Lloyd Davenport

Lloyd Davenport
Outfielder
Born: October 28, 1911 New Orleans, Louisiana
Died: September 1, 1985 (aged 73) New Orleans, Louisiana
Batted: Left Threw: Left
Teams
New Orleans Crescent Stars (1934) Philadelphia Stars (1935–1936) Cincinnati Tigers (1937) Memphis Red Sox (1938–1939) Alijadores de Tampico (1940) Birmingham Black Barons (1942) Chicago American Giants (1943–1944) Cleveland Buckeyes (1944–1945) Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo (1945–1946) Alacranes del Almendares (1946-47) Azules de Veracruz (1947–1948) Navegantes del Magallanes (1949-50) Elmwood Giants (1951) Danville Dans (1953)
Career highlights and awards
Five-time East-West All-Star Game selection

Lloyd Benjamon Davenport (October 11, 1911 – September 1, 1985) was an African American baseball outfielder who played for several clubs of the Negro and Minor leagues during 17 seasons spanning 1934–1953. LIsted at 5' 4" (1.65 m), 150 lb. (68), Davenport batted and threw left-handed. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, he was nicknamed 'Ducky'.^[1]

The five-foot-four Ducky Davenport was already a pretty good offensive player with speed on the bases and in the outfield. He might have been small in stature, but impressed with his character as well as his ability and instincts to play the game. A five-time Negro League All-Star, he also played in the Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela leagues.^[2]

Davenport managed to hit .300 or better in five Negro Leagues seasons, collecting batting averages of .302 (1937), .360 (1938), .364 (1939), .333 (1942) and .395 (1945). He later spent four seasons in the Mexican League from 1945 to 1948.^[1]

In between, Davenport played winter ball with the Cuban Alacranes del Almendares in the 1946-47 season^[3] and for the Venezuelan Navegantes del Magallanes in 1949-50.^[4] He later played for the Elmwood Giants of the Mandak League in 1951.^[2]

Davenport was 41 years old when he joined the Danville Dans in 1953, during what turned out to be his career's final season.^[1]

Ducky Davenport died in 1985 in his home of New Orleans, Louisiana, at the age of 73.

Sources

1. Minor and Negro leagues statistics. Baseball Reference. Retrieved on February 1, 2016.
2. Swanton, Barry (2006). Mandak League: Haven for Former Negro League Ballplayers, 1950-1957. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-2510-5.
3. Almendares (Liga Profesional Cubana 1946-47). Rogério Manzano website. Retrieved on February 1, 2016.
4. Magallanes (Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional 1949-50). Pura Pelota website. Retrieved on February 1, 2016.