At their March meeting, the Board of Trustees heard a recommendation from the Ware Shoals Athletic Association to name the softball field for a Ware Shoals legendary athlete and coach.
Mickey Davis, Class of 1960, attended Winthrop College where she was a basketball star. After college, she played semi-pro and professional softball on teams across the United States, including the Atlanta Tomboys and the Orange (California) Lionettes. She distinguished herself as a six-time All American and was on two National Championship teams. Mickey’s team also finished second in the 1970 World Championships.
In 1984 she joined the Los Angeles Olympic Committee as Youth Services Program Director and was inducted into the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame. She continued to work in the United States Olympic movement including serving as local sports coordinator for the 1991 Olympic Festival where she recruited and trained over 200 volunteers. In 1994 she was the site director for Olympic trials and USA Softball Peak Camp, where trials were held to select the first U.S. Women’s Olympic Softball Team. She continued to work with the Olympic team and threw out the first pitch at the 1996 Olympic Softball game, USA vs. Japan.
Davis spent 16 years at Long Beach City College where she served as dean, physical education/athletics and women’s athletic director. During her time at LBCC, the athletic teams won 23 state titles and three national championships, and LBCC was twice named to the top community college athletic program in the nation by Student Sports magazine.
Jill Hart, spokesperson for the Ware Shoals Athletic Association, stated, "Ms. Davis has been very successful in ladies' softball, which gives our female athletes someone from our community to look up to and be proud of. It is with great honor that the Athletic Association is requesting the school board to officially name the softball field located at 56 South Greenwood Avenue, Ware Shoals, the Mickey Davis Field.
The Board voted unanimously to approve the recommendation. Plans for the naming ceremony will be forthcoming.
Reprinted in part from : The Path to the Gold by Mary L. Littlewood