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Tommy, we’ve got your number
And it isn’t #29
By William S. Bike
In performing research for my book The Forgotten 1970 Chicago Cubs: Go and Glow, every reference source I came across said that both outfielder Brock Davis and outfielder Tommy Davis wore Cub uniform #29 that year.
That happens sometimes, if one player wears the number early in the season and then gets traded away or sent to the minor leagues, and then another player is given that number by the equipment manager.
In the case of the Davises, however, that was not possible. The Cubs brought up youngster Brock Davis from the minor leagues on September 1, and then acquired veteran Tommy Davis on September 16. During Tommy Davis’s entire 15 days with the Cubs in 1970, he and Brock Davis were on the team together. Therefore, they couldn’t have worn the same uniform number.
Checking what their numbers were in 1971 wouldn’t help. Brock Davis remained with the Cubs wearing #29 that year, but Tommy Davis spent the whole year with the Oakland A’s.
Tommy Davis returned to the Cubs in 1972 wearing #24, but he hadn’t worn that number in 1970, since another outfielder, Cleo James, sported it, and James was with the Cubs from opening day 1970 until their season-closing series against the New York Mets in the Big Apple.
