Tulsa Drillers / ONEOK Field

Baseball and apple pie are quintessentially American and if you haven’t checked out the fabulous ONEOK field and the Tulsa Drillers – well, what are you waiting for?

The Drillers are our very own minor league baseball team, currently affiliated with the Colorado Rockies.  The Drillers got their start way back in 1977 when a Lafayette team was transferred to Tulsa.  They were renamed the Tulsa Drillers (paying tribute to our oil industry) and installed at the old Drillers Stadium (15^th & Yale).  Interesting side note – the Drillers Stadium was originally named the Robert B. Sutton Stadium to honor its chief benefactor, but in 1982 Robert was convicted of fraud.  Not wanting to glamorize a fraudster – the good people of Tulsa County renamed the facility Drillers Stadium.  Between you and me, I think it would have been cooler to leave the name as it was; a little bit of notoriety is always fun.

In 1998 the franchise began looking to relocate.  For a brief time Jenks was the front runner but in retrospect, that makes no sense.  The Jenks Drillers?  That doesn’t really have the same flair.  City officials finally got on board with keeping the Tulsa Drillers in Tulsa and in 2008 it was announced that a new facility would be built in the Greenwood district.  In April of 2008, the Tulsa Drillers played their first game in the now-christened ONEOK Field.  More than 8600 people came out to cheer on the Drillers and even though they lost to Corpus Christie, baseball fever was spreading like wildfire.

The new stadium is fantastic!  Its location helped spur the revitalization of downtown and works well for people wanting to have options before and after a game.  Every seat in the stadium is fabulous – you can watch the game with the beautiful Tulsa skyline as a backdrop.  They have water features and a play area for the youngsters, a grassy outfield if you want to catch a game “picnic style”, and they are adjacent to Fat Guys Burgers!  If you haven’t tried Fat Guys – go now!  The people at Fat Guy’s are putting out some of the best burgers I’ve ever tasted – but I digress. 

Throughout the summer you can take advantage of the different promotions!  They have Thirsty Thursday ($1 beer night), Bark in the Park, Pennant Giveaways, Bobble Head Nights, and every Friday home game – fireworks!  This is one of the best fireworks shows around (excluding 4^th of July).  As an added bonus – on June 7^th the fireworks show will coincide with the final laps of the Men’s Pro 1 race of Tulsa Tough.  This is probably one of the most exhilarating evenings in Tulsa – but I digress again. 

Basically the point here is to get yourself to a game.  Recently I attended a Friday night game and it was a perfect evening – not too hot, not chilly, a slight breeze, happy fans – just perfect!  We had great seats right behind the visitor’s dugout and even though the Driller’s lost, it was still a phenomenal evening. 

If you’re looking for something for the whole family, don’t waste another night at the movies – get outside, get some fresh air, eat some peanuts and hot dogs, just GO!!

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Guthrie Green - so awesome, it deserves a second post!

When I first started this blog back in September 2012, one of my first posts was on Guthrie Green – a park located in the revamped Brady District, designed to be a multi-purpose gathering place.  The park had just opened and already I was in love.  What I didn’t know and fully understand then was how phenomenal the park would be – in bringing people back to downtown, generating a wonderful sense of community, and celebrating all things Tulsa.

Almost every night of the week you will find something going on to suit your taste – fitness, live music, farmer’s market, movies, art – you name it, it’s happening at Guthrie Green.

Sunday – the absolute best day of the week as far as I’m concerned.  The Sunday Market kicks off at 10:00am and runs until 4:00pm.  Not just limited to fruits and vegetables, at this market you will find everything from plant cuttings to jewelry to original artwork.  At 2:00pm, if live music is your thing, you are in luck.  Musical acts vary from Sunday to Sunday and local acts feature prominently.  Bring a blanket, pack a picnic lunch and some mimosas, and just enjoy the fabulous sunshine.  Honestly, it’s my favorite way to waste away a Sunday afternoon.

 

If fitness is your thing, Guthrie Green offers you countless opportunities to stretch and get fit.

                Monday – Tai Chi (5:30pm)

                Tuesday – Boot Camp (5:30pm)

                Wednesday – Yoga (10:00am and 6:00pm)

                Thursday – Boot Camp

                Friday – Walking Fitness 

Wednesday – Food Trucks!  The food truck scene in Tulsa is exploding and here is your chance to sample some of the gourmet food that is being offered up.  I’ve raved about the fabulousness that is the Lone Wolf Food Truck and their delicious sandwiches and kimchi fries .  Or perhaps try a slice of Andolini’s pizza, or maybe a taco.  Whatever you have a craving for – you’ll find a truck to suit your needs.  And put any fear out of your mind!  The food is fresh (most trucks only buy what they will need for that one day), prepared right in front of you, and is by far some of the tastiest meals being served today. 

 

Thursday – Movies!  Every Thursday night when the sun goes down, you can catch a movie on the big screen.  The movies are usually oldies but goodies (The Bad News Bears, Smokey and The Bandit, etc) and it’s always fun to watch a movie under the stars.  It’s like the drive-in, but better!

Other upcoming events include Shakespeare in the Park (a perfect way to get a little culture), a Circus Skills Workshop (everyone should know how to juggle), and several classical concert series.  The first Friday of every month you can take advantage of First Friday Art Crawl – an event that continues to grow.  And on Saturday June 8^th, it will also become the staging area for one of the more exciting events this summer – Tulsa Tough 2013, of which yours truly will be participating (Tulsa Tough). 

In a very short amount of time, Guthrie Green has become the kind of gathering place that has a certain magical quality to it.  People want to be there, to experience it, to feel connected to their neighbors, to get out and be a part of something larger. 

If you haven’t ventured down there – make your plans now.  It’s a beautiful facility and hopefully you’ll love it as much as I do.