Mark Davidson created opportunities over 6 ML seasons

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Fresh off his Twins' 1987 World Series title, Mark Davidson spoke of the experience to his hometown Statesville Record and Landmark.

The experience included 102 games in the regular season in a part-time role and one at bat in the World Series, a deep flyout, all in his second major league season.

"I guess I worked harder than the next guy - that's what I attribute it to, really," Davidson told The Record and Landmark of being in that position. "God gave me a lot of talent, but I helped myself by working hard. To an extent, you create your own opportunities."

Davidson went on to get major league opportunities in four more seasons, first with the Twins, then with the Astros. He saw six seasons in all, 413 major league games and that World Series title.

Davidson's career began in 1982, taken by the Twins in the 11th round of the draft out of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Davidson started with the Twins at single-A Wisconsin Rapids. He hit .300 in 79 games and returned there for 1983. He saw AA Orlando in 1984 and 1985, then AAA Toledo and Minnesota in 1986.

Davidson made the bigs that June. His brother Doug Davidson described Mark's reaction to The Charlotte Observer.

'It was unbelievable," Doug Davidson told The Observer of the phone call where his brother told him the news. "He was ecstatic. He could hardly hold the telephone. He's been waiting for this since high school."

Davidson saw 36 games with the Twins that year and hit .118. He then returned for those 102 games in 1987 and hit .267.

That August, his third base coach Rick Renick talked to The Minneapolis Star Tribune about Davidson's role coming off the bench.

"That's the toughest role in baseball," Renick told The Star Tribune. "But the kid has an outstanding attitude, and he works his tail off. He's out here hitting early before every game. I'm proud of him."

Davidson saw 100 games with the Twins for 1988. He hit .217. He then got traded to the Astros for 1989 and saw 33 games.

Davidson played in two more seasons. He got into 57 games with the Astros in 1990, along with time at AAA Tucson. He then saw 85 with the Astros in 1991. He played two more seasons in the minors, at AAA with the Indians, to end his career.

Davidson then went into construction and the graphic arts. In 2025, he watched his son Logan Davidson follow him to the majors, with the Athletics.

Mark Davidson 1990 Houston Astros baseball card


1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,560
Made the Majors:1,442-31.6%-X
Never Made Majors:3,118-68.4%
5+ Seasons in the Majors:588-X
10+ Seasons in the Minors:360

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