John Wilbur Davis (December 7, 1895 in

Merry Point, Virginia Merry Point is an unincorporated community in Lancaster County in the U. S. state of Virginia. Verville was listed on the National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal gov ...

– May 26, 1967 in

Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 15,425. Located on the Virginia Peninsula ...

) was a

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pitcher who played for the

Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oaklan ...

in 1919. He would later re-establish himself as a hitter in the minor leaguers, becoming a star player at that level. He was nicknamed Bud and Country. Davis began his major league career at the age of 19, making his debut on April 19, 1919. He spent 18 games with the Athletics that year (all but two of which were relief appearances), going 0–2 with a 4.05 ERA. In 66 2/3 innings, he allowed 59 walks and had only 18 strikeouts. As a batter, he appeared in 21 games, being used as a

pinch hitter In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute Batting (baseball), batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the dead ball (baseball), ball is dead (not in active play); the manager (baseball), manager may use any player who has not yet ...

a few times. In 26 major league at-bats, he hit .308 with three RBIs. He appeared in his final major league game on September 23, 1915 – however, that was not the end of his professional career. From 1916 to 1922 (save for 1919, in which he did not play), Davis was used as a batter and a pitcher, posting a pitching record of 20–13 with a 1.93 ERA in 37 games with the

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in 1921.Minor League Statistics
/ref> As a batter he hit .340 in 98 games that year. Following the 1922 season, Davis switched to playing first base full-time. As a minor league player, Davis hit .331 with 253 home runs, 2,720 hits, 477 doubles and 131 triples in a 19-year career. He played in 2,244 games. As a pitcher, he went 47–49 in 122 games over a span of six seasons. Following his death he was interred at Williamsburg Memorial Park.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Bud 1895 births 1967 deaths Philadelphia Athletics players Baseball players from Virginia Minor league baseball managers Newnan Cowetas players Atlanta Crackers players Winston-Salem Twins players Memphis Chickasaws players Fort Worth Panthers players Waco Navigators players Augusta Georgians players Augusta Tygers players Charlotte Hornets (baseball) players Okmulgee Drillers players Sacramento Senators players New Orleans Pelicans (baseball) players Dallas Steers players Reading Keystones players Nashville Vols players Baton Rouge Standards players Raleigh Capitals players Norfolk Tars players Joplin Miners players Bentonville Officeholders players Bassett Furnituremakers players Reidsville Luckies players People from Lancaster County, Virginia