Bartlesville Baseball Tournament Brings In Sports Lovers, Dollars

A baseball tournament in Bartlesville is knocking it out of the park in terms of how much money it's making for the local economy.

Last year, when this tournament was in Bartlesville, it brought in just under a million dollars - meaning that the city is the real winner of the series.

Batter up! A baseball tournament is expected to give Bartlesville's economy a million dollar boost.

"The economic impact to our community last year, even with only six teams, was right under a million dollars," said Debbie Mueggenborg.

Players have come from Puerto Rico, Mexico, New Haven, Chicago, Cincinnati, Nashville, hoping to leave as Sandy Koufax World Series champions, and taking in Oklahoma sights in the meantime.

"They go out to eat, they went out to Woolaroc yesterday - one of the teams did - they've gone to the bowling alley," Mueggenborg said.

It's the second year this series has made the city sing with sweet sounds of baseball.

Grandparents Inez and Phil Napolitano from Connecticut say it's their first time in Oklahoma. They say they love Bartlesville.

"You've got so many interesting things here," Inez said. "You've got the rodeos, you've got the Indian reservations, you've got the beautiful lakes, you've got the shopping malls. But just country here is absolutely gorgeous."

"And I'll tell you what's the best here, it's the barbecue," Phil said.

Even locals, like 90-year-old R.J. George, haven't missed a pitch.

"It's been great. Surprised how many 14 year olds can play, make some of the plays they make," he said.

State Representative Earl Sears says he hopes the series comes back every year.

"I always like to hear and see other communities coming to our community, but it's fun that I want people from all over the country to come to Bartlesville, Oklahoma," Sears said.

Organizers say they're doing what they can to keep it in Bartlesville.