Buddy Davidson, 'Mr. Auburn,' passes away

[augolf1716 21,096]

Sad to hear I knew him while at Auburn.........he was all Auburn RIP

I know a lot of the younger members may not know who he was but he loved him some Auburn

 

 

AUBURN, Ala. – Buddy Davidson, who rose from student manager to sports information director to assistant athletic director in a 50-year career, and attended 700 consecutive Auburn football games, passed away Tuesday after an extended illness at the age of 82.

"Nobody ever loved Auburn more than Buddy," said David Housel, who succeeded Davidson as Auburn's sports information director in 1981. "Buddy gave his life to Auburn, and in a certain sense, Auburn gave him his life. It gave him meaning. We all want to be part of something bigger than we are. For Buddy, that something was Auburn."

By the time Davidson graduated from Auburn University in journalism and began working for Athletics fulltime on Sept. 1, 1964, he'd already worked on campus in various capacities for seven years, first as a football student manager for four seasons and as an assistant in sports information. He also served as the sports editor and managing editor of The Plainsman.

An Auburn freshman in 1965, Housel visited Davidson on June 10 offering to volunteer.

"At that moment he took me in and took me under his wings," Housel said. "I am what I am today due in large part to Buddy Davidson. I think I'm not the only one who can tell that story.

"He was the finest Auburn man I know. He made a big difference not only in Auburn, but in the lives of the people who came to Auburn. Buddy did whatever Auburn needed done."

After two decades in media relations, Davidson became an assistant AD in 1981, handling travel for football, administrative duties and assisting the director of athletics on special projects.

"He was Coach Dye's right-hand guy," recalled former Auburn women's golf coach Kim Evans, who remembers visiting Davidson at her father's suggestion upon arriving at Auburn as a freshman on the golf team in 1977. "He was in the middle of it all. He did it all. He handled everything. He was always that sounding board for all of us.

"He was a special guy. He meant a lot to me and to so many. He held that torch a long time for our athletics. He did it with a lot of grace. There was no gruff with Buddy. He was kind and knew how to talk to people. I loved him."

Davidson served as a mentor to generations of Auburn coworkers, student-athletes and administrators.

"Buddy treated everybody like they were the most important person he's ever met," said Jay Jacobs, Auburn's director of athletics from 2004-17. "I never knew of him having a cross word with anybody. He always thought about Auburn first. He had a deep respect for everyone.

"It didn't matter the need or the responsibility, Buddy could do it or find a way to get it done. He knew everything about the department from head to toe. He truly was a special person.  He cared about people and he loved Auburn.

"People in the league at opposing schools always held Buddy in the highest regard. He was respectful and well-respected."

Said Housel, "Whenever Auburn needed something done, team travel or scheduling or whatever, Buddy stepped forward and like Isaiah in the Old Testament, Buddy said, 'Here am I, send me.'"

 

[Eagle-1 3,821]

All class.

He was a true gentleman. RIP.

[JuscAUse! 1,387]

1 hour ago, Eagle-1 said:

All class.

He was a true gentleman. RIP.

Amen. There were more of the true gentlemen around in that era. They are greatly missed.

Edited July 20, 2022 by JuscAUse!

[CodeRocket 410]

Never met the man and didn't know him, but I have been an Auburn fan all of my life and for as long as I can remember,

I have been hearing the name "Buddy Davidson". Thanks for all you did for Auburn and may you RIP.

[SaltyTiger 7,764]

Definitely added the “human touch” to AU athletics. As a kid if you wrote and requested information on athletics you would receive what was called a “brochure” from Buddy.

[augolf1716 21,096]

17 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

Definitely added the “human touch” to AU athletics. As a kid if you wrote and requested information on athletics you would receive what was called a “brochure” from Buddy.

I had forgotten that but you're correct.....

[SaltyTiger 7,764]

1 hour ago, augolf1716 said:

I had forgotten that but you're correct.....

Printed press was the way to keep up. Those guys bigger than life to a kid. Thought it was so neat when my older Auburn student cousin met and became friends with Freddie Hyatt through an infirmary stay. Just found this on a google search. Another loss and probably deserves on thread.

https://www.ocalagazette.com/noted-athlete-and-horseman-dies-at-75/