In Loving Memory of Wink Davenport

Winthrop “Wink” Davenport passed away on Tuesday, May 3rd, at 80 years old.

In the 1950s, after graduating from Wesleyan University, Wink began playing volleyball at the YMCA in Binghamton, NY. He would then move to California and earn a spot on the US Men’s National Team. He would compete with the 1967 Pan American Team that would win a gold medal. Wink would compete in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. For the next three years, he would continue to compete with the US Men’s National Team until knee injuries ended his career. Not ready to give up the sport of volleyball, Davenport would earn his certification as an official. During his tenure as an official, he was able to officiate at all levels of the game. This included the world cup, world championships, NCAA matches, and the 1988 Summer Olympics. Simultaneously, Davenport was serving on the US Volleyball Association board. He would also become the organization’s vice president from 1973 to 1976, the secretary of the International Federation of Volleyball Officials, and the referee delegate to the 1996 Summer Olympics. Furthermore, in 1980, Wink incorporated Region #13 of USA Volleyball into the Southern California Volleyball Association.

As an official, Wink was instrumental in the creation of WIVA, which later became known as the MPSF. He helped design the scoresheet used for men’s collegiate matches, which was used until just recently when e-score was developed. At the peak of the cold war, he was honored to represent the USA delegation as an official, as the Men’s National team toured countries behind the “iron curtain.” Wink also was involved in the creation of TeamCup, which brought the sport to television, and used a modified scoring system (rally scoring with a freeze point) to make the sport more exciting to watch.

Wink Davenport would be recognized throughout his career for his various contributions to the sport. In 1986, he would be one of the USA Volleyball’s inaugural Glen G. Davies Referee Service Award winners. In 1996, he received the Wilbur H. Peck Referee — Emeritus Award. Another 12 years later, he would receive the James E. Colman USA National Team Award. Not to mention, Wink Davenport has been inducted into the Southern California Indoor Hall of Fame and Wesleyan University Athletics’ Hall of Fame.

The idea behind this fundraising is to continue the education and advancement of present-day officials. All donations will be used for up-and-coming officials with their education and/or their advancement in the USAV rating system. After his volleyball career came to an end, Wink Davenport devoted his life to the world of officiating, including the training of new officials. Wink truly left his mark on the volleyball world, and we would like to continue that legacy.