Oklahoma City's historical and ongoing influence on softball

This story originally ran on VeloCityOKC.com. 

Softball has a rich history deeply embedded in American sports and culture, with Oklahoma City playing a key role in its evolution. Craig Cress, CEO of USA Softball, attributes the sport’s success in Oklahoma City to strong leadership, supportive citizens, and organizations that chose to invest in it.

Cress states, "The sport has made significant progress because of many groups who decided they wanted to make it better."

The sport’s journey began in Chicago in November 1887 when reporter George Hancock unintentionally laid the foundation for what would become the most popular team-participant sport in the United States. Throughout the 20th century, softball's popularity soared, and Oklahoma played a pivotal role in its growth. In 1930, YMCA director Bud Howe officially established the sport in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

A major turning point came when the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), founded in 1933 by Leo Fisher and Michael J. Pauley in Newark, New Jersey, relocated its national headquarters to Oklahoma City in 1966. The new headquarters was officially dedicated on May 26, 1973, solidifying Oklahoma City’s role in the sport’s legacy. In June 2016, the organization rebranded from ASA to USA Softball to reflect the sport’s growth and success over the years.

Today, Oklahoma City is known as the Softball Capital of the World, home to some of the best softball complexes, including the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex, now known as Devon Park. This premier venue features four fields over 18,000 square feet, with a main stadium that seats up to 13,000 guests.

Since USA Softball’s relocation to Oklahoma City, numerous renovations have transformed the complex. In 2004, lower-level seating and two additional fields were added following a 20-year partnership with the NCAA. Later, further improvements focused on enhancing facilities for student-athletes, media, and fans. These updates included modern locker rooms, more bathrooms, a larger media space, and a new video board.

Oklahoma City now hosts many prestigious softball events, including the World Cup of Softball, Border Battle, the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS), the Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship, OSSAA Softball State Championships, and Olympic trials for USA Softball’s Women’s National Team. Altogether, these events attract more than 150,000 fans annually.

“People don’t realize the magnitude of the number of events we host at our facility,” Cress noted. Since June, USA Softball has welcomed Oklahoma City Spark, Team USA, All American Games, Armed Forces championships, and men’s and women’s slow pitch weekends. Upcoming events include the International Men’s World Cup in September and the OSSAA State Championships in October.

Looking ahead, Cress expects USA Softball to continue growing, with plans to add more international events, discussions about hosting Big 10 games, and the possibility of Oklahoma City playing a role in the LA 28 Olympic softball games.

“USA Softball has always believed in the importance of the sport,” Cress said. “That’s our number one.” He emphasized that the sport thrives not only because of the dedicated staff but also due to the investment from the city and its residents. “I can’t say enough about the citizens of Oklahoma City and their support for all sports here.”