Former Major League Baseball player and Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster Ben Davis recently had a scary run-in with a chainsaw — but surprisingly, he didn’t rush to the hospital afterward.
Davis, 48, revealed during an appearance on SportsRadio 94WIP that he suffered a deep cut while clearing fallen trees after a heavy snowfall near his home in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.
According to Davis, the injury happened while he was cutting up two large white pine trees that had fallen during a blizzard.
The first tree came down without any issues. But things took a dangerous turn while working on the second one.
“I was just about done with the second one and there was a branch stuck in the ground,” Davis explained. “I snipped it, it snapped back, and the saw caught my kneecap.”
The result was a serious cut that went much deeper than expected.
“It was only about three inches long, but it went to the bone,” Davis said.
Even more surprising was what he did next.
Instead of heading straight to the emergency room, Davis said he patched himself up at home using Steri-Strips, Neosporin, and a large bandage.
“I’ve got Steri-Strips holding it together and a big bandage on top,” he said. “It probably needs stitches, but I’m OK. I just have to keep my leg straight because if I bend it, the cut opens up again.”
Despite the frightening moment, Davis said he feels incredibly lucky the injury wasn’t far worse.
Later that night, while resting at home with his wife, the reality of the situation started to sink in.
“She told me she was sorry that it happened,” Davis said. “But honestly, I’m thrilled it’s only as bad as it was.”
Davis spent seven seasons in Major League Baseball during his playing career. He played four seasons with the San Diego Padres, more than two seasons with the Seattle Mariners, and briefly with the Chicago White Sox.
Over 486 games in the majors, he posted a .237 batting average with 38 home runs and 204 RBIs.
After retiring from baseball, Davis moved into broadcasting and has become a familiar face for Phillies fans. Last season marked his 11th year working on the team’s broadcast crew, and he also serves as a studio analyst for NBC Sports Philadelphia’s pregame and postgame shows.