About Inductee

Ricky Davidson was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He moved to Huntsville in 1963 when his father accepted the job as minister at Memorial Parkway Church of Christ in Huntsville. He began his illustrious athletic career at Davis Hills Middle School and continued on at Lee High where he excelled in both basketball and baseball. As a sophomore, he was a member of the 1968 State Basketball Championship Team. He was selected for the 1970 All-City Basketball team. "Ricky Davidson was the best defensive player I have ever coached and one of the greatest competitors," says Coach Dugan. Ricky had an outstanding baseball career at Lee as a three-year starter for the legendary Coach Max Burleson. The 1969 baseball team went undefeated and featured five Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame members who are: Dave Beck, Condredge Holloway, Paul Parvin, Randy Davidson and Max Burleson. As a senior at Lee in 1970, his team accumulated an impressive 17-3 record and won the TVC Championship and got to play in the first High School Baseball State Playoffs in the state of Alabama. In addition to the above mentioned players, Danny Parks and Ron McNeely, two more members of the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame, were on that team. Ricky was selected for the All-City Baseball Team and was voted MVP at the Alabama East/West All Star Baseball game in Birmingham. Ricky signed a baseball scholarship with Columbia State Community College and was selected Junior College All-American in 1971 and 1972. He was the only player to be named first team All-American two consecutive years in separate positions _ centerfield in 1971 and third base in 1972. The Montreal Expos drafted Ricky in 1971 and the Philadelphia Phillies drafted him in 1972 but he chose to sign with Mississippi State and finish his college education. As a senior, he was the leading hitter at Mississippi State with a batting average of .321 and was named All-SEC as a Catcher. After graduating from college, he played a year in the Italian Professional Baseball League before returning to Huntsville. After coming back, Ricky was a fixture on Jim Talley's Independent teams. He played in five national tournaments in Wichita, Kansas, with those teams. He is married to Molly Davidson and has two children and one granddaughter.