1981 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Crossing over the George Washington Bridge on his way to work, Ron Davis may find the whole scene somewhat ominous and full of grandeur. He's simply a good ole' country boy from Texas who used to throw the ball around his backyard. Today, he's still throwing the ball, but his infield happens to be just off the Major Deegan Expressway- the scene of some of baseball's most historic happenings- Yankee Stadium.
As the perfect compliment to Goose Gossage, this lean and lanky right-hander goes after opposition batters much the same way he goes after chicken wings at the postgame food spread. He'll eat them up as quickly as can be, with all the speed he can muster and put away as many as possible.
After being one of the prime candidates for Rookie of the Year in 1979, a year in which he won 14 games and set an American League record for most wins by a rookie in relief, Ronnie remained hungry in 1980. He appeared in 53 contests, won nine and saved seven others. It's evident that he surely didn't bite off more than he could chew.
Now that the season is underway, you'll see Ronnie pitching with the intensity of a starved man going after a spare rib. After all, four months off during the off-season is a long time to go without satisfying an appetite that includes a steady diet of wins and saves."
-The New York Yankees Official 1981 Yearbook
"Davis had his second straight exceptional season, following his near Rookie of the Year 1979 season. A perfect complimentary bullpen partner for Goose Gossage, he was 9-3 with seven saves in 53 games.
Ron was tough down the stretch as he was 4-0 with one save in September, and did not allow an earned run in his first 20.2 innings that month. He was co-Player of the Week with Eddie Murray (September 8-14).
Ron did his best pitching against the toughest teams: 2-0 with one save and a 0.60 ERA against Boston, 1-0 and 2.61 against Baltimore, and no earned runs in 13 innings against Milwaukee. He was 6-0 with two saves and a 2.13 ERA from the All-Star break to the end of the season. The only Yankee pitcher to bat in '80, he struck out on April 20 against Milwaukee.
Davis had an excellent 14-2 rookie season in 1979, setting an American League record for most wins by a rookie in relief, breaking the record of 13 set by Wilcy Moore of the 1927 Yankees. He set the record despite beginning the season at Columbus. He won his first eight decisions after being recalled for the second time on May 28, and also had four saves before losing on July 14. He also finished strong, going 6-1 with five saves in his last 22 games.
Ron joined the Yanks the previous season from the Cubs organization. He had been primarily a starter there and was only 19-18 with a 4.50 ERA when he joined the Yankee organization. He became a reliever at West Haven and won nine of eleven decisions with five saves and a 1.50 ERA in only 21 games. Ron also saw action in only four games with the Yankees in 1978 and made his major league debut on Old Timers' Day before 46,000 people.
Since joining the Yankee organization and becoming strictly a reliever, he is 32-8 with a 2.79 ERA, with a lifetime major league record of 23-5 with a 3.01 ERA. The Cubs No. 3 selection in the January 1976 draft, Ron was also the only Yankee pitcher to bat in '79, and he struck out.
Ron has spent most of the last two winters in the New York area where he has become an accomplished banquet speaker. A native of Houston where he was a baseball, basketball and tennis standout at Milby High School, he has a degree in special education from Blinn J.C. in Brenham, Texas. He was a National Junior College All-American at Blinn.
Ron lists Catfish Hunter as his favorite player and enjoys hunting and fishing."
-1981 New York Yankees Media Guide
"Congratulations to Ron and Millie Davis, proud parents of their first child, Ellison Mark, born on March 30 at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey."
-New York Yankees 1981 Scorebook & Official Magazine
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