Home plate put in place at ONEOK Field
TULSA, Okla. – Bringing baseball to downtown Tulsa reached the seventh inning stretch today as the Tulsa Drillers and Manhattan Construction Company moved home plate from Drillers Stadium to the new ONEOK Field.
Representatives from The Drillers and Manhattan joined Mayor Kathy Taylor, ONEOK CEO John Gibson and Tulsa Stadium Trust Chairman Stan Lybarger for a two-part ceremony at Drillers Stadium and ONEOK Field.
“Today is a day to remember the history we’ve shared at Drillers Stadium,” said Drillers President Chuck Lamson. “It’s also a day to look forward to the future at ONEOK Field.”
After the shovels hit the dirt, Lamson, Drillers Head Groundskeeper Gary Shepherd and Drillers mascot Hornsby carried home plate to a waiting helicopter that transported the “dish” to its new home in downtown Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District.
“This is a great day for Tulsa, downtown and the Greenwood District,” said Tulsa Stadium Trust Chairman Stan Lybarger. “We are already beginning to see the positive impact ONEOK Field and downtown development are having on our city, and I am confident the ballpark’s impact will continue to grow as the stadium opens in April.”
The construction of ONEOK Field is proceeding on schedule and is set to open for the first game on April 8.
“Constructing a ballpark is a significant undertaking, and I want to commend our employees and contractors for their efforts that have allowed us to remain on schedule and within budget,” said Manhattan Construction Company Project Executive Bob Jack. “The layout of the entire field, including the positioning of the bases, pitching mound and fence, is designed around the home plate location, so final placement of home plate represents a major milestone in the ballpark construction.”
Manhattan and its subcontractors recently reached a significant milestone in the construction of ONEOK Field, having completed more than 150,000 work hours without a lost-time incident.
“This is reflective of the value that Manhattan places on safety and wellness throughout the company,” said Jack. “We are very proud of this accomplishment and continue striving to maintain a safe workplace for everyone.”