Exclusive: How ex-MLB player Eric Anthony learned his dad was Dodgers legend Willie Davis

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Exclusive: How ex-MLB player Eric Anthony learned his dad was Dodgers legend Willie Davis
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LOS ANGELES — Eric Anthony was always curious, but never obsessed, to learn the family secret.
He grew up asking his mother about the identity of his biological father, but always received vague answers, saying it was a man who was briefly stationed at a San Diego Naval base.
It didn't really matter. Anthony was surrounded by love in the family with three brothers, food on the table, clothes in the closet and a ballfield nearby.
He was a star baseball player growing up in San Diego, drafted in 1986 by the Houston Astros, making his major-league debut three years later, and spending nine years in the big leagues. He lead the Astros with 19 homers and finished second with 80 RBIs in 1992 on a star-studded team that featured Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, along with Ken Caminiti, Steve Finley and Luis Gonzalez.
It wasn't until eight years ago – Oct. 10, 2017 to be exact – that his oldest daughter, Erica, asked him if he would do a genealogy test.
'She goes, 'Dad, I've been watching some of these ancestor DNA commercials,'" Anthony tells USA TODAY Sports. 'She's always been curious who was on both sides of the family. ...
'I spit in the bottle, sent out the DNA, and when it came back, I started getting all of these Davis' showing up in my profile. I had to investigate."
He made a series of calls and wound up contacting a woman that showed up as one of the Davis relatives in Phoenix named Martha Burt Sells. He identified himself, and they figured out together they were cousins. Anthony explained his background and sent pictures of him in his baseball uniform where he played for Astros, Mariners, Reds, Rockies and Dodgers – when Sells stopped him cold.
'Oh, so you're the second-most famous baseball player in our family," said Sells, who discovered two years earlier in a DNA test that her biological father and Davis' mother were brother and sister.
'Who's the first?" Anthony said.
'Well, my first cousin," Sells said.
'Willie Davis."
Yes, that Willie Davis.
'My wife Googled him,'' Anthony said, 'and then she started screaming, 'Oh my God, that's your father!'"
Yes, the two-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and two-time World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He still holds Dodgers franchise records since their move to Los Angeles for hits and triples. His 31-game hitting streak still remains the all-time Dodgers record.
'I grew up loving Wally Moon and Duke Snider, and then Willie Davis came along," said Dodgers All-Star outfielder Rick Monday, who grew up in Santa Monica and became the first player selected in the history of the MLB draft in 1965. 'Being a center fielder, I watched Willie really close because I was in awe of the way he ran after a ball and the way he ran the bases. His strides, he was like an antelope. He just devoured ground with every long stride that he took."
Said Dusty Baker, who grew up in Riverside and won a World Series with the 1981 Dodgers: 'We all wanted to be Willie Davis. He ran like a gazelle the way he would fly around the bases. We all tried to imitate him. We thought he was the coolest dude ever."
Oh, could Davis run. He twice led the National League in triples. He stole 398 career bases, including 42 in 1964, and stole three bases in one game during the 1965 World Series. He was nicknamed '3-Dog" with his blazing speed.
'He was such an important part of Dodger history," said former Dodgers GM Fred Claire, who spoke at Davis' memorial service in 2010. 'He was so full of life, with such high energy and so extremely talented. Nothing was too big for him. There was no intimidation. Great speed. A very good arm. No one ran from first to third like Willie. Three steps between bags. What an athlete."
Learning the truth
Anthony, now 57, couldn't believe it. Everyone always wanted to know where he got his athleticism. Why did he gravitate towards baseball and not another sport? Why did everything seem so natural to him as a left-handed hitter?
And, of course, why didn't his mother ever tell him the truth?
'She could never give me a detailed answer," Anthony said. 'You don't want to disrespect your parents. Just one of those things I kept inside. I thought maybe one day I'd find out.
'And I did."
Anthony confronted his mom, Jo Carole Ighner-Phillips, who died at the age of 82 in February, and she confirmed his dad indeed was Davis. She certainly didn't mean any harm in keeping the secret. She was a proud woman. She wasn't looking for a handout from a baseball star. She was just fine raising four boys by herself.
'I wasn't angry with my mother or was I angry with Willie," said Anthony, who retired from baseball in 2001, after also playing in Japan and Mexico. 'I think my mother was protecting all of us from any scandal and did the best thing for all parties involved. She was protecting me. And she was protecting Willie."
Anthony's oldest brother, Michael Phillips, 66, knows that while Eric is now at peace, he can't hide the desire to have known when Davis was still alive.
'My Mom was private as Eric, but she wanted to keep it away from everyone," Phillips said. 'She was devastated that Eric found out the way he did. There was some tension there. It took a few weeks.
'I can't imagine it happening to me. Willie Davis being your actual father, that's a little bit of a shocker."
Anthony discovered that few people ever knew the identity of his father. No one knew on the Davis side. So, he started making calls. He introduced himself to family members he didn't know existed. He soon discovered he had two new half-sisters and a half-brother.
'It was really strange, and just never connected the dots," said Thomas Davis, 87, Willie's oldest brother, who still lives in Los Angeles and struggles with his brother's death. 'When we talked, I believed Eric. If someone was that interested in reaching out, and going through all that trouble, why wouldn't I believe him?
'I just had no idea. I really wish we had known him growing up."
Anthony, who lives in Houston with his wife, Robin and is now a proud grandparent, met Thomas Davis and three cousins in a Mexican restaurant in Irvine, California. They shared pictures and gasped at the resemblance. He couldn't believe how warmly he was embraced.
'My uncle grabbed me and hugged me," Anthony said, 'and said, 'You're giving me a piece of my little brother back.'
'Of course, it was a shock to that side of the family at first since Willie was married. I was a love child. But now, it's like one big family."
The families started reminiscing, and Anthony was reminded by his brother that Davis actually was at their house. In those days, everyone in the neighborhood were San Diego Padres fans, and when Davis was traded before the 1976 season to the Padres, he became a household name.
'I remember there was this beautiful blue Corvette parked outside our apartment one afternoon," Phillips said, 'and a kid runs up to me and says, 'Why is Willie Davis at your house?' I ran upstairs, and there he was sitting on the couch.
'I didn't even put two and two together until later. I started playing everything back in my head. 'Oh my God, that's why he was at the house.'
Said Anthony: 'So, it looks like I did meet him twice. That day, and when my Mom took me to watch the Dodgers play the Padres when I was two years old."
Turning point
Anthony has since tried to learn as much about Davis as possible, collecting old photographs, jerseys, hats, magazine covers, everything relating to his dad. He has a small shrine to Davis at his Houston home.
'When Eric reached and told me about the connection," Claire said, 'I wanted to put Eric in touch with players that knew Willie. I reached out to Tommy Davis, Maury [Wills] and others. I wanted to give him the opportunity to know as much as he could about his dad. I sent him pictures I had of Willie.
'He was quite fascinated by it."
Anthony began sharing his discovery with Baker and Bill Russell, his former Dodgers manager who also played with Davis. He remembers the day he telephoned his close friend, actor Kenny Medlock, whom he met in 1992, to share his discovery. Medlock played nine years in the minor leagues before going Hollywood, appearing in 55 movies including 'Moneyball." It was Medlock who telephoned Dodgers hitting coach Reggie Smith one day to recommend Anthony.
'You talk about going full circle," Medlock said. 'I met Willie Davis, got him into a bunch of movies, meet Eric, get Eric a job with the Dodgers, and then find out that Willie is his biological dad.
'When Eric told me that was his father, it was just such a bombshell. I mean, this guy was special. He heard a different drummer drumming. He was not somebody you could control. He would have probably been a hippy if he wasn't a baseball player."
Anthony, who started his own technology company, relishes hearing from his father's old friends and acquaintances. He loves hearing the stories, especially from Davis' brother, Thomas. Thomas told him that Willie's first love was basketball, but it was Dodgers scout Kenny Myers who saw his blazing speed as a track-and-field star, and was the one converted him into a left-handed-hitting outfielder, just like Anthony.
'Eric is a very quiet guy, he doesn't say much," Phillips said, 'but I think Eric finding out about his father is a turning moment in his life. It's important just for Eric to understand what happened. He's still in a fog, but in a euphoric way. This will help bring some closure and some openings too."
Securing his father's legacy
Now that Anthony knows that Davis is his father, his would love to honor his legacy by correcting a wrong.
Strangely, Davis has never appeared on a single Hall of Fame ballot. Not on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot. Not on a veterans committee ballot.
Davis, who accumulated 2,561 hits and stole 384 bases to go along with his three Gold Glove awards, has the highest career WAR (60.7) never to appear on a Hall of Fame ballot.
The 1985 BBWAA ballot included 41 players – with Lou Brock and Catfish Hunter each elected in their first year of eligibility – but Davis never appeared, despite his 2,561 hits, 398 stolen bases and 182 home runs. He is one of only 10 players in baseball history who has achieved those numbers, and seven are in the Hall of Fame.
'Willie has not been given the respect he deserves in his career," Anthony said. 'Look what he has done. He ranks first in all-time hits in [Los Angeles] Dodgers' history. He helped them win two World Series titles. It's just baffling to me that he never appeared on a Hall of Fame ballot."
The biggest hindrance to Davis' candidacy in his first year of eligibility in 1985 that 11 players who had been previously dropped off the ballot, were reinstated by a special committee that year. They added Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Clay Carroll, Ron Fairly, Curt Flood, Harvey Haddix, Denny McLain, Dave McNally, Vada Pinson, Ron Santo and Wilbur Wood, dramatically reducing the first-year eligible players.
'I mean, at the very least," Anthony said, 'he should have his number retired by the Dodgers. Nobody should be wearing No. 3 again.''
The last Dodger to wear No. 3 is Chris Taylor, who was just released last week.
Anthony can't help but wonder, too, if his baseball career might have been different if he had known Davis was his father. What if Davis had reached out and accepted him as his son while he was growing up. They lived only 100 miles away from one another with Davis in Los Angeles and Anthony in San Diego, later playing for the same team 24 years apart.
Just how cool would it have been to have father-son pictures at Dodger Stadium?
'I often think about that, having my father in my life," Anthony said. 'This guy was a major-league legend, no way around it. To have a conversation with him, asking him certain questions, to have that knowledge and experience, I'm sure it would have improved my career.
'I wish I would have had my dad around, but you can't be stuck in life with what-ifs. I have a new brother, two sisters, and a host of uncles and aunts.
'My life is complete. It's like being on a deserted island all of these years, and then somebody found you.
'I know who I am now."
Around the basepaths
– The Pittsburgh Pirates are flatly rebuking all interest from teams wanting to engage in trade talks for ace Paul Skenes, but will listen to offers on every other player but him and outfielder Oneil Cruz.
Two intriguing players are third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes and outfielder Bryan Reynolds. They were each expected to become cornerstone pieces of the franchise and both have struggled, with the Pirates expected to put them on the market at the trade deadline. Reynolds is in the third year of an eight-year, $106.75 million deal, the largest in club history. Hayes is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $70 million extension.
– The Miami Marlins' plan to enhance ace Sandy Alcantara's trade value by hanging onto him until the deadline has backfired – at least in the early-going.
Alcantara, who's returning from Tommy John surgery, is yielding a hideous 8.47 ERA, allowing the most earned runs of any pitcher in baseball.
– It looks like the ABS challenge system will be on hold for another year after feedback MLB received from players this spring. It will likely be implemented for 2027.
– The Arizona Diamondbacks are resisting any urge to make a rash move and dismiss manager Torey Lovullo, who suddenly is drawing the ire of their fanbase with their recent struggles. They dropped to 27-30 after losing eight of their last nine games entering Saturday.
"These are very challenging times, I'm not going to lie," Lovullo said. 'We're in a huge grind, every one of us. We're a really good baseball team, and we should not be three games under .500."
The Diamondbacks' pitching and sloppy defense have been the culprits. They scored six or more runs 23 times this season, but have lost a major-league leading 10 of those games, including three games in which they've scored 11 runs.
– Phillies All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper echoed the Phillies' front-office sentiments when he told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he can't imagine Kyle Schwarber not coming back to Philadelphia as a free agent this winter.
'I don't see him playing anywhere else,' Harper said. 'Obviously I don't make those decisions. But as a team leader and a captain and everything else, he brings so much value to our team."
Schwarber, signed to a four-year, $79 million contract before the 2022 season, has hit 149 home runs, third behind only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani in that time.
'He's just learned such a good way of bringing a team together," Harper said. 'He does such a great job of that.'
– The Dodgers are scouring the market these days for a left-handed hitting bat off the bench.
– The Cincinnati Reds' patience with former All-Star closer Alexis Diaz evaporated when they sent him to the Dodgers this past week for minor-league pitcher Mike Villani, with the Dodgers picking up the remaining $3 million in Diaz's contract this year. The Reds became exasperated with Diaz, and he was showing no signs of getting back to his All-Star form at Class AAA Louisville.
'I felt it was the best thing for everybody involved just to have a change of scenery," Nick Krall, Reds president of baseball operations, told reporters.
The Dodgers, who will work with Diaz at their minor-league camp in Arizona, have suddenly become desperate for bullpen help. Former closer Evan Phillips is undergoing Tommy John surgery this week, and they still are without Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol.
The Dodgers shelled out a four-year, $72 million contract for closer Tanner Scott last winter, but he has struggled, blowing five saves with a 4.62 ERA. He had only six blown saves the past two seasons combined with Miami and San Diego.
'I think, performance-wise, he hasn't performed the way any of us expected, him included,' manager Dave Roberts said.
– Scouts already are keeping an eye on Boston Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman, who will be a hot commodity at the trade deadline if the Red Sox fall out of the AL East race.
– Cool moment at the Yankees-Dodgers epic weekend series when Yankees manager Aaron Boone spotted Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrín, pulled a cell phone from the back picket of his uniform, and snapped a selfie.
'Hey, he's a legend," Boone said.
– Pirates manager Don Kelly is drawing rave reviews from his players, and is showing why the Boston Red Sox nearly hired him after the 2020 season. He was one of three finalists with Alex Cora and Sam Fuld. Kelly has since turned down several job interviews, including the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland and New York Mets, to remain in Pittsburgh with his family before being promoted.
– Toronto Blue Jays slugger Anthony Santander has looked nothing like the man they signed to a five-year, $92.5 million contract during the winter. He's now on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation after hitting just .179 with six homers and striking out a career-high 26.3% of the time. He looks like a shadow of himself after hitting 44 homers a year ago for Baltimore.
– The Houston Astros and Billy Wagner are taking no shortcuts celebrating his Hall of Fame induction ceremony this summer with friends and family.
They have sent out invitations for Wagner's closest friends and family for two seats on the Astros' team charter to Cooperstown, including a hotel room and ground transportation for the weekend to be at Wagner's celebratory party.
– Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo openly roots for Paul Skenes in every game he doesn't pitch against him, forming a relationship at last year's All-Star game when he made Skenes the starting pitcher after just 11 starts.
'I spent a little bit of personal time with him, and I don't think a lot of people get to do that that aren't inside of his organization or his circle," Lovullo says. 'I will always treasure those times. Special kid, great for the game.
'When we're not facing him, I am a fan.'
– Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, who broke his toe walking to the bathroom at his home last Wednesday night, is expected to return to the lineup this week. There has been no temptation to move him back to right field as the Dodgers did a year ago.
'He's a major league shortstop, on a championship club …" Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. 'He looks like a major league shortstop right now, where last year there were many times I didn't feel that way.'
– Classic response by Atlanta ace Spencer Strider when Hall of Fame writer Jayson Stark asked him about pitching in Philadelphia's raucous environment.
'I love pitching here,' Strider said. 'I mean, where else do they chant your name and ask you how your family's doing? They seem very interested in my well-being, and I appreciate that."
– So much for that feel-good Tim Anderson comeback story. He was released last week by the Angels after an ugly slash line of .205/.258/.241 in 90 plate appearances. This is the second time the former batting champion has been released in the last nine months.
– Just in case Mets owner Steve Cohen didn't have a big enough checking account, his hopes for an $8 billion casino next to Citi Field moved ever so close after a bill in the state Senate approved the project, now needing only Gov. Kathy Hochul's signature.
– Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners is resurrecting memories of Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza. Raleigh, who already has the most homers by an catcher through the first four seasons of their career, is now having an MVP season in the non-Aaron Judge division. He already has 21 homers, the most by a catcher before June in history. He's on pace for 57 home runs this season, which would shatter Salvador Perez's record of 48 homers in 2021 with the Royals.
– Remember when the Boston Red Sox gave second baseman Kristian Campbell an eight-year, $60 million deal and looked like geniuses when he hit .301 with four homers and an .902 OPS through April? Well, he has crashed down to earth in May, hitting .137 with just one extra base hit and a .368 OPS.
– The Houston Astros say they are on the lookout for starting pitching after losing Ronel Blanco. He is the third Astros' starter to go down in the season's first two months, joining Hayden Wesneski who underwent Tommy John surgery last week, and Spencer Arrighetti (broken thumb).
– Rough week for Marlins second baseman Ronny Simon. He committed three errors in three innings, ran off the field in tears while teammates and coaches tried to console him, and then was designated for assignment two days later.
– The Yankees plan for Jazz Chisholm to return to third base when he returns from the IL with DJ LeMahieu playing second.
– Phillies ace Zack Wheeler can blame Atlanta if he's not in the Cy Young debate at the end of the season.
He as a 9.28 ERA in two starts against Atlanta this year and a 1.93 ERA in his 10 starts against everyone else.
– What's it like being Shohei Ohtani's teammate?
'You don't want to miss any of his at-bats,' new Dodgers outfielder Michael Conforto said. 'You want to be in the dugout. You want to see it in person. That's kind of what it is being his teammate. You want to be there.'
– Congratulations to Atlanta's Chris Sale who recorded his 2,500th strikeout faster than any pitcher in history, accomplishing the feat in 2,206 innings, eclipsing Hall of Famer Randy Johnson, who achieved the milestone in 2,107 innings.
Sale idolized Johnson growing up, and still cherishes the text message he received from Johnson last winter when he won the Cy Young award.
– The Colorado Rockies, if you can believe it, are now on pace to go 26-136.
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale