Drillers Strikin' it Rich

Official Review by Paul Derrick, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

Located smack dab in the middle of downtown Tulsa you will find an absolute gem known as ONEOK (Pronounced WUN-ohk) Field. ONEOK Field is the home of the Tulsa Drillers which are the AA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. ONEOK Field was built in 2010 and has the capacity to hold just over 7,800 visitors.

ONEOK Field is located in Tulsa the second largest city in Oklahoma and is one of only two sources of professional baseball in Oklahoma, so games are well attended. It also does not hurt that ONEOK is an absolute beauty of a ballpark, with plenty of extras to keep every fan smiling from ear to ear.

Food & Beverage    4

The Drillers have just about anything your taste buds could be craving. They offer pizzas, salads, brats, burgers, pretzels, nachos, fajitas, and all the ballpark basics. The Drillers even offer veggie dogs and burgers for the non-meat lovers out there.

One thing I absolutely fell in love with and would make my wife if possible was their Rodeo Burger. It is an absolutely amazing angus burger with grilled onions, mushrooms and American cheese. I'm nearly drooling on my keyboard at the mere thought of its tastiness. The Rodeo Burger comes with just a $7 price tag on it, and I highly recommend it.

The Drillers also have a variety of soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. The Drillers carry Pepsi products which are offered in two sizes large or souvenir cup size. The beers are offered in one size and are reasonably priced. The Drillers carry an array of different alcoholic selections including a couple of local microbrews and a variety of mixed drink options.

Atmosphere    4

The Drillers provide a great atmosphere for the diehard baseball fans as well as the kids and families who are just there to have a little fun. There are definitely some good baseball fans in the Tulsa area as well as some that even carry their love of the Drillers on to their MLB partner, the Rockies. I saw numerous fans keeping score throughout the game, which I think is definitely a lost art of baseball today. I also enjoyed having a couple of good baseball discussions with a handful of different fans throughout the stadium. A lot of the fans were knowledgeable about baseball and help make ONEOK a great experience.

The atmosphere for the kids and family is also right on point, with available berm seating. The Drillers provide a great jungle gym beyond the outfield scoreboard to keep the kids entertained and happy. Overall the Drillers provide a great balanced atmosphere to keep any fan happy to attend ONEOK.

Neighborhood    3

ONEOK Field is located in the historic Greenwood District, which back in the early 1900's was known as "Black Wall Street". It was known as Black Wall Street because it was the home of many of the prominent African-Americans in Tulsa. Known for great blues and jazz throughout the years, you can fortunately see some of this on display at the Greenwood Cultural Center. The Greenwood Cultural Center has a museum, art gallery, and also the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. Overall you won't find a plethora of activities, but always keep an eye on some of the Tulsa sports schedules for some added fun.

If you're looking for something to eat before or after the game I have to recommend either Knotty Pine Barbeque or Weber's Superior Root Beer Stand. Both of these places were absolutely delicious, and will definitely be stops on my future visits.

If you love barbeque, you're going to love Knotty Pine! Located on 3301 W 5th Street in Tulsa, this is casual dining at its best. You'll find that an average meal will run you about $10. You'll want to try the Barbeque meal deal, one of Knotty Pine's most popular dishes, which includes beef ribs with two sides, baked beans and potato salad. I tried out a half order of "assorted" that included a rib, pork, hot links, beef brisket and bologna that came with delicious potato salad and cherry cobbler for dessert. The barbeque sauce was sweet and tangy all at the same time and absolutely some of the best I've ever had. I left totally stuffed and completely satisfied.

Now for my post game meal, I enjoyed Weber's Superior Root Beer Stand. If you're looking for a hamburger to die for, you have got to go to Weber's. Located on 3817 South Peoria Avenue in Tulsa, Weber's has been around since 1933. That tells you just how good it is! It's the oldest drive-in restaurant in the city and is famous for its homemade natural root beer, which I found to be top of the line.

Fans    4

The fans have just about everything you look for in minor league fans. Drillers fans love the game and show great support for their team. The city of Tulsa and all the businesses of Tulsa take great pride in the Drillers and ONEOK Field, and they definitely have a right to. I just hope that once the new car smell fades away from the stadium that Driller fans will continue to pack the seats. The Drillers definitely are using the right formula right now. They just need to keep it up.

Access    4

Located right in the middle of downtown Tulsa, ONEOK is an ease to find. Parking is a fickle matter and goes by the old analogy "the early bird gets the worm" because if you're early to a Drillers game you can park in free available parking located on the perimeter of the stadium. Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot of this parking, so most fans will have to shell out $5-$10 for parking in lots around the stadium. My advice is to get there about 45 minutes prior to the game and enjoy the free parking. Getting in and out of the ballpark is a breeze before and after the game. The bathrooms are plentiful and the concourses are wide enough to make walking around the park a simple pleasure.

Return on Investment    3

Due to ONEOK Field being a newer and more high tech baseball park the prices are a tad bit inflated, but still close to their worth. I would recommend trying to get somewhere that had a tad bit of shade as Tulsa evenings in the summer get quite brutal. I unfortunately decided to sit out in the Budweiser Terrace in left field and left looking less like myself and more like a lobster. Overall there is not a bad seat in the house, and this ballpark is definitely worth the price of the visit.

Extras    3

ONEOK Field definitely gets an extra point for being a newly built ballpark that has the great technology extras but still a bit of that old ballpark feel.

Also an extra point to the mascot Hornsy who had an abundance of energy on a extremely hot day and kept the kids as well as adults entertained.

My last point goes to the Drillers franchise. I heard the old Drillers Stadium was really on the fritz and had become an eyesore, so kudos to the Drillers organization for making a push to get the new ballpark. It definitely is a beauty.