1960 and 1961. He had his finest year in 1962, when he hit .297 with 14 homers while being on the National league roster for both All-Star Games that year, earning a Gold Glove, and playing in the World Series. He lost his everyday job in 1964 to Jim Ray Hart but remained with the club as a frequently-used utility player until Hart faded, becoming the regular third baseman again in 1969 and also serving on the team's coaching staff in his final year of 1970.
With his playing days behind him, Davenport managed the Phoenix Giants for three years, starting in 1971. He then was a San Diego Padres coach in 1974 and 1975 before returning to the Giants staff as third base coach in 1976. He remained a Giants coach through 1982. In 1985, he managed the club for much of the year before being replaced by Roger Craig.
Davenport moved on to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he was a coach in 1986 and 1987, and later to the Cleveland Indians, where he was a member of the staff in 1989. After a stint as a Detroit Tigers scout, he again returned to the Giants organization and was first base coach in 1996. Since then, he has held various positions for the club, including manager of the Fresno Grizzlies in 1998. In 2011 he was a Special Assistant for Player Development.
Davenport managed the Italian national team in the 2001 European Championship, the first time since the 1960s that Italy did not make it to the Gold Medal game, settling for Bronze.
His son, Gary Davenport, has been a coach in the Giants minor league system for several years.
Notable Achievements[edit]
- NL All-Star (1962)
- NL Gold Glove Winner (1962)
| Preceded by Danny Ozark |
San Francisco Giants Manager 1985 |
Succeeded by Roger Craig |
Year-By-Year Managerial Record[edit]
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Phoenix Giants | Pacific Coast League | 74-70 | 3rd | San Francisco Giants | ||
| 1972 | Phoenix Giants | Pacific Coast League | 81-67 | 2nd | San Francisco Giants | ||
| 1973 | Phoenix Giants | Pacific Coast League | 70-73 | 4th | San Francisco Giants | ||
| 1985 | San Francisco Giants | National League | 56-88 | -- | San Francisco Giants | replaced by Roger Craig on September 18 | |
| 1995 | Phoenix Firebirds | Pacific Coast League | 20-24 | 8th | San Francisco Giants | replaced Keith Bodie (42-58) | |
| 1998 | Fresno Grizzlies | Pacific Coast League | 81-62 | 2nd (t) | San Francisco Giants | Lost in 1st round |
Further Reading[edit]
- Jim Davenport (as told to George Vass): "The Game I'll Never Forget", Baseball Digest, June 1991, pp. 53-54. [1]
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