Steel Arm Davis

Walter C. "Steel Arm" Davis (June 22, 1896 – November 30, 1941) was an American Negro league baseball player from 1920 to 1938. He played for the Dayton Marcos, Detroit Stars, Chicago American Giants, Nashville Elite Giants, Gilkerson's Union Giants[3] and Brooklyn Eagles.[5]

Walter "Steel Arm" Davis
Outfielder / Pitcher / Manager
Born: (1896-06-22)June 22, 1896
Wortham, Texas, United States
Died: (1941-11-30)November 30, 1941
Chicago, Illinois
Batted: Left Threw: Left
debut
1918, for the Waco Black Navigators
Last appearance
1938, for the San Antonio Black Missions
Negro league statistics
Batting average.328
Home runs31
Runs scored250
Teams

During the off-season, Davis often returned to his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, and worked as a porter for many of the local barber shops.[6]

In the later years of his career, Davis worked as a playing manager for the Black Missions baseball team in San Antonio, Texas. The traveling team followed the same traditions of many other barnstorming baseball teams, playing as far away as Canada, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and North Dakota. The team also staged exhibitions with Grover Cleveland Alexander when he was with House of David baseball team during summer 1938.[4]

Known to have a hot temper, Davis was shot and killed by "Red" Merrill after a 1941 barroom brawl in Chicago. Merrill was later captured by police.[6]

References
  1. "Black Navs Play Senators Sunday and Monday." The Dallas Express, Dallas, Texas, Saturday, May 10, 1919, Page 5, Columns 4 and 5
  2. "Gilkersons' Union Giants Win Double Header at St. Ambrose" The Davenport Democrat and Leader, Davenport, IA, Monday Evening, July 26, 1926, Page 7, Column 1
  3. "Giants to Return Here" Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, July 19, 1931, Sunday, Sports Page 4, Column 4 to 6
  4. "BLACK MISSIONS PLAY GALVESTON", San Antonio Express, San Antonio, TX, August 21, 1938, Page 4B, Col 5]
  5. The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia. Sterling Publishing. 2007. p. 1700. ISBN 1-4027-4771-3.
  6. Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI, December 17, 1941, Page 20, Column 3


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