Francisco Dávila

Francisco Dávila Torres (El Zurdo)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 9", Weight 165 lb.

• Born October 10, 1919 in León, León Nicaragua

Biographical Information

Francisco Dávila was the first Nicaraguan to play in the minor leagues, getting close to the majors.

Dávila was on the Nicaraguan national teams that won Silver in the 1939 Amateur World Series and 1940 Amateur World Series. He remained with them for the 1941 Amateur World Series and 1944 Amateur World Series.

He signed with the Cincinnati Reds, the first Nicaraguan to sign with a team in the US pro circuits. He was 10-6 with a 4.44 ERA for the 1945 Syracuse Chiefs; only Bob Katz won more games for the team. He then signed with the Pasquel brothers' Mexican League, lured by the high deals that drew several big leaguers. For his actions, he was suspended for five years from Organized Baseball. He blew any chance at becoming the first Nicaraguan major leaguer; it would be 31 years before Dennis Martínez was the first.

El Zurdo was 5-5 with a 3.75 ERA for the Navegantes del Magallanes in the 1946 Venezuelan League. He led his team in wins and was 6th in the circuit and his 34 K ranked 3rd behind Negro League veterans Roy Welmaker and Willie Jefferson. He was 9-13 with a 4.70 ERA for the 1947 Tuneros de San Luis Potosi, tying Sal Maglie and Wilfredo Salas for 3rd in the Mexican League in losses.

He had a 2-4, 3.96 record for the 1948 Pericos de Puebla. He split 1949 between the Charros de Jalisco and the champion Sultanes de Monterrey, going a combined 9-7, 3.69. He wound down with no earned runs in 4 2/3 IP for the 1950 Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo. He had gone 20-24, 4.19 in 81 games in Mexico.

He later managed and coached in Nicaragua, through the 1970s. He coached for Nicaragua when they won Bronze in the 1953 Amateur World Series and when they appeared in the 1978 Central American and Caribbean Games. He was part of the inaugural class of the Nicaragua Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.