Field 2 Fittingly Named Joseph Gaul Field
Joseph Gaul, always with a smile on his face
It is very rare for an Oakland ball field to be named after an individual. In fact, no one can remember the last time a ball field had been named. That all changed on Wednesday May 9, 2012. At that night’s mayor council meeting the Oakland council unanimously voted to approve the Recreation Commission’s recommendation to name field #2 after Joseph Gaul.
Many in town knew Joseph, if not by name but by face. He could have been seen walking his dog, riding his bike, working at Stop & Shop, eating and enjoying his friends at Elm St Grill or being the team managers for the many adult softball teams at the Recreation Complex. Whenever he was seen, Joseph always had a smile on his face.
Joseph was one of those people that lit up a room when he entered. As a child his doctors told his family that he would never walk, but as his sister said to the mayor and council, “he not only walked, he ran and played softball”! Joseph participated with the Special Olympics and joined the Oakland Elks club later on in an effort to give back to the Special Olympics.
Joseph was a life long resident of Oakland and an inspiration to so many people. His life, his legacy and his spirit are the exact reason Oakland will name a field after someone. The decision to name field 2 was a fitting choice for Joseph, as it is one of the favorite ball fields, for its shade and warmth of location. Joseph’s memory will live on at field 2 as not only his name will grace the backstop but a plaque commemorating how he lived will be erected on the first base fence.
The Oakland Recreation Commission would like to thank the council for their unwavering support of naming the field. The Commission also recognizes Rawn Leegwater for introducing and spearheading this entire endeavor. There will be a naming ceremony in the coming weeks. Please check back to the recreation website for all the information.
Joseph Gaul Field
Courtesy the Oakland Recreation Website.