Peanuts Davis
| Peanuts Davis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: August 26, 1917 Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. | |
| Died: May 13, 1973 (aged 55) | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| Negro league baseball debut | |
| 1939, for the Miami Ethiopian Clowns [1] | |
| Last appearance | |
| 1951, for the Indianapolis–Cincinnati Clowns | |
| Teams | |
|
Edward Arnett Davis (August 26, 1917 – May 13, 1973), nicknamed "Peanuts", was an American Negro league pitcher in the late 1930s,[2] throughout the 1940s, and into the early 1950s.[3] He sometimes used the pseudonym "Peanuts Nyasses" when playing baseball for iterations of the Clowns in Miami, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis.[4] He was often called the "Clown Prince of Negro Baseball" by sportswriters who saw him play.[5] But the sportswriters also acknowledged that in addition to clowning, he was considered "one of the top pitchers in Negro baseball;" [6] in fact, many fans believed he was as talented as the much better-known Satchel Paige.[7] Davis was also praised for his versatility. "He’s a brilliant hurler...and a standout also if stationed anywhere in the outfield or infield."[8]
Little is known about Davis's childhood. He was a native of Jackson, Mississippi, and he supposedly got the nickname "Peanuts" from working as a vendor at local minor league baseball games, where he sold roasted peanuts "more rapidly than any of his boyhood rivals."[9] Another version of how he got the nickname states that his first job was bagging the peanuts, prior to their being sold at the ballpark.[10] He attended high school in Jackson, and maintained ties to the area: he later raised his own family there.[11] Davis played off-and-on for the various iterations of the Clowns, first in Miami, and later for the Indianapolis–Cincinnati Clowns between 1939 and 1946, and again beginning in 1949.[12] His baseball career was interrupted by World War II, and he played for an Army team at Fort Benning, Georgia for three years,[13] while fulfilling his military service. He was discharged from the Army in early May 1946 and rejoined the Clowns.[14] In addition to his skill at being a comedian, he was known for having an impressive knuckle ball; he even defeated Satchel Paige on several occasions during his career.[15] But perhaps his most noteworthy pitching feat occurred during a 20-inning game against the Chicago American Giants. Both he and opposing pitcher Gentry Jessup were locked in a pitching duel that was finally called because of darkness. Both men pitched all 20 innings.[16]
At some point, he left the Clowns, and returned in the spring of 1949. The newspapers said he had "jumped" his club and pitched elsewhere, evidently in violation of his contract; he was reinstated in time for the 1949 season.[17] He returned to pitch some games for the Clowns in 1950, but in 1951, he got into a contract dispute with the team's ownership, and was suspended from the team.[18] He decided to retire,[19] but by late 1951, he had joined a semipro team in Jacksonville, Florida, the Jacksonville Eagles.[20] Little is known about his later years. He died on May 13, 1973, at age 55.[21]
References
[edit]- ^ Alan J. Pollock, Barnstorming to Heaven: Syd Pollock and his Great Black Teams (University of Alabama Press, 2006), p.25.
- ^ "Clowns Here Tonight for Initial Clash," (Madison, Wisc.) Capital Times, May 28, 1939, p. 21.
- ^ "Undefeated Clowns Open in New Home," (Oklahoma City) Black Dispatch, May 19, 1951, p.6.
- ^ "Pitching Clown in Action Tomorrow Night at Stadium," St. Joseph (Missouri) Gazette, August 12, 1942, p. 9.
- ^ Everett Clay, "Spotlighting Sports," Miami Herald, August 17, 1943, p. 14.
- ^ "Star Performers to Be Here for Game Wednesday," Belleville (Illinois) Daily Advocate, September 14, 1943, p. 6.
- ^ "Third Shutout is Goal of Nyasses," Cincinnati Enquirer, August 17, 1941, p. 33.
- ^ “Ethiopian Clowns Open at Macon,” Birmingham (Alabama) Weekly Review, April 24, 1942, p. 7.
- ^ "Peanuts Nyasses, Baseball's Stepin Fetchit," Chicago Daily News, August 1, 1942, Pictorial Section, p. 8.
- ^ Alan J. Pollock, Barnstorming to Heaven: Syd Pollock and his Great Black Teams (University of Alabama Press, 2006), p. 25.
- ^ "Edward Arnett Davis Jr.," Jackson (Mississippi) Clarion-Ledger, November 3, 2016, p. A6.
- ^ "Eagles Defeat Clowns 5-2," Cincinnati Enquirer, July 19, 1949, p. 11.
- ^ "Black Barons to Play Fort Benning Or Stars in Game at Rickwood," Birmingham (Alabama) News, June 25, 1944, p. 18.
- ^ “On the Baseball Front,” (Los Angeles) California Eagle, May 2, 1946, p. 16.
- ^ Alan J. Pollock, Barnstorming to Heaven: Syd Pollock and his Great Black Teams (University of Alabama Press, 2006), p. 195.
- ^ "Clowns, Chicago Play 20-Inning 3-3 Tie," Chicago Defender, May 18, 1946, p. 11.
- ^ "Davis Will Pitch for Clowns Here," Monroe (Louisiana) News-Star, April 19, 1949, p. 11.
- ^ "Clowns Win in Six League Contest," Macon (Georgia) Telegraph, May 22, 1951, p. 2.
- ^ Alan J. Pollock, Barnstorming to Heaven: Syd Pollock and his Great Black Teams (University of Alabama Press, 2006), p. 258.
- ^ "All Stars, Eagles to Play Here," Macon (Georgia) News, November 6, 1951, p. 16.
- ^ Halper, Donna (January 20, 2023). "Society for American Baseball Research".
Sources
[edit]- Peanuts Davis at SABR (Baseball BioProject)
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference and Seamheads