Ben Davidson Really Was a Gentle Giant
by Tom LaMarre
Guard Richie Incognito is the latest in a long line of players considered bad boys to play for the Raiders, probably starting with defensive end Big Ben Davidson.
The 6-3, 325-pound Incognito, who once was voted “The Dirtiest Player in the NFL,” couldn’t even play the first two games after joining the Raiders because of his latest NFL suspension for an off-the-field incident.
The Raiders actually had three so-called bad boys at the start of training camp, but wide receiver Antonio Brown was released before the regular season started because of a series of incidents and linebacker Vontaze Burfict was suspended for most of the season by the NFL after his latest illegal it.
“You can’t have all Boy Scouts on your team,” General Manager Mike Mayock said.
And the Raiders seldom have.
The list of those considered by many around the NFL to be bad boys who played for the Silver and Black includes defensive ends Lyle Alzado and John Matuszak, linebackers Bill Romanowski and Phil Villapiano, cornerback Skip "Dr. Death" Thomas, and safeties Jack Tatum and George Atkinson—among others.
And then there was Davidson, all 6-8 and 275 pounds of him, whom Coach and General Manager Al Davis signed as a free agent in 1964.
Davidson, who was even ejected from the football game in the classic movie “M*A*S*H,” was involved in two of the most memorable plays in Raiders history.
In a game against the New York Jets in 1967, Davidson laid a tremendous hit on quarterback Joe Namath (shown above in a picture by Russ Reed of the Oakland Tribune). These days, Davidson would have been penalized, probably ejected and suspended.
None of the three happened to Davidson, whom Jets tackle Winston Hill called "the No. 1 cheap-shot artist" in the AFL.
Namath received a broken jaw in that game any everyone assumed it came on this play, but actually it was caused on another big hit by fellow defensive end and bad boy, Ike Lassiter—who also was not penalized.
Namath wouldn’t give the Raiders any satisfaction, saying after the game that he hurt his jaw by “biting into a steak bone” at dinner the night before.
Three years later, the Kansas City Chiefs were trying to run out the clock for a victory over the Raiders when quarterback Len Dawson ran for a first down that would have ended things, and then slid down.
Since Dawson hadn’t been touched, which was the rule in those days, Davidson came along at full speed and plowed into the quarterback, leading with his helmet.
Chaos ensued, with wide receiver Otis Taylor taking down Davidson and causing a bench-clearing brawl.
When the dust cleared, the officials called Davidson and Taylor for off-setting penalties, the Chiefs were forced to punt, George Blanda kicked a 48-yard field goal with eight seconds left and the Raiders escaped with a 17-17 tie.
The Raiders won the AFC West with an 8-4-2 record, while the Chiefs finished at 7-5-2. You can do the math.
Off the field, Davidson was a completely different person. He even played Santa Claus one year for the children at St. Jarlath’s Church in Oakland, once the moms sewed together a 6-foot-8 Santa suit.
Afterward, Davidson hung around to drink beer and talk football with the dads for the next couple hours.
To those who knew him, Big Ben Davidson was a gentle giant.
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