Seven short months ago, Jimbo Davis’ chances of getting a college scholarship for baseball seemed roughly the same as his being elected governor of Texas.
But the rising-with-a-bullet Davis signed a grant-in-aid with Catawba last week, capping the North Rowan High senior’s meteoric journey from part-time to prime-time, from benchwarmer to extremely warm prospect.
As a freshman, Davis was limited to nine jayvee games by a sprained ankle.
As a sophomore, his status improved to that of reserve outfielder and occasional designated hitter for the 27-3 Daniel Moore-fueled powerhouse that reached the 2A state championship series.
But Davis’ platework was soft as a soph. In 32 quiet at-bats, he hit .281 with no homers and seven RBIs. Not exactly the sort of numbers that make college coaches salivate.
For that matter, not even high school coaches. You might say that Jimbo was in limbo.
All Davis had going for him at that low point in his career was strength. His father,James, had started him on a weight program as an eighth-grader. When Jimbo hit a freshman growth spurt, his bench press leapfrogged from 95 pounds to 215 in a matter of months.
But baseball? That was coming along at a much more leisurely pace.
“I’d always been one of the best in Little League and middle school,” said Davis. “But after my sophomore year, well, a baseball scholarship wasn’t really in my mind at all.”
Davis’ thinking changed during his junior season, when he found success that tasted better than a D.J.’s entree.
He enjoyed an early 8-for-12 surge with two homers, and that made him hungry for more. It got him staying late after practice and putting in baseball overtime.
Once Davis’ confidence kicked in, some of North coach Bill Kesler’s lessons started sticking in his head.
“Jimbo had always tried to lift the ball,” said Kesler. “He would hit some of the highest balls I’d ever seen. He’d hit ’em eight miles up or else he’d top the ball.”
But Kesler finally got through to Davis that he could swing level, drill line drives and still smack the ball out of the park. Davis responded. He put in a few zillion practice swings and slowly transformed his unsightly uppercut into one of the area’s most level, lovely and lethal swings.
“Jimbo’s strong and he’s got a real quick bat,” said Kesler. “Probably he’s got as much bat speed as any kid that North has ever had. He gets that bat through in one heck of a hurry. That’s why a line drive for Jimbo isn’t a single. It’s a double or it’s going over the fence.”
Davis finished his junior season batting .449 with six homers and 11 doubles and earned a place on his first all-county team. But critics dismissed Davis’ impressive stats as a product of a league with more than its share of weak teams.
However, no one could say much to Davis other than “Atta boy,” when he followed up his high school success with a terrific AmericanLegion campaign. Davis hit a team-high eight homers for Rowan — some of them tape-measure jobs. He batted .368 with 53 RBIs and even stole 10 bases.
It was obvious last year how hard Davis was working on his overall game. His once shaky glovework improved. So did his arm. And his baserunning. And now, he brings much more to the table than his aluminum bat.
“I’ve never been someone who could sit around on the couch and watch TV and then go out and be the man,” said Davis. “I don’t mind work.”
Davis, who played in a high-powered league this fall, should continue his progress in his final season at North. Then he’ll join the Indians, who are led by Jim Gantt, his Legion coach.
“I like Coach Gantt,” said Davis. “He works you hard in practice, but in the games, he makes it fun. He lets his players play.”
Davis says he can think of much worse things than spending four years smacking balls out of cozy Newman Park.
“Catawba has a great park, a great field and great facilities,” said Davis. “ I just love to hit at Newman. When you look out and see that 360 on the center-field fence, it really helps your confidence a lot.”
Davis said a number of schools expressed interest, but his choice in the early signing period essentially came down to Catawba and SAC rival Lenoir-Rhyne.
But given Davis’ raising that really was no choice at all. It was like deciding between Katie Holmes and Shrek as his prom date.
“My whole life I pulled my heart out for Catawba,” he said. “I love those football games. I even went to Catawba basketball camps. My family’s all the way Catawba. My dad and uncle played football there. My aunt’s in grad school. My sister goes there.”
Davis said his dad didn’t pressure him in any way to become an Indian, but he wasn’t exactly depressed about his son’s final answer, either.
“He’s sort of ecstatic right now,” reported Jimbo. “I’m real happy about it, too.”
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