Davis spent eight seasons with the Reds and later played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants.

A right-handed batter and fielder, Davis had a combination of athletic ability, including foot and bat speed, power, and defensive acumen.

In 1987, he became the first player in major league history to hit three grand slams in one month and the first to achieve at least 30 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season.

Showcasing his career as one of the greatest power/speed players in MLB history, Eric is tied for 4th all-time in 20HR/20SB seasons with seven,[1] one ahead of Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.

With copious all-round athletic talent, Davis competed with future Los Angeles Lakers player Byron Scott at Baldwin Hills Park and Recreation Center from the age of 12, and he aspired to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

[2] While at Baldwin Hills, Davis befriended Darryl Strawberry, and their careers would become intertwined from high school to Major League Baseball (MLB).

Steadfast in his goal of playing in the NBA, Davis continued to exert more effort to prepare for a career in basketball[4] than he did in baseball until his senior year of high school.

[2] Davis lacked interest in attending college, and because the customary path to an NBA career at the time was by playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), he decided to focus his aspirations on baseball.

[4] When Davis first appeared in the major leagues in 1984, his physical talents gave him the potential to be one of the most exciting players in the game.

[7] In a 162-game span (June 11, 1986 – July 4, 1987) he made 659 plate appearance and batted .308/.406/.622 with 47 homers, 149 runs, 123 RBI, and 98 stolen bases.

During an eventful play in the late innings at Wrigley Field on September 4, Davis crashed into the outfield brick wall as he caught a deep fly ball; he lay on the ground for several moments and was slowed afterward.

Injuries sabotaged his play in 1991, and he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Tim Belcher and John Wetteland.

Davis was expected to be the Tigers' primary center fielder in 1994, but injuries limited him to just 37 games and batting average of just .183.

In May 1997, while in the midst of an impressive start of leading the AL in Batting in April, his numbers began to slump quickly, and soon after Davis was diagnosed with colon cancer.

Cancer treatment left him tired, but he worked hard to regain his form and was well enough to hit a game-winning home run in the 1997 American League Championship Series.

Davis was left behind in Oakland after the series and requested that the Reds provide a private plane to bring him back to Cincinnati.

[14] As of 2017, Davis was a hitting instructor for Elite Development Invitational, in Vero Beach, Florida, and seeks to promote more African American youth participation in baseball.

Davis was the childhood idol of comedian Ron Sexton, as well as his most famous character from The Bob and Tom Show, Donnie Baker.

Donnie claimed to have put a curse on former Reds owner Marge Schott after she "did Eric dirty" following the 1990 World Series.

He went on to claim that his alleged curse worked; every April 20, Donnie would begin his 'One Beer Press Conference' with a celebration marking the day Schott sold the team, followed by 'A mandatory moment of silence out of respect for the great Eric Davis.'