Leave it to me to find the most L.A. thing to do in the Sooner State! I bet you didn’t know Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City is the home of the MiLB Dodgers! The OKC Dodgers are a Triple-A team. It is the last stop before players move up to the big leagues and become Los Angeles Dodgers. Previously the Albuquerque Isotopes, in 2015 they made their way to Oklahoma City. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark at the time was home to the Redhawks (parent Houston Astros) when the Dodgers took over they renamed the team The Oklahoma City Dodgers.
It’s true that L.A. bleeds blue. Well, at least this family does, so I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to root for our home team while away from home! We were kindly invited to check out the OKC Dodgers and were taken on a private tour of the Chickasaw Ballpark before sitting in on our first OKC Dodger game! The tour took us through the expanse grounds. First through the concessions level and then up to the newly renovated club level where we peeked into the press boxes. We got a behind the scenes look into how the game is locally broadcast not only on radio but on T.V. as well through the local COX cable company. The halls, although new, displayed a ballpark rich in history with the Oklahoma City Indians dating back to 1935. Finally, the tour led us to the dug out and to an absolutely magical walk onto the field. I don’t think the kids will ever forget the feeling of stepping in through that dugout and onto that bright crisp green field! I know I won’t.
What was most impressive about the tour and in learning more about the team, is the community outreach the Oklahoma City Dodgers are dedicated to. Both, through their foundation as well as the various community outreach programs. One of their programs “The OKC Dodgers Rookie League” was created to bolster youth baseball participation. Giving the community a fun and safe environment to enjoy the game of baseball while emphasizing leadership, teamwork and sportsmanship. Programs like this build a strong community of future baseball players and fans of tomorrow. But it doesn’t stop there! They have programs supporting anything from education to disaster relief to significant medical events. On the day we visited the OKC Dodgers were in the middle of a three game series as “Cielo Azul de Oklahoma City” a part of Minor League Baseball’s initiative “Es Divertido Ser Un Fan” (It’s Fun to Be a Fan). The campaign incorporates 72 teams across the MiLB. This initiative aims to celebrate Hispanic and Latino fans, creating a culturally relevant game day environment. The celebration included a special “Cielo Azul” uniform for the Dodgers, also featured specialty food offerings, Latin music, performances and bilingual announcements during the game. “Cielo Azul” in Spanish means “Blue Sky” a reference to the iconic Dodger Blue and the dazzling Oklahoma blue skies. A beautiful meaning, especially when they aim to incorporate the Latin community that resides under that dazzling blue sky. The energy in the stadium felt electric! This day was particularly special because it also happened to be Fernando Valenzuela Day! For being 1,300 + miles away from Dodger Stadium in Elysian Park, Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark sure felt like home. A huge Thank You to the OKC Dodgers for hosting us on this adventure beyond L.A.
OKC Dodgers and Cielo Azul game tickets are available through the OKC Dodgers ticket office, by phone at (405) 218 – 2182 or by visiting okcdodgers.com
You might just catch the next and newest Major Leaguer in his final Minor League game like we did! Welcome to L.A. Will Smith!
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