GIF: Umpire Bob Davidson takes a Clay Buchholz fastball directly off the hand

There's no greater rivalry in baseball than the Boston Red Sox vs. the New York Yankees, but they were close to an umpire short in the Bronx for the series opener Thursday night.

Home plate umpire Bob Davidson took a Clay Buchholz fastball almost directly off his right hand and was in considerable pain. The veteran ump is sucking up, though, and is still calling balls and strikes.

[Courtesy: MLB/NESN]