Sports fans walk in to area gyms and fields and see names like Bryant, Prouty, Nesti, Howard Fellows, Pops Dale, Kingman, Lancaster and Musgrove on the walls and read about them in newspaper stories.

Just who are these namesakes on the wall/sign? The first installment in a two-part series looks at the story and history behind those names of area fields and stadiums.

The second part will look at the namesakes of area gymnasiums and tracks.

Bryant Field (Princeton) - The Tigers football field is named after John H. Howard Bryant, a distinguished early settler in Princeton and brother to the Poet William Cullen Bryant. The Tigers moved into Bryant Field during the 1930 season, previously playing at cross-town Alexander Park. The Bryant Field dedication was held on Nov. 11, 1930. According to the Bureau County Tribune, keynote speaker Major Reed Landis, world war ace and son of Judge Landis of baseball and judicial fame, “declared that he had never seen a more splendid location or more complete equipment in a high school.” The Tigers marked the occasion by defeating Geneseo 14-7.

Prather Field (Princeton) - The land for the Tigers baseball field, including the tennis courts and track throws area and former football practice field, was sold to the school by Jim and Myrtie Prather family in May of 1963. Their son, Dallis, was a PHS grad and World War II hero, killed in action, recognized for his heroic actions.

Ken Jenkins Field (Granville) - The Putnam County High School baseball field is named after its former Hall of Fame coach. Ken Jenkins was the PC coach from 1979-2008, leading the Panthers to a 1A third-place finish at state. He finished with a 517-336 record, including seven regional titles and three sectional titles, leading PC teams to state in 1982, 1998 (fourth) & 2008 (third).

Bourquin Field (Manlius) - The football field at the former Manlius High School site, now used for the Bureau Valley JFL, was dedicated in 1990 for longtime Manlius coach Ken Bourquin, who won 175 games in 33 years. He was recognized for “his leadership and dedication that inspired many student-athletes.”

Richard Nesti Stadium (Hall) - Richard Nesti, a native of Modena, Italy, returned to Hall, his alma mater, to coach in 1928. He put Red Devil football on the map, winning eight conference championships, the 1931 “state” championship and compiling a 211-44-9 record. The Hall stadium, which was built in the early 1930s, was named in his honor in 1979.

Kirby Park/Foley Field (Spring Valley) - Kirby Park is named after Dr. George Kirby, a Spring Valley surgeon, who spearheaded the community drive to raise funds for the park’s creation in 1940. Foley Field, the baseball home of the Hall Red Devils at Kirby Park, is named after a prominent local family (Archie Foley and his son, Dr. Louis Foley, a 1957 Hall grad), with long-standing ties to Spring Valley and the medical community at the former St. Margaret’s Hospital.

Abbot Davey O.S.B. Softball Field (St. Bede) - The naming and dedication of Abbot Philip Davey, O.S.B. Field at St. Bede was held on 2022 Homecoming Day. Softball was in Davey’s blood having been head coach for the program for parts of five decades. He took the Bruins to the Class A Sweet 16 in 2006. He was elected the eighth abbot of the monastery on June 7, 2011. He attended St. Bede Academy and Junior College, and is a member of the Class of 1965.

King Field (Ottawa) - Ottawa’s football field is one of the oldest high school football fields in the state, named in honor of Solomon King, who bequeathed $50,000 to build Ottawa’s main building, which opened in 1916. The initial game at King Field was on Oct. 2, 1915 while the main building was still under construction.

June Gross Field (Ottawa) - Marquette’s softball field at Ottawa’s Lincoln-Douglas Park was named after June Gross prior to his retirement from Ottawa Township High School in 1990. He was involved with the creation of the Ottawa City Recreation softball program in the 1950s, which he was associated with for nearly 50 years. He was a baseball and softball umpire and a basketball referee for many years in addition to coaching football, basketball, baseball and track at OTHS.

John Masinelli Field (Ottawa) - Ottawa Marquette’s baseball field is named after the Ottawa American Legion coach of the 1960-80s. He was a city of Ottawa police officer.

Doug Dieken Stadium (Streator) - The Streator football field was named in September, 2022 after the legendary Bulldog, who graduated in 1967 as a two-time all-stater and went on to NFL fame. Along the way, he was a two-time MVP for Illinois and named to the Illini’s All-Century Team, played 14 seasons for the Cleveland Browns, setting an NFL record for consecutive starts by a tackle. Upon retirement, he was a radio analyst for the Browns for 34 years.

Howard Fellows Stadium (L-P) - The dedication of the L-P football stadium was held on Oct. 22, 1976, named in honor of the longtime La Salle-Peru coach. Howard Fellows was a L-P coach, mathematics teacher and athletic director who was on staff from 1913-59. He coached basketball, football, track and field, swimming and tennis. He was appointed athletic director in 1928 and served in that role until 1959.

Upon retirement, Fellows said, “It has been worthwhile. God has been good to me.”

Huby Sarver Field (L-P) - The Cavaliers’ new baseball field at the L-P Sports Complex was named in the fall of 2023 after its former longtime baseball coach Hubert “Huby” Sarver. He coached the Cavs for 26 years, compiling a 431-244 record. Sarver also coached basketball for 12 years and football for two years.

J.A. Happ Field (Peru) - The Senior League diamond at Washington Park in Peru was named in 2023 after native son JA Happ, who launched a 15-year big league career there. The St. Bede alum broke in with the Phillies in 2008 and ended his career with the Cardinals in 2021, pitching for eight teams along the way.

Jeff Prusator Athletic Complex (Mendota) - Retired Mendota superintendent Jeff Prusator was the driving force behind the athletic complex at Mendota High School, which was named in his honor in June, 2024. Prusator was an administrator at Mendota from 1996 until his retirement after the 2022-23 school year, serving his last 19 years as the school’s superintendent.

The soccer field, which is now a practice field, was first used in 2004, the tennis courts and baseball and softball fields opened in 2010 and the football stadium and track was completed in 2011.

Doenier Field (Mendota) - The youth football field in Mendota, formerly the home of the high school team, is named after former Mendota High School principal and basketball coach Lloyd Doenier.

A. C. Bowers Field (Dixon) - In a surprise to him halftime announcement, Dixon High School’s “Athletic Field” was renamed after newly retired athletic director A.C. Bowers on Oct. 18, 1964. Bowers was a teacher and coach at Dixon from 1921-63 and the first AD and coach to use the school’s new athletic field. A former student by the name of Ronald Reagan credited Bowers with having a profound influence on him during his teenage years and when he became president.

Hinders Field (Rock Falls) - One of the great men associated with Rocket Athletics, Lloyd Hinders was a coach, teacher and athletic director during his 20 years at RFHS. He was the athletic director at RFHS from 1943-63 and coached football and track from 1943-45 and basketball from 1943-51. His 1947 Rockets basketball team was 25-1, losing only in the sectional final. As a tribute to Coach Hinders, who passed away in 1963 at the age of 52, the Rock Falls football field was renamed Hinders Memorial Field.

Coach Larry Ybarra Field (Newman) - The Comets baseball field was dedicated to the Comets former longtime coach in 2022. Ybarra, a 1969 Newman grad and standout player, was instrumental in building the Newman field where it sits today.

Roscoe Eades Stadium (Sterling) - Roscoe Eades Stadium was dedicated in 1971 in honor of Roscoe Eades’ 40 years at Sterling High School as teacher, coach, principal and superintendent. He came to Sterling in 1921. Known as “Rocky” by the students, Eades was principal during the building of the football field and the stadium that was named after him and the building and opening of the current Sterling High School in 1950. The Sterling School Board has approved a renovation project for the iconic 1938 stadium.