Bill Davidge, a longtime radio and television analyst of the Columbus Blue Jackets, passed away this Wednesday, on May 20, at the age of 72. He was affectionately known as “Dapper.”

Bill joined the Blue Jackets as a scout in 1999. He spent almost a decade in the club as a broadcaster and became a really popular figure in the franchise before retiring in 2009.

Born in Ontario, Bill played hockey in college for Ohio State, where he served as a team captain during the 1976-1977 season. Bill also went on to build the Miami University program, but then got hired by the Blue Jackets.

He was also known for his positive attitude and his signature catchphrase, “You better believe it!”, which came up when he joined the broadcast in 2000.

During his time at Columbus, Bill worked with George Matthews from 2000 to 2009 on the radio. After wrapping up his stint with the Blue Jackets, he then moved to work with Fox Sports Ohio till his retirement in 2019.

In the meantime, in 2014, Bill was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer. He then went through a bone marrow transplant in 2015, but never missed a broadcast even during his treatment.

Bill then started trying to be as active as possible to raise money for patients fighting against the disease through multiple fundraising golf tournaments, and ended up raising $30,000. The amount benefited the Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Despite all these setbacks, and even going through a stroke in recent years, he still managed to inspire others going through the same battle.

Hockey World Pays Tribute to the Ambassador

After Davidge’s passing, tributes poured in from across the league, with many colleagues and former players sharing their memories of him.

ESPN’s John Buccigross wrote, "Hockey was/is better with Bill Davidge. An absolute gem. He's grown the game in the trenches with style and heart." 

When the Columbus Blue Jackets took the ice for the first time in 2000, Davidge moved into the broadcast booth as a color commentator, a role he held until retiring at age 64.

"Billy Davidge was a saint," wrote Seattle Kraken broadcaster Mike Benton. "Warm. Energetic. A friend. He and George set the bar in Columbus, and gave this guy more than enough chances to bend their ears for advice when I first started."

He still got many heartfelt comments from the people of the Columbus Blue Jackets; they even released an article in his memory.

"His time as a player and coach was marked by the relationships he built with his teammates and players," wrote Jeff Svoboda of BlueJackets.com. "His memorable stint as a Blue Jackets broadcaster and ambassador made every trip to the rink or a charity event into a reunion."

He also coached the Miami RedHawks men's ice hockey program, spending 23 years in Oxford as both a coach and teacher.

From his days as a player in Ohio to becoming a coach in two decades with the Blue Jackets, he stayed with the organization with a strong commitment. 

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Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar