Satch Davidson
David Leroy "Satch" Davidson (January 18, 1935 – August 21, 2010) was a Major League Baseball umpire in the National League from 1969 to 1984. He was born in London, Ohio, attended Wilmington College and Ohio State University, and got his nickname from a Bowery Boys character named Sach. Before umpiring, he played pro football and was a catcher in the minor leagues for the Columbus Jets in 1961. He began umpiring in the minor leagues in 1966 and 1967–68, and was promoted to the National League in 1969 after only three years in the minors.
Davidson wore uniform number 4 after the NL started using umpire numbers in 1970. He umpired several famous moments, including Hank Aaron’s 715th home run on April 8, 1974, and Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, won by the Red Sox when Carlton Fisk hit a dramatic homer in the 12th inning; Davidson ruled it a home run. He was also behind the plate for a pair of no-hitters early in his career and would umpire three other no-hitters afterward.
His big-event assignments included the 1976 All-Star Game, the 1982 World Series, and the National League Championship Series in 1971, 1974, and 1978, plus the National League West Division Series in 1981. He was the umpire on April 17, 1976, when Mike Schmidt hit four home runs in one game.
Davidson retired from baseball in 1985 due to back problems. In the offseasons he worked as a police officer in London, Ohio, and he spent 21 years as an NCAA basketball referee. He was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. He lived in Houston for 27 years and died there at age 75. He was survived by his wife Lynn, three daughters, a son, and five grandchildren.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 10:37 (CET).