George Davidson's contribution to Lafayette
athletics came as a player, coach and athletic
administrator and spanned most of his adult life. As
an undergraduate, Davidson starred on the basketball
court and on the baseball diamond.
As a senior, he captained the Leopards and set a single season scoring
record (473 points) and a single game scoring mark
(34 points), both of which stood for better than five
seasons. He ranked 13th in the nation in scoring that
season, and was named to the All-Pennsylvania first
team for the second straight year and an honorable
mention All-America.
George was drafted by the world champion Rochester
Royals of the National Basketball Association, but signed
instead with the Reading franchise of the Eastern
Basketball League and later played with the EBL's
Lancaster franchise. After coaching stints at Pennsylvania
Military Preparatory School and Germantown Academy,
Davidson returned to his alma mater, replacing Butch van
Breda Kolff to become the youngest head basketball coach
in Lafayette history at the age of 28. During his 12 year
tenure, his teams compiled a record of 170-116, making him
the winningest coach in Leopard history, with his 1956-57
team racking up a 22-5 mark and gaining the school's first
NCAA tournament bid.
