New facility named the ‘Tony Dean Baseball Facility’

Date set for grand opening, ribbon cutting ceremony

By Joshua Allen
ONL Staff Reporter

The stellar new facility for baseballers at Okemah High School will soon get a new name. 

The new namesake will take on that of well-known Okemah man, Tony Dean, effectively making the new facility the “Tony Dean Baseball Facility.” 

School board members gave the floor to High School Principal Lee Vick and Head Baseball Coach Matt Ross, who have served as spearheads throughout the arduous process of naming officially the new facility. 

On the agenda, it was to discuss and take possible on naming the facility the “Tony Dean Hitting Facility,” but Ross brought it to the boards attention that he though better of calling it the ‘Baseball’ center, instead of just ‘hitting,’ since, he said, fielding exercises, ground ball practice and other exercises are practiced within.

Vick agreed with that assessment, adding that he, too, felt “hitting facility” did not encapsulate its full use. 

Ross publicly thanked Vick for his help on the project, stating it would not have been possible without his support. 

A date of March 12 was set for the grand opening and ribbon ceremony for the new facility with its new name. 

Serving hotdogs was discussed for the event with the possibility of the first 50-100 attendees to get free admission. 

The board made the move, with Patti Miller making a motion to approve the naming of the facility the “Tony Dean Baseball Facility,” as well as set the grand opening date for March 12. 

The motion received a quick second and carried by unanimous vote. 

Okemah News Leader Publisher Kay Thompson was treated to a tour of the facility with school officials last week, taking a number of photos of the facility, printed in last weeks edition of the News Leader.