Tulsa Drillers
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| Tulsa Drillers Founded in 1977 Tulsa, Oklahoma |
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| League titles | 1982, 1988, 1998 | ||
| Division titles | 1999, 2002, 2006 (1st half) | ||
| Owner(s)/Operated by: Chuck Lamson | |||
| Manager: Stu Cole | |||
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The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies major-league club. The Drillers play in Drillers Stadium, located at 15th and Yale in midtown Tulsa.
The Drillers came into being in 1977, when a Lafayette, Louisiana team was transferred to Tulsa. Before that time, the Triple-A Tulsa Oilers had been the city's only minor league club, but owner A. Ray Smith moved the team to New Orleans, Louisiana due to concerns over the dilapidated condition of Oiler Park. Tulsa County completed 8,000 seat Robert B. Sutton Stadium in 1981, naming it for its chief benefactor, a local oil executive. Sutton, however, was convicted in 1982 of fraud, and as a result the County renamed the park Tulsa County Stadium. In 1989, Drillers Stadium received its current name. The stadium now seats 10,997.
From 1976 to 2002, the Drillers were the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. In 2002, Rangers owner Tom Hicks purchased the Shreveport, Louisiana Texas League franchise with the intention of moving the team to Frisco, Texas, a suburban city north of Dallas, Texas. At the time, the Shreveport Swamp Dragons were affiliated with the San Francisco Giants; Hicks cast aside this association and bought out the remaining two years of Tulsa's Player Development Contract. The Drillers then signed a two-year agreement with the Colorado Rockies.
In March 2006, Chuck Lamson bought out much of owner Went Hubbard's stock in the team and is now president and majority owner of the Drillers.
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[edit] Championship Seasons
The Drillers have been Texas League champions three times: 1982, 1988, and 1998. As well as Eastern Division Champions in 1999, and 2002. The Drillers also appeared in the Texas League playoffs during the 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 seasons.
[edit] Notable Drillers
- Hank Blalock
- Kevin Brown
- Jeff Francis
- Juan González
- Travis Hafner
- Matt Holliday
- Iván Rodríguez
- Rubén Sierra
- Sammy Sosa
- Kenny Rogers
- Troy Tulowitzki
[edit] Trivia
ESPN Sportscenter anchor John Anderson has often alluded to team alumni as "former Driller(s)" on-air. Anderson was a weekend sports anchor for Tulsa CBS affiliate KOTV before joining ESPN.
The Tulsa Drillers radio announcer is Mark Neely and is broadcast on sports radio 1430, the Buzz in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
[edit] Coach's death
Batting coach Mike Coolbaugh was killed in a freak accident on July 22, 2007. While standing in the first base coach box, he was hit in the head by a line drive[1]; although CPR was administered at the scene, he died less than an hour later. The Drillers and Travelers suspended their game, which the Travelers had been leading, 7-3, in the ninth inning. The Drillers also postponed their game the following night.[2] The coroner concluded that Coolbaugh was actually hit in the neck with the line drive instead of the head, which ruptured an artery in his neck, killing him.[3]
[edit] 2008 roster
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Tulsa Drillers roster
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Pitchers
[1] updated 6/30/07 |
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
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[edit] References
[edit] External links
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| AAA | AA | A | Rookie |
| Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Tulsa Drillers |
Modesto Nuts Asheville Tourists Tri-City Dust Devils |
Casper Ghosts VSL Rockies |
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