America's Pastime: Baseball Parks Full Of Summer Fun

Oklahoma is home to two minor league baseball teams, but even more teams are just short drives away from the Sooner State. As part of our weeklong Summer Adventures series, Jonathan Cooper went to two ballparks within driving distance that are full of summer baseball fun.

Friday, June 30th 2023, 6:31 pm



Few things scream summer more than America's pastime. From the crack of the bat, to the smell of hot dogs in a full stadium, baseball has attracted people for more than a century.

The Sooner State is home to two minor league teams, both affiliates of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Triple A Dodgers play in Oklahoma City and the Double-A Drillers are in Tulsa.

"Drillville is what we call our neighborhood and what we call our fan base,” Drillers President and General Manager Mike Malega said. “We want it to be for everybody."

Located downtown, the Tulsa Drillers have called OneOK Field home since 2010.

“I would argue that this is one of the best stadiums in the country, bar none,” Malega said. “It's very fan friendly, it was built for the fans."

Just down the road, about 100 miles from Tulsa, is another Double A team, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

The Naturals are the Double A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play their games at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, straight down Highway 412.

Like the Drillers in Tulsa, the Naturals cater to families. Kids can ride a train around the concourse or play games in left field.

The whole family can also grab a lot of unique snacks, something General Manager Justin Cole is proud of.

“Our barbeque nachos,” Cole said. "You have them a lot of places. They do them pretty uniquely here. They're so popular we serve them out of all of the concessions."

At a recent Naturals game, News On 6 caught up with a fan from England.

"I've never seen a baseball game before,” said Sue Kritzer. "I don't know what the rules are. I have no idea what to expect. All I know is its an American experience."

That American experience is replicated every Summer night, at ballparks across the country.

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