OKC Baseball Club and INTEGRIS Health to Honor Oklahomans' Health Triumphs During "Home Run For Life" Celebrations

OKLAHOMA CITY – Five Oklahomans who have overcome significant health challenges will be celebrated on the field at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark throughout the 2024 season as the Oklahoma City Baseball Club and INTEGRIS Health continue their impactful “Home Run For Life” series for a 13th consecutive season.

With the support of their families, physicians and health care professionals at INTEGRIS Health, these Oklahomans have persevered through significant medical hardships. To symbolize the end of their health challenges, honorees take a home run “lap” around the bases during a pregame ceremony. They also receive an OKC Baseball Club jersey, a commemorative baseball bat and enjoy the baseball game from an entertainment suite.

The season-long series kicks off Friday, April 5 with the recognition of Gus Harbert, a current Edmond resident formerly from Tulsa, who received a heart transplant at INTEGRIS Health in November 2022. The OKC Baseball Club plays the Albuquerque Isotopes at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Harbert will be recognized on the field prior to first pitch along with his physicians and health care professionals from INTEGRIS Health. April is National Donate Life Month and the INTEGRIS Health Heart Hospital at Baptist Medical Center is the only center in Oklahoma to offer a full spectrum of advanced cardiac care support to include advanced heart failure care, LVAD, ECMO, total artificial heart and transplantation.

“Our celebratory ‘Home Run For Life’ ceremonies allow us to help lift up these incredible Oklahomans after they have overcome so much,” OKC Baseball Club President/General Manager Michael Byrnes said. “These on-field recognitions have provided many powerful, inspiring and emotional moments over the years while also highlighting some of the amazing achievements happening daily at INTEGRIS Health.”

To read the full story about Harbert’s journey, please visit the OKC Baseball Club “Beyond the Bricks” website at: medium.com/beyond-the-bricks.

On May 25, Luke Champion will be recognized. Champion suffered a stroke at age 14 after winning a wrestling match during a camp at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., and is receiving therapy at INTEGRIS Health Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation outpatient clinic in Yukon.

Additional 2024 “Home Run For Life” ceremonies are then scheduled for July 12, July 26 and Sept. 7 and full feature articles about each recipient, including Champion, will be posted on the “Beyond the Bricks” website prior to their respective recognition dates, along with photos.

Upcoming at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark

Opening Week for the Oklahoma City Baseball Club continues tonight at 7:05 p.m. and at 7:05 p.m. Thursday against Albuquerque. For all Thursday home games this season, Oklahoma City players and coaches will wear special OKC 89ers jerseys and hats in recognition of the franchise’s pre-Bricktown history. The 89ers played at All Sports Stadium from 1962-97 and won four league titles before the franchise relocated to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in 1998.

The Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers then takes the field against Albuquerque at 7:05 p.m. Friday for the first Friday Night Fireworks of the season presented by INTEGRIS Health, as fireworks are scheduled to follow each of Oklahoma City’s Friday home games throughout the 2024 schedule. Friday also marks the first Braum’s Friends and Family 4-Pack Night of the season, offering great rates on packages of four game tickets, four OKC hats and four Braum’s restaurant vouchers that can be redeemed at any Oklahoma Braum’s location.

Oklahoma City’s first home series of the season continues with a 6:05 p.m. game Saturday on Girl Scout Night. Girl Scout troops and their families can access the ballpark one hour early to enjoy food, bounce houses and games. They also are invited to participate in a pregame parade on the field. Group tickets for this night are $16 each and include a limited edition OKC baseball hat, patch and food.

OKC’s series then wraps up with a 2:05 p.m. game Sunday. Players and coaches will wear commemorative city-themed jerseys and 405 area code caps for every Sunday home game throughout the 2024 season. The jerseys and 405 area code caps were introduced last season as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark — Oklahoma City’s original MAPS project that opened in 1998. Select Oklahoma City players will be available to sign autographs for fans prior to first pitch, and following the games, kids can take the field to run the bases like their favorite pros.

Ticket and Broadcast Information

Single-game tickets for OKC games through June are available now at okcbaseball.com/tickets and range in price from $12-$38. Group and season ticket packages are also available for the entire 2024 season.

Live radio coverage of each OKC Baseball Club game begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com and through the free iHeartRadio or MiLB First Pitch apps. Video broadcasts of all OKC Baseball home games are available to be streamed live for free on the Bally Live app. All OKC Baseball games — home and road — are also available to stream on MiLB.TV, MLB.TV and MLB At Bat with a subscription.

To view Oklahoma City’s complete 2024 schedule, visit okcbaseball.com. For additional information, please call (405) 218-2182 or visit okcbaseball.com.