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54 2O24–2O2 5 GU I D E to Y E L LOW S P R I NG S P H O T O : J E S S I C A T H O M A S GAUNT PARK'S FIELD OF DREAMS By JESSICA THOMAS ▲ A group of family members, softball league players and friends gathered on Tuesday, June 20, for a ceremony to dedicate one of the Gaunt Park baseball diamonds to the late Jackie and Yvonne Daven - port, longtime villagers who were fierce advocates for league sports in the village. When members of Yellow Springs’ softball and Perry leagues play their next game, they’ll play on a field with a new name — the Jackie and Yvonne Davenport Memorial Baseball Field. The field was dedicated last June to honor the Davenport sisters — Jackie, who died in March 2023 and Yvonne, who died in February 2021. The sisters were integral in creating a space for women in Yellow Springs’ recreational baseball league and were fierce advo - cates for athletic programs throughout the village. Attended by friends, family and members of the Expres- sos — one of the many teams coached by Jackie Davenport — the ceremony included the unveiling of a sign and a proclamation from Pam Conine, the mayor of Yellow Springs and a former member of the Expressos. “Jackie and Yvonne Dav- enport were both beloved residents of Yellow Springs,” Conine read from the procla- mation. “Those two women were tireless advocates for organized sports in the village, especially for softball.” Conine went on to say that she and others in the Village government felt it was impor- tant to mark the occasion with a proclamation because doing so creates a historical record. “Like the historical record created by this proclamation, the legacy of what Jackie and Yvonne have done for the village will outlive us all,” Conine said. Scott Osterholm, lovingly referred to as “Rookie” by teammates and a member of the group that worked to get the field dedicated to the Dav - enports, said the sisters meant the world to him. He said he was pleased to be one of the few men asked to join the team, which led to the forma- tion of another mixed-league team, the Village Drive Thru. “The practices were like bootcamp,” Osterholm said. “But there was something about their personalities that I was drawn towards. I really respected them. Why? Because Davenport rules.” After the reading of the proclamation, April Wolford and other members of the Expressos, including Patricia Stroder, discussed their memo- ries of the “Davenport rules.” “One rule we had was that if the first [hitter] got on base, the second person had to hit into right field, behind the runner,” Stroder said. “That would [ide- ally] push the runner on first base forward two bases.” Wolford said the sisters had an understanding of how a team needed to work together to ensure success for everyone. “We had to be aware of what our teammates were doing,” Wolford said. “They had a very team-oriented approach.” Those “Davenport rules” applied to life both on and off the ballfield. The News recently spoke with Joretta and Moriah Johnston, Jackie Davenport’s daughter and granddaughter, who described the Davenports’ contribution to sports in the village, but also their ability to build connec- tions both on and off the field. “They were both forces to be reckoned with,” Moriah Johnston said, explaining how Jessica’s POKÉ ISLAND LLC SUSHI BAR & MORE • BOBA TEA • SMOOTHIES • POKÉ BOWLS 937.319.0491 134 DAYTON ST YELLOW SPRINGS 213 XENIA AVE. (upstairs) www.360degreetraining.com melissa@360degreetraining.com MELISSA HESTON CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER 937-901-0344 ˚ Private Training ˚ Small Group Training ˚ Pilates ™ ˚ TRX ® ˚ 21-Day Accountability Groups ˚ Nutrition Support