Blackwell Flycatchers will make Oklahoma history in 2023

September 21, 2022

When Blackwell gets a new baseball team in June, the town will make Oklahoma history.

The Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs, which several weeks ago announced plans to create the independent Blackwell Flycatchers baseball team, is gearing up for the 2023 season.

League officials say Blackwell will host Oklahoma’s only independent baseball team since the Sooner State League shuttered in 1959.

“We are excited to play the 2023 season in Blackwell,” Pecos League Commissioner and Owner Andrew Dunn said in a news release.

“The historic ballpark will plug right into our league. We have a long history of players in our league from Oklahoma. Now we will have a team there. This will help with travel to and from Garden City.” The Flycatchers will play at Morgan Field, which is also home to public school baseball games.

The historic field has been renovated in recent years. The league already is selling merchandise for the team.

To purchase merchandise, visit http://www.blackwellflycatchers.com. Players will don brown uniforms and brown hats, officials say. Tan and white will be the team’s colors.

The team will be part of the Mountain Division, which includes the Alpine (Texas) Cowboys, Austin (Texas) Weirdos, Tucson (Arizona) Saguaros, Garden City (Kansas) Wind, Roswell (New Mexico) Invaders, Santa Fe (New Mexico) Fuego and the Trinidad (Colorado) Triggers.

The league’s other division, the Pacific League, consists of eight California teams. The winners of each league will compete in a best-of-three championship series after the division playoff, officials said. Pecos League Adjudicator J.D. Droddy said the Flycatchers will help round out the league.

“I think it is great addition, and it will be very helpful to the Northern Division,” Droddy said. “I think Oklahoma is a baseball state, and Northern Oklahoma will be great for the Pecos League. It will help with logistics of balancing the Northern Division.”

The team’s coaching staff and game-day operations staff will be selected soon, officials said.

For more information about the Pecos League, visit http://www.pecosleague.com or call 575-680- 2212.