Willie Davis was a star Major League Baseball outfielder in the 1960s and 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. While not one of the biggest names in baseball history, Davis had a very solid career spanning 17 seasons and was a key contributor to the Dodgers’ World Series championship in 1965. Due to his many productive years in Los Angeles playing alongside stars like Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, Willie Davis has quite a collection of baseball cards from his era that remain popular with collectors today.
Born in New Kensington, Pennsylvania in 1940, Davis came up through the Dodgers’ farm system, making his MLB debut in 1962 at the age of 22. His rookie cards from 1962 Topps and ’63 Topps are among the more sought-after cards from his early Dodgers days, with Davis clean-shaven and youthful in those first couple seasons in the show. While he didn’t put up huge numbers in ’62-’63, collectors like those rookie cards as they capture Davis at the very beginning of what would turn out to be a fine MLB career wearing Dodger blue.
It was in 1965 that Davis really made his mark. That season, he led the National League with 216 hits, 52 stolen bases, and took home the league’s Gold Glove award in center field. His performance helped propel the Dodgers to a World Series triumph over the Minnesota Twins. As a result, cards from 1965 are among his most iconic and valuable, such as the ’65 Topps card that portrays Davis’ terrific style running down fly balls in the spacious Dodger Stadium outfield. Many enthusiasts consider the ’65Topps Davis their favorite of his baseball cards.
In 1966, Davis backed up his ’65 success with another outstanding season, leading the NL in stolen bases and triples, showcasing his blazing speed. Some top cards from ’66 include his Topps issue as well as the very rare “Tom Seaver” subset by Topps, where a cropped photo of Davis swinging a bat was mistakenly inserted in place of Seaver. This error card is a true gem prized by collectors today. Davis continued delivering stellar all-around play through the late 1960s, also having stellar seasons in ’68 and ’70 when he bashed career-high 16 home runs in each respective season.
After eight years living up to big expectations in L.A., Davis was somewhat surprisingly traded to the Montreal Expos in 1971, kickstarting the twilight phase of his career. His early Expos cards from 1971-72 Topps provide a glimpse into Davis’ transition adjusting to a new league and team in his 30s. While he remained a fine player, some stats began declining from his Dodgers peak. After brief stops with the Oakland A’s and San Diego Padres as well, Davis wrapped up his career back with the Dodgers in 1977 at age 37. Fittingly, his ’77 Topps issue is one of the last baseball cards made of the talented yet underrated center fielder from his era.
In 1993, Davis was inducted into the Dodger Hall of Fame in recognition of his eight standout seasons with the franchise. He finished his career with a .279 batting average along with 2,446 hits, 162 home runs, and 467 stolen bases over 1,999 games played. While never a superstar name, Davis’ consistency, defensive excellence, and championship experience with the ‘60s Dodgers made him a valuable player collectors still appreciate today. Whether it’s his early Dodgers rookies, iconic ’65 Topps, or rare ’66 errors, Willie Davis’ extensive baseball card collection spanning the 1960s-70s remains a favorite of collectors who admire his contributions to the game in L.A. and beyond. He left quite a legacy that lives on through cards cherished by fans over 50 years since his playing days in Dodger blue.
