Drillers Stadium

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Drillers Stadium
Former names Robert B. Sutton Stadium (1981–1982)
Tulsa County Stadium (1982–1989)
Location 15th and Yale, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Opened 1981
Owner Tulsa County
Surface Grass
Capacity 10,997
Field dimensions LF: 335
CF: 390
RF: 340
Tenants
Tulsa Drillers (1981–2009)
The Bedlam Series
Tulsa Athletics (2013–)

Drillers Stadium is a former minor league baseball stadium located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. From 1981 to 2009, Drillers Stadium was home to the Tulsa Drillers, of the Double-A Texas League. For a number of years Drillers Stadium also hosted one of the regular season baseball games played between Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma in the Bedlam Series.

Drillers Stadium is located on the southwest corner of Yale Avenue and 15th Street, in the Expo Square/Tulsa Fairgrounds complex that also includes Expo Square Pavilion, the QuikTrip Center and Golden Driller, a racetrack, a waterpark, and the sites of the former Bell's Amusement Park and of Oiler Park, where Tulsa's professional baseball teams had played since 1934.

After the Tulsa Oilers, a Triple-A team, left Tulsa in 1976 due to the continuing deterioration of Oiler Park, followed by the partial collapse of the Oiler Park grandstand during a 1977 exhibition game, Tulsa County's long-delayed efforts to build a new stadium were accelerated. The new 8,000 seat stadium was completed in 1981 and named Robert B. Sutton Stadium, in honor of its chief benefactor, a local oil executive. However, Sutton was convicted in 1982 on obstruction of justice charges, and the ballpark was renamed Tulsa County Stadium.[1] In 1989, Drillers Stadium received its current name. The stadium eventually seated 10,997, making it the largest stadium in Double-A baseball.[2] Originally a multi-purpose stadium with an artificial surface playing field, it later acquired a Prescription Athletic Turf (PAT) grass surface. Though it primarily served as a baseball stadium, monster truck rallies and concerts were also held there.

On December 19, 2008, construction began on ONEOK Field, a new ballpark in downtown Tulsa. The Drillers played their final game in Drillers Stadium on September 7, 2009,[3] and moved to the new ballpark before the 2010 baseball season. The University of Tulsa conducted a formal study in 2009 to consider whether the school might use the empty stadium to restore its baseball program, which had been terminated in 1980; but the university concluded that the financial demands of adding a new sport were more than it could accept.[4] In 2011 the stadium was used as a location for a faith-themed baseball film entitled Home Run.[5][6] Beginning in May 2013, it is the home stadium for the Tulsa Athletics of the National Premier Soccer League.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Tycoon who helped fund Drillers Stadium dies", Tulsa World, July 7, 2009.
  2. ↑ Barry Lewis, "Biggest may not be best for Drillers: Tulsa may join trend of teams that are moving to smaller parks", Tulsa World, September 3, 2006  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) .
  3. ↑ Lynn Jacobsen,"Tulsa rolls to big win in finale", Tulsa World, September 8, 2009.
  4. ↑ John Klein, "Space Available", Tulsa World, June 29, 2009 (pay site).
  5. ↑ Dan Bewley, "Hollywood Comes To Green Country", KOTV-DT, September 13, 2011.
  6. ↑ Sarah Rayner, "Tulsans become extras in film", KWGS, October 26, 2011.
  7. ↑ Dan Bewley, "National Premiere League Soccer Coming To Tulsa's Old Drillers Stadium", KOTV-DT, April 4, 2013.

External links

Coordinates: 36°8′22.73″N 95°55′25.20″W / 36.1396472°N 95.9236667°W / 36.1396472; -95.9236667

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