The Following Lot Originates from the Jake Virtue Estate Collection (click here for info.)
George Stacey Davis (not to be confused with his teammate George Davies) had an outstanding 20 year baseball career from 1890-1909. The Cleveland Spiders signed Davis for the 1890 season and he spent his first three years there followed by multiple stints with the New York Giants and finishing up with the Chicago White Sox. He also served as player-manager for the Giants for three years and won a World Series with the White Sox in 1906.
He played outfield, shortstop, third base and even pitched briefly. As a center fielder for the Cleveland Spiders in 1891, he was among the league top ten in hits, doubles, triples, total bases, RBI, plate appearances and outfield assists. Following the 1892 season, the Spiders traded Davis to the New York Giants. His first season in New York, 1893, was also the first of the “modern era” when, among many changes, the mound was moved back five feet to its present 60’ 6” distance. All George Davis did that year was hit .355 with 27 triples, 11 HRs, 37 stolen bases, 112 runs scored and 119 RBI.
He continued to play at an elite level throughout the 1890s, regularly ranking among the league leaders in doubles, triples, RBI and stolen bases. He hit more than .300 for nine consecutive seasons beginning in 1893. He began playing shortstop more regularly in 1896 and in 1897, Davis hit .353 with a league best 135 RBI, while leading the league in double plays and fielding percentage (something he would achieve four times each).
With the formation of the American League in 1901, and the new financial opportunities that presented, Davis jumped from the Giants to the Chicago White Sox; induced by a $4,000 salary. He was offered $6,750 to return to the Giants in 1903, which would have made him the second highest player in the league behind, only, Nap Lajoie, but was prevented from doing so by the peace agreement implemented by the warring leagues. In the 1906 World Series for the White Sox, he stole home in Game five and had three RBI in the title clinching Game six over the crosstown Chicago Cubs.
After MLB, Davis became coach of the Amherst College baseball team from 1913-1918. In a 1995 book, baseball author Bill James referred to Davis as the “best player” eligible but not yet inducted into the Hall of Fame. Shortly thereafter, Davis was rated the 21st best baseball player of all time in the official baseball encyclopedia “Total Baseball”. And, in 1998, the oversight, at long last, was corrected and George Stacey Davis was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The offered 1891-92 John H. Ryder cabinet card features a wonderful studio portrait of George Davis in his Cleveland Spiders uniform. The photographer's credit, "John H. Ryder - High Art Photographer – 211 Superior St. Cleveland, O.," appears along the base of the mount and the company’s “Ryder Portraits” logo appears on back. The photographic image, which displays exceptional clarity and contrast, is without fault. The cardboard mount (4-1/4" x 6-1/2") displays minimal handling wear. PSA has assigned a low technical grade of GOOD 2(MK) presumably due to a band of paper residue across the top back from prior album mounting. The MK qualifier is justified by the pencil writing on the reverse in the hand of Jake Virtue that identifies the subject “George Davis” and instructs, “Return to J.K. Virtue 637 Vine St. Camden N.J.” LOA from the Jake Virtue Estate.