SAN FRANCISCO--- Jim Davenport, who was a member of the original 1958 San Francisco Giants, will be the guest speaker at the SF State Gators’ Baseball and Softball Crab Feed that will be held on Saturday, January 23 at the Janet Pomeroy Center in San Francisco.
Davenport enters his 45th campaign with the organization, having played, coached and managed at both the major and minor league levels. He serves a roving instructor and a special assignment scout as directed by Brian Sabean.
The All-Star third baseman has held his current position for nine of the last 10 years. However, Davenport was asked to skipper triple-A Fresno in 1998 during the Grizzlies' inaugural campaign, piloting the squad to the Pacific Coast League Southern Division championship. He also served as the first base coach for San Francisco in 1996 after managing then triple-A Phoenix during the second half of the 1995 campaign.
The Siluria, AL native re-joined the Giants organization in 1993 and served as a coach for single-A San Jose until 1995. After serving as San Francisco's manager in 1985, he served as third base coach for Philadelphia in 1988 and Cleveland in 1989 before joining Detroit as an advanced scout from 1991-92. Davenport was also the Giants third base coach from 1976-82 and the club's advance scout in 1983-84.
Following a 13-year big league career all with the Giants, he remained with the organization and managed Phoenix from 1971-73 before serving as a coach for the Padres from 1974-75. Davenport, 74, 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.
Davenport and his wife, Betty, reside in San Carlos, and have five children, Randy, Cathy, Ken, Don and Gary, who is the hitting coach for single-A San Jose.
For more information on the Crab Feed, please contact the Gator Baseball Office at 415-338-2548 or the Softball Office at 415-338-1063.