OTLPA Hall of Famer Inductee!

2010 Hall of Famer CHARLIE DAVIDSON

Mr. Intensity

Charlie Davidson is probably better known as "Charlie Dee" but written simply as "Charlie D." - What do we have to say about Charlie D.?

He's probably one of the greatest competitors that the game has ever known. He is truly a legend. Even people who have never seen him play... know about Charlie D. There are even OMBAC teams that currently honor him, by dressing like him and call themselves 'Spirit of Lyons' (that would include a down vest in the middle of the hottest day).

As a coach for a living, he's a part of an OTL family and he's probably the reason why. His wife Mavin, his son Charles, and Mavin's sisters Wanda and Johnna have all played (some more than others).

He has always been a great coach for the game, playing with novices to teach and promote the sport. He's a motivational teacher and only hard on himself.

We can never forget him playing with young 20-somethings in OMBAC when he was 43 years old himself...and running like a speed demon in the back in the men's Open finals. Now a lot of us are as old or older than that, but we laugh as we remember thinking that '43' was sooo old back then compared to us, and we were amazed at his youthful ability back there as a Deep Man as he would smartly turn to just outrun a homer he knew he wouldn't catch. At the last second, he would simply dive to make sure his body was past where the ball landed. More Deep persons should remember that simple defensive move and they'd win more games.

And another funny story was when everyone was heading to San Felipe on that one long, straight highway 5 road to get there. Scott Berndes who was also heading south to San Felipe, looks out his window over the hot desert to the right, and low and behold...there's Charlie D. about 20-30 yards to his right...running. Scott says to the other riders in his car, "Holy @*!#^! Look! There's Charlie D. and he's running to San Felipe! He really IS superman!"

He had to ask Mavin later when he saw her in town what was going on. She told Scott that Charlie D. got restless and wanted to stretch his legs. So he asked her to stop and let him out and he was going to run up to the next cross road a few hundred yards up, while she drove on ahead and then waited for him at that cross road while she had a cigarette.

And don't forget his down-vest trademark.

-- Janet Hatch, OTLPA, 04-19-10