Long-Time Giant Jim Davenport Passes at 82

Photo Credit: Brad Mangin

Today marks an incredibly sad day for Giants fans everywhere, as Jim Davenport, one of the members of the first San Francisco Giants team, has passed away at the age of 82.

Davenport, third-baseman on the great Giant teams of the 1960s that featured the likes of Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, and Juan Marichal, was a lifelong member of the orange and black. Over the course of his 14-year career, Davenport’s fantastic glove gave the Giants stability to the hot corner. He lead the National League in fielding percentage three years in a row and earned a Gold Glove, as well as an All-Star appearance, in 1962. Overall, Davenport had a career batting average of .258, 77 home runs, 1142 hits, over the course of 1501 games.

After he hung up his spikes in 1970, Davenport remained with the Giants in one form or another for nearly a half-decade. From 1971 to 1973, Davenport coached the Phoenix Giants, then, after a brief coaching job in San Diego, was the third base coach for the Giants from 1976 to 1982. In 1985, Davenport managed a historically bad Giants team and had a 56-88 record until ultimately being replaced by Roger Craig. After bouncing around as a coach and staff member of the Phillies, Indians, and Tigers, Davenport returned to the Giants as a first-base coach in 1996 and continued to hold a position in the organization until his death.

The Giants organization released a statement today regarding the passing:

“The Giants family was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jim Davenport last night in Redwood City due to heart failure.

Davenport, 82, played all 13 seasons of his Major League career in a Giants uniform from 1958-1970. He was a member of the original 1958 San Francisco Giants and spent 51 seasons in the organization, having played, coached and managed at both the Major and minor league levels.

The Siluria, Alabama native posted a .258 lifetime batting average in 1,501 Major League contests. He earned All-Star status and a Gold Glove in 1962 and was voted by the fans as the third baseman on the Giants’ 25th Anniversary Dream Team in 1982.

"The passing of Jim Davenport brings great sadness to our organization," said Laurence Baer, Giants President & Chief Executive Officer. "Jim had a wonderful spirit and was a great Giant. We will always remember Davvy. We express our deepest condolences to his family and will have them in our thoughts and prayers.

Davenport is survived by his wife, Betty, daughter Cathy, sons Randy, Ken, Don and Gary.”

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