Ex-MLBer Ben Davis is giving NHL players a run for their money when it comes to pain tolerance.
The NBC Sports Philadelphia analyst for Phillies game revealed that he accidentally cut himself to the bone with a chainsaw and had not yet gone to the hospital or received stitches, as of Tuesday.
“It was only about three inches long, but it went to the bone,” Davis said earlier this week on 94WIP in Philadelphia while the show’s host expressed astonishment and horror. “It’s a chainsaw! So, I got Steri-Strips holding it together and a big bandage on top with some Neosporin.
“It needs stitches, but I’m OK. I’m fine. I got a bandage on it. I do have to keep it straight because every time I bend it, it opens up even more.”
Davis, 48, found himself in the scary predicament following a recent snow storm in Philadeliphia.
He explained that his residence in Chadds Ford, Penn. contains a lot of white pine, which are susceptible to falling when it snows.
Two such trees fell during the recent storms, causing him to clean them up with his chainsaw. He encountered no issues with the first before things went awry with the second.
“I was just about done the second one and there was a branch that went into the ground and I snipped it and it came back and the saw cut my kneecap,” Davis said while the show’s hosts groaned.
“I am very, very fortunate. Last night I was l laying in bed with my wife and she said, ‘I’m so sorry this happened to you.’ And I said, ‘I’m actually thrilled this it only as bad as it was.’”
Davis’ calm demeanor provided quite the contrast to those on the show, who could only marvel at the situation and the pain tolerance displayed by the announcer.
They also could not believe that he had yet to go to a hospital.
Davis, a former catchers, has transitioned to broadcasting after a seven-season run in the majors from 1998-2004 that includes stops with the Padres, Mariners and White Sox.
He’s entering his 16th season as an NBC analyst and 12th in the broadcast booth, per his MLB bio, and made headlines earlier this season when he ripped the Mets after they stole Bo Bichette from the Phillies.
“It’s a joke,” Davis said in January on 94WIP. “You’re just going to go where you get the best deal for you and get the most money. Whether you stink or not, you’re still going to get the most money possible. … And the fact that — that’s a losing organization up there. It just is … They’re pretty good.
“There’s something about them, they give off the vibe that they’re losers.”
