Tommy Davis Was One of Baseball's Greatest "What Ifs?"

Former MLB outfielder and DH Tommy Davis who won back to back NL batting titles with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1962 and 1963 passed away yesterday at the age of 83. No cause of death has been released.

A native of Brooklyn, Davis signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers at the urging of Jackie Robinson prior to the 1956 season. When Davis made his MLB debut in 1959 the team was in Los Angeles and would win its first World Series on the west coast that season. 

Davis had a season for the ages in 1962. Not only did Davis win the NL batting title with a .346 average but he led the NL in RBIs with 153. Those are Ruthian like numbers. Indeed, The Babe drove in 153 runs in a season - twice. Since Davis collected 153 RBI 60 seasons ago, it has been eclipsed twice by Sammy Sosa and one apiece by Juan Gonzalez, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez. But they did this during the Steroids Era. Davis did it in a period when offense was diminishing. 

However, Davis finished 3rd in NL MVP balloting in 1962 behind Willie Mays and Dodgers teammate Maury Wills who set a then MLB record with 104 stolen bases. Although his production would diminish in 1963, he would again lead the NL in batting with a .326 mark and win a World Series ring as the Dodgers swept the New York Yankees.

Davis sustained a serious ankle injury during the 1965 season and ended all chances of superstardom and makes him among baseball's greatest "what ifs?". Between 1966 and 1972, Davis played with the New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, Seattle Pilots, Houston Astros, Oakland A's (twice) and Chicago Cubs (twice) before joining the Baltimore Orioles in 1973. 

With the Orioles, Davis enjoyed something of a renaissance as a DH which was established in the AL during the '73 season. His .306 average was good enough to finish third in the AL batting race although well back of Rod Carew who hit .350 that season. After three good seasons in Baltimore, Davis would finish his MLB playing career in 1976 splitting the season between the California Angels and Kansas City Royals. In 18 big league seasons, Davis played in 1999 games collecting 2121 hits for a lifetime batting average of .294 with 153 HR and 1052 RBI. 

Here he is throwing out the first pitch prior to Game 1 of the 2017 NLCS. R.I.P.