George Davis

George Stacey Davis (August 23, 1870 – October 17, 1940) was an American professional baseball shortstop and manager in Major League Baseball at the turn of the 20th century. Davis also spent multiple seasons as a third baseman and center fielder, and lesser amounts of time at other positions. He broke into the major leagues in 1890 and played through 1909. He is ranked among the top 100 players of all time in several statistical categories. Davis was a switch hitter. After his playing career, Davis managed the Amherst College baseball team for several years. He died in a mental institution, suffering the effects of syphilis. Not much was known about Davis's life or career until the 1990s, when he gained some recognition from the city historian of his hometown of Cohoes, New York. He was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1998. Early life Born on August 23, 1870, in Cohoes, New York, Davis was one of seven children born to Abram and Sarah Davis. His father had immigrated from Wales and his mother came from England. Davis was playing amateur baseball in Albany when he was 16 years old and he could bat from both sides of the plate. By 1889, Davis was on a team of semiprofessional and amateur players near the Hudson River in Albany. The squad was managed by Tom York, a former major league player. York recommended Davis for major league service with the Cleveland Spiders. The team signed Davis for the 1890 season.