07-08-94 Davis gift to help fund new baseball stadium

                                                  7-8-94

DAVIS FOUNDATION GIFT WILL HELP FUND
NEW BASEBALL STADIUM AT OHIO STATE

     COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University has received a
leadership gift toward the construction of a new 3,000-seat
baseball stadium.

     The gift commitment of approximately $1.5 million is from
the William H. Davis, Dorothy M. Davis, and William C. Davis
Foundation.  The funds will be used to build a stadium that will
honor the memory of William C. Davis, who died in 1991.  He was
the son of the late William H. Davis and the stepson of Dorothy
M. Davis.

     "This is an outstanding and extremely generous gift," said
Ohio State Athletic Director Andy Geiger.  "The new Bill Davis
Stadium will let our team and our fans enjoy baseball in one of
the finest facilities of its kind in the country."

     Geiger noted that during the Buckeyes' just completed
conference championship season the 1,800-fan capacity of the
existing Trautman Field was often exceeded.

     The gift was announced Friday (7/8) by Dorothy M. Davis,
owner of Davis Enterprises, president of the Davis Foundation,
and a member of the Board of Directors of The Ohio State
University Foundation.  Ms. Davis lives in Westerville, Ohio.

     "I know that Bill Davis would be extremely pleased to know
the Davis Foundation has made a major gift towards the
construction of a new baseball stadium at The Ohio State
University," Ms. Davis said.  "He was interested in sports
activities at the university and supported all of them during his
lifetime."

     The new stadium will be located south of the Woody Hayes
Athletic Center near the intersection of Lane Avenue and
Olentangy River Road.  It will be similar in design to Franklin
County's Cooper Stadium and will have dugouts, locker rooms, a
press box, and a concession stand.

     The stadium will be designed in such a way as to permit the
installation of lighting and the possible expansion to 5,000
seats at a later date.

     The total cost of the stadium is expected to be $3.1
million.  Additional private funds are being sought to complete
the financing of the project.

     Geiger noted that the new stadium would afford the
university the opportunity to host the regional competition of
the National Collegiate Athletic Association's annual baseball
tournament.

     "This will also allow us to bring the quality of our
facility up to the quality of our team," Geiger said, noting that
Coach Bob Todd's teams have won the Big Ten regular season
championship four years in a row.

     "We greatly appreciate this gift from the Davis Foundation,"
said Jerry A. May, vice president of University Development and
president of The Ohio State University Foundation.  "Dottie Davis
has done and continues to do many wonderful things for Ohio State
and for the community.  Her leadership is an inspiration to us
all."

     There are five trustees of the Davis Foundation, including
Ms. Davis.  The other trustees are John C. Lucas, John M. Moore,
Bill D. Wells and Paul M. Werth.

                                #
                                
Contact: Andy Geiger, (614) 292-7572.


[Submitted by: STERRETT  (sterrett@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Fri, 08 Jul 1994 13:04:40 -0500 (EST)]
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