Coco Gauff’s Grandparents Changed Baseball for American Black Kids 50 Years Ago

“We put a racquet in her hand so she could be the best version of herself she could be,” Corey Gauff had said about his eldest daughter while appearing on the Tennis Channel 2’s “Second Serve” program in June 2025. “If that’s winning lots of Grand Slams, then so be it. But as long as you’re being the best version of yourself and proud of yourself, that’s what really matters.” Just days before, Coco Gauff had won the Roland Garros, beating Aryna Sabalenka in a colossal match.

Why we started with this is because what the 21-year-old has been able to utilize, the foundations that she and many others like her have been able to enjoy, were once laid down by somebody who thought not just about themselves but for the future. Well, as the 2023 US Open Champion has gotten on with yet another campaign, the inspiring story of her grandparents has come to light, and we are moved by how much their goodwill and determination have uplifted their community in the tri-county area.

Mind you, this is not a tennis fairytale, at least not in the beginning. Coco Gauff’s grandparents, Yvonne and Eddie “Red” Odom, are the protagonists, as per the Little League article published on August 26. The setting is the early 1970s, when their race was denied the chance to play organized baseball. Eddie Odom Jr. had to endure that as a boy. And he made a promise that no boy in his neighborhood would go through that. And that led to the struggle that gave birth to a Little League whose name you are probably very familiar with now—the Delray Beach American Little League.

When the children from his community were denied the opportunity to play with the other Little League teams of the Little League International, Eddie Odom Jr. would start his own league in parallel. Obviously, he had numerous doubters. Many didn’t think his dream would survive. But Odom Jr. would gather the kids and practice at a nearby park. He also had help—people who helped him get his Little League chartered. And it slowly took off.

His league was rooted in the same values of integrity and fair play that every Little League International team needs to have. But this league of Eddie and Yvonne was not like any other team. They created it so that nobody could be told they can’t play. And that was the motto of the Delray Beach American Little League—“every kid plays.” It was Eddie and Yvonne’s vision that Black children would play without being stopped or prejudiced. “I wanted them to have a place to call home, a place where they felt safe,” said Odom Jr.

Even to this day, they have continued to live by their words, with programs like ‘Early Birds’ bringing coaches to the young children who are taught how to catch and throw, the basic foundations of baseball. Eddie and Yvonne continue to run the league with pride and efficiency because the legacy of their race is on the line. Their spirited work helped grow their reputation, and notable connections like those with the Miami Marlins came to life. Every year, their little league goes to a Marlins game.

So, what’s the fight now? “Creating friendships regardless of the color, which is something we have had to fight, and something we are continuing to do,” said Yvonne. Coco Gauff’s grandparents have shown over the years how they can set the standard, with their facilities at Pompey Park impressing the visitors who once used to avoid coming there because it was in a Black neighborhood. No, Yvonne and Eddie Odom weren’t just giving their children a joyful youth of freedom; they were also breaking stereotype myths about their community with their hospitality.

Today, as their story has come to light, their champion granddaughter must be beaming with pride. And Gauff knows she has to continue this fight in her sport. Which she is doing.

Like her grandparents, Coco Gauff is also a fighter

The 2025 French Open Champion couldn’t adapt to the uniqueness of Wimbledon, but then again, she is so young, and she is learning. Meanwhile, she is back on her home court and ready to go for the 2nd US Open. And in the first round only, she was met with a formidable challenge.

Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia took her almost all the way, with a grueling 2-hour, 57-minute clash finally ending in Coco Gauff’s favor 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 7-5. The number 3 seed was not at her best, with unforced errors racking up to 59. But she is a talented player with the ability to create a differential with her opponent. And she did that with 29 winners, while her opponent could muster 12.

Coco Gauff was made to work for it, but she obliged. And she earned the respect of her family for that. After the match, her mother, Candi Gauff, shared a US Open post on her Instagram story to celebrate her daughter’s win. The caption read, “[Coco Gauff] great fight! ♥️” Even the tennis star’s younger brother shared an Instagram story of the same post, albeit with his own three-fire-emoji caption.

A fighting start, which saw some of the serve issues get rectified, but Coco Gauff will want more. And it also doesn’t get easier. She faces Donna Vekic next. Don’t miss out on the action.