Black Wall Street Diamond Classic Coming to ONEOK Field March 18

ONEOK Field and the Historic Greenwood District will host a special HBCU baseball event in Tulsa this spring. The Tulsa Drillers announced today that Philander Smith College and Dillard University will meet in the first-ever Black Wall Street Diamond Classic. The teams will play a doubleheader at ONEOK Field on Saturday, March 18 with the first game starting at 1:00 p.m.

Hosted by the Tulsa Drillers in partnership with BCSG 360 and the Tulsa Sports Commission, the Black Wall Street Diamond Classic is slated to be an annual event with participating teams changing each season.

Philander Smith College is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and was founded in 1877, while Dillard University is in New Orleans, Louisiana and was founded in 1930 and has incorporated institutions dating to as early as 1869.

The inaugural Black Wall Street Diamond Classic will feature general admission seating, with tickets in the seating bowl costing $15 each. Individual tickets for the outfield lawn and standing room only areas will be $10 each.

Tickets within the seating bowl will be discounted to just $13 each for group purchases of 20 or more tickets.

In addition, a limited number of club seats will be available for $25 each.

The doubleheader is scheduled to consist of two seven-inning games.

“We can't wait to have these out-of-town visitors–many coming to Tulsa for the first time–in town to experience our city from historic sites like the Mabel B. Little House to present-day gems like Wanda J's and the world-class Greenwood Rising,” said Renee McKenney, senior vice president of tourism for the Tulsa Regional Chamber and president of Tulsa Regional Tourism. “We encourage locals to make these students and families feel at home during their visit and join us at ONEOK Field for a fantastic day of baseball.”

In addition to the baseball games, there will also be a college fair taking place within the stadium.

"It is an honor to welcome Philander Smith College and Dillard University to Tulsa for the inaugural Black Wall Street Diamond Classic,” Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said. "The Black Wall Street Diamond Classic is a wonderful opportunity for new, vibrant audiences to discover the legacy of the Historic Greenwood District and other Downtown businesses.”

Both schools compete at the NAIA level, and both are members of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.

“The Drillers are excited to host these two historic HBCU colleges at ONEOK Field,” said Drillers President Mike Melega. “We are proud to be located in the Historic Greenwood District, and we hope the Black Wall Street Diamond Classic can help to educate more folks throughout the country on the district’s deep history.”

BCSG 360 Founder and Executive Director Prentiss Hill added, "BCSG 360 is excited to bring HBCU baseball to Tulsa in partnership with the Tulsa Drillers and the Tulsa Sports Commission.” “Our plans are to host an event that connects with the people of Tulsa in a way that is entertaining, educational and inspirational. We look forward to working with The Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, Historic Greenwood District and Greenwood Rising to produce a truly one-of-a-kind event."

Tickets for the Black Wall Street Diamond Classic can be purchased by clicking HERE or by calling 918-744-5901.

About the Tulsa Drillers

The Drillers are Tulsa’s oldest professional sports franchise and play their home games at beautiful ONEOK Field in the Historic Greenwood District of downtown Tulsa. The Drillers are the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Many current and past major league stars have played for the Drillers, including Ivan Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, Corey Seager, Julio Urias, Nolan Arenado, Matt Holliday and Clayton Kershaw.

About BCSG 360

BCSG 360 is the nation's largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs and strategic partnerships, BCSG 360 is a vital resource in the PK-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. BCSG 360 is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt, charitable organization.

About the Tulsa Sports Commission

In 1993, the Tulsa Sports Commission (TSC) was created to attract and develop sporting events and conventions for economic impact on the Tulsa community. Since its inception, the TSC has accounted for more than $500 million in economic impact to the Tulsa region by helping attract, market and host championships and sports-related events and conventions to the region. The TSC is a founding member of the National Association of Sports Commissions and lives within the Tulsa Regional Tourism umbrella organization. Learn more at visittulsa.com/sports.

About Tulsa Regional Tourism

Tulsa Regional Tourism is northeast Oklahoma’s premier accredited destination marketing organization. Housed at the Tulsa Regional Chamber, it includes Visit Tulsa for leisure travel, Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau for meetings & conventions, Tulsa Sports Commission for amateur & pro sports and the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture (FMAC) for creative industries and accredited film commission. Tulsa Regional Tourism leads the community’s bidding for and hosting of signature events like the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the Big 12 Wrestling Championship, USA BMX Grand Nationals, the Arabian Horse Association’s U.S. Nationals and more. For more information, visit visittulsa.com.