Davis was a right-handed hitting outfielder. He won two consecutive batting titles with the NL's Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting .346 in 1962 and .326 in 1963. He also led the league with 230 hits and 153 RBI in 1962.
Davis joined the Dodgers for just one game in 1959 and became a starter the following season. He missed most of 1965 with a broken Ankle, but returned to hit .313 in 1966. He went to the New York Mets in 1967, batting .302. During the next eight seasons, Davis was with eight different teams for varying periods of time. He ended his career as a designated hitter with the AL's Kansas City Royals in 1976.