Oiler Park

Oiler Park
Former names	Texas League Park (1934-1961) Driller Park (1977-1980)
Location	Tulsa, Oklahoma
Opened	July 11, 1934
Closed	1980
Demolished	1980
Surface	Natural grass
Capacity	4,000 (original) 7,200 (maximum)
Tenants
Tulsa Oilers (1934-1976) Tulsa Drillers (1977-1980)

Oiler Park, also known as Texas League Park and Driller Park, was a stadium located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Located on the Tulsa County Fairgrounds, it was primarily used for baseball and was the home of the Tulsa Oilers until that team was moved to New Orleans and replaced by the Tulsa Drillers after the 1976 season. The ballpark had a capacity of 4,000 people when opened in 1934, and increased to 7,200 in 1948.^[1] The stadium became progressively more dilapidated over the years,^[2] and the grandstand's poor condition was even mentioned comically in Jim Bouton's landmark baseball memoir Ball Four.^[3] In 1977, part of the grandstand collapsed during a major league exhibition game; the stadium was replaced by nearby Drillers Stadium in 1980, and demolished.^[4]

References

1. ^ Tulsa's Pro Baseball Homes, Tulsa World, April 4, 2010.
2. ^ "Ex-baseball owner Smith dies", Tulsa World, June 29, 1999.
3. ^ Jim Bouton, Ball Four (World Pub. Co., 1970), p.38.
4. ^ Matt Gleason, "You're out at the old ball game", Tulsa World, May 17, 2010.