Chris Davis (baseball)
A slugger whose monumental power produced a historic contract, followed by one of the most dramatic and prolonged batting slumps in baseball history.
Born 1986 (age 40)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 17·Millennials
Biography
Chris Davis, known universally as 'Crush,' embodied the modern power hitter's dream and its potential nightmare. With the Baltimore Orioles, he became a fearsome presence in the middle of the lineup, twice leading the major leagues in home runs with seasons of 53 and 47 homers. His peak was staggering, a display of raw pull power that made Camden Yards his playground. That performance earned him a seven-year, $161 million contract in 2016, a landmark deal for the franchise. What followed was a stark and public struggle. His batting average plummeted, and strikeouts soared, culminating in a record hitless streak that stretched to 54 at-bats. Davis's career became a complex narrative about the volatility of elite talent, the weight of expectation, and the very human struggle at the heart of a game obsessed with statistics.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Chris was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led Major League Baseball in home runs in 2013 (53) and 2015 (47).
- Signed a then-franchise record 7-year, $161 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles in 2016.
- Hit 53 home runs in 2013, setting a single-season record for a Orioles player.
- Recorded a major league-record 54 consecutive at-bats without a hit in 2018-2019.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted by the New York Yankees in the 50th round of the 2004 draft but did not sign.
In 2012, he became the first player in MLB history to win a game as both a pitcher and a hitter with a home run in the same contest.
He played third base, outfield, and first base early in his career with the Texas Rangers.
His 53-home-run season in 2013 also included 138 RBIs, leading the American League.
“I swung for the fences every time; that was my job and my curse.”
