His first big league manager, Bill Rigney, called Jim Davenport “the greatest third baseman I ever saw – at least the only one I’d compare with Billy Cox.” Davenport, who played every infield position as well as the outfield during his 13-year ML tenure, led NL third basemen in fielding three times and won a Gold Glove in 1962. Also in ’62, Davenport reached career-high figures in batting (.297) and home runs (14) and played in an All-Star Game. In 1967 the 5’11” 180-lb Davenport played errorless ball in 65 straight games and averaged .370 as a pinch hitter. After many years as a Giants coach, he became their manager in 1985, 27 years after his ML playing debut in the team’s first San Francisco game. Davenport relinquished the managerial reins before the season ended. In 1987 he became a Phillies coach.
