TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa County is revitalizing the baseball fields at O'Brien Park in an effort to champion student-athletes and to make it a major league destination for years to come.
Matt Hancock spent years on the mound and rounding the bases at O’Brien Park.
“Mom and dad consistently, with about 12 other kids from Okmulgee County, made the drive to O’Brien Park on weeknights, and I played league up here, and we played weekends up here,” said Hancock.
That experience led to bigger and better things outside of Tulsa County.
“It led to a lot of success, and it led to me playing at Seminole State, and I loved that, and it led to me playing at Oral Roberts. I was on a team at Oral Roberts that was extremely successful, and then baseball-wise, most importantly, had an opportunity to play for the Boston Red Sox,” said Hancock.
Tulsa County broke ground on two new artificial turf baseball fields, which will include several other improvements and additions.
The project is set to revitalize the park, and organizers hope it will be a top-tier experience for players of all ages.
The additions will also greatly impact the North Tulsa Baseball Field League, which teaches children ages 14 and under the fundamentals of baseball.
Back in 2019, O’Brien Park suffered tremendous damage from heavy rain.
“In 2019, we had a historic flood that just decimated the park. All of the baseball fields, the rec centers, the batting cages and totally engulfed this area, and we had to start from scratch and rebuild everything,” said Tulsa County Commissioner Stan Sallee.
Sallee said the new improvements will not only benefit the players but also the fields.
“We are going to put artificial turf on the infield, which will allow immediate drainage once rain comes, and people come from all over the country to play baseball in these tournaments, and when the fields get wet, they don’t want to go home. They want to continue to play so that will allow quick drainage for these fields,” said Sallee.
Baseball has taken Hancock full circle.
After serving his time on the mound, he now serves as the Parks and Recreation Director for Tulsa County.
“To walk in and go, wow, there is just some exciting things happening at O’Brien Park. It definitely hits you in the heart because I would not be who I am today without baseball,” said Hancock.
The new additions are funded in part by money from Vision 2025, insurance and also money from federal Covid funds.
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