By JAY HOBERECHT
I don’t know exactly how long I have been helping out with the Merrifield Office Plus Baseball Tournament. I have scored many games during the three-day event in Enid each spring. The tournament highlights area high school baseball. Each team gets to play on the turf at NOC-Enid’s Failing Field and at the David Allen Memorial Ballpark. This was the 22nd tournament that began in 2000. Mother Nature won in 2013 and Covid won in 2020. Pioneer has won the event nine times, Chisholm four times and Drummond and Cimarron each three times.
While working the tournament, I decided to talk with fans, press box workers, players and coaches to see what I could learn. First thing I learned was players really like playing at the David Allen Memorial Ballpark. It is one of the finest amateur ballparks in America and it makes the tournament special. Each team plays one day at NOC-Enid and one day at the David Allen Memorial Ballpark. Championship Saturday is played at David Allen. It is a great atmosphere for high school players.
The second thing I learned was that Oklahoma Bible Academy Headmaster, Andrew Wilkins has been sponsoring Ukrainians Dima and Reily Rachkovsky in the United States. He has served on-line the last year in Krakow, Poland and Kyiv, Ukraine. The couple met on a mission trip Reily (from Iowa) took to Ukraine in 2013. They have two children, Lennox 2 and Justice one month. The two will return to Poland soon to continue their mission of reaching coaches and athletes and their families to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and become active in a local church.
The third thing I learned came from Enid News & Eagle sports director Reese Becker. He has been with the local newspaper since March 2022 and he shared with me his top five events his first year.
No. 1 was the NJCAA DII World Series in May
No. 2 was the first Friday night of high school football
No. 3 was the Gladys Winters Baseball Tournament
No. 4 was the Merrifield Office Plus Tournament
No. 5 was the Enid High School annual tennis tournament
Lastly, the fourth thing I learned was the top three hamburgers in Enid. Admittedly, there were a lot of different answers but three places stood out.
No.1 Jumbo Foods West
No. 2 Braum’s
No. 3 Freddy’s, Lott-A-Burger, Flamingo
It was a fun three days for me to connect with coaches and players and help out tournament organizer David Riesen. We look forward to many more tournaments! Next year the David Allen Memorial Ballpark will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary!
