DATE: Friday, October 10, 1997              TAG: 9710100904

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C3   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Column 

SOURCE: Bob Molinaro 

DATELINE: BALTIMORE                         LENGTH:   71 lines

DAVIS' CANCER COMEBACK AN INSPIRATION TO EVERYONE

Last Saturday, former Oriole turned barbeque baron Boog Powell threw out the first pitch in a Divisional Series game against Seattle.

Powell is just coming off colon cancer surgery. As he left the mound, he was greeted by Orioles outfielder Eric Davis, whose comeback from cancer is the feel-good story of this baseball season.

There they were, a couple of chemotherapy patients: Powell, the old barrel-chested first baseman, as abundant and pink-faced as ever; Davis, robust and eager. As the crowd roared, the two men embraced warmly.

What a photo op, though it was not the depressing picture of cancer we harbor in the dark corners of our minds.

``Eric,'' Powell said later, ``is an inspiration to me.''

To a lot of people.

Four months after one-third of his large intestine was removed, 11 weeks into a 22-week chemotherapy treatment, Davis started in rightfield for the Baltimore Orioles Thursday night in the second game of the American League Championship Series.

All along, Davis said he would be back this season. Illness knocked him out of the Orioles' lineup on May 25. He returned in mid-September. In the first-round of the playoffs against Seattle, he appeared in three games, rapping out two hits in nine at-bats.

This is the type of story they don't write anymore in Hollywood. Nobody would believe it.

He told the doubters that he'd make it back. In August, he would take two hours of chemotherapy treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital on Wednesday and show up for a pre-game workout at Camden Yards on Thursday. He would step into the batting cage and line balls into the leftfield seats.

He would tell people, ``It's how much I can stand. Doctors can't tell me how I can or what I feel I can do.''

At home on the nights of his chemo therapy, he would sit on the sofa, unable to move. But at the ballpark, he always looked strong and happy. In that way, he amazed his teammates.

Remarkable, too, has been Davis' response to chemotherapy. No nausea, no hair loss. Even his appetite has been good since his wife began preparing him a special herbal tea.

``The worst thing about chemo,'' said Davis, ``is it's boring.''

Still, he tires easily. After Tuesday afternoon's off-day workout, he admitted to feeling fatigued. Orioles manager Davey Johnson would like to play him more, but says, ``I almost have to treat him like an injured player.''

Davis is back. But how far back?

``I would say he's 90-95 percent,'' Johnson declared before Game 2. ``But how long is he that: two hours? There's a lot of stuff that wears on you. Not just because of the chemo and operation, but all the outside things he's had to deal with.''

Media attention, for instance. This week, the Orioles received 15 interview requests for Davis. He taped a segment for ABC's `Nightline'' that will air tonight.

``My concern is that he's being worn out by so many questions this time of year,'' said Johnson. ``He's been on ``Nightline,'' byline, everything you can think of. I just want him to relax.''

Special care is being taken in an effort to keep Davis in the lineup. His next chemo treatment, originally scheduled for today, was moved up to late Thursday night.

``I feel blessed to have come back as fast as I have,'' Davis said.

How has Davis managed to come back so fast? Perhaps because, in spirit, he has never been away. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Eric Davis, who is making a comeback from cancer, is all smiles as

he takes batting practice prior to the start of game one of the

American League Championship Series.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu