Steel Arm Davis

Walter Davis

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 1", Weight 175 lb.

• Debut 1920
• Final Game 1935
• Born June 22, 1896 in Wortham, TX USA
• Died November 30, 1941 in Chicago, IL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Steel Arm Davis played with the Detroit Stars in 1923, hitting .338/.386/.500 and going 5-4 with a 4.77 ERA. Despite being used as a pitcher and backup outfielder, he was third on the club in OPS, behind only star Turkey Stearnes and Edgar Wesley. Davis joined the Chicago American Giants the next year and became a full-time outfielder, hitting .274. After not appearing for two years, Davis hit .385 to lead Chicago's Negro National League pennant-winners in 1927; he was 4th in the NNL in average, tied for 4th with 18 doubles, tied for third with seven triples and fifth with 10 stolen bases. He then hit .361 in the Negro World Series.

In '28, Walter played first base and hit .353, just missing the NNL's top 5. He was suspended that year for punching an umpire and also suffered an ankle injury. He slipped to .270 in 1929 but bounced back to .345 in 1930. Moving to the minor Chicago Columbia Giants in 1931, Davis rejoined the Chicago American Giants in '32 and batted .287. He tied for second in the Negro Southern League with five homers, tied for fourth with 7 doubles and was second with six triples. Moved to left field in 1933, Walter only hit .247, but was voted into the first East-West Game as the starting left fielder.

Steel Arm moved to the Nashville Elite Giants in 1934 and Chicago American Giants in 1935. He was killed in a barroom fight in Chicago's Indiana Inn in 1941.

Notable Achievements

• NNL All-Star (1933)
• NSL Home Runs Leader (1932)

Sources:

• The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues by James Riley
• The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues by John Holway
• 1923 Negro National League Yearbook, by Peter Ventura and Patrick Rock, Replay Publishing