ARLINGTON, Texas — If you're bringing the family to a Texas Rangers game this season, the kiddos can now entertain themselves before the first pitch is even thrown.
On Thursday, the Rangers announced the opening of "Oatly Park," a kid-friendly wiffle ball park located inside Globe Life Field. Team officials said the new attraction drew inspiration from the Vandergriff Plaza wiffle ball experience that operated at The Ballpark in Arlington from 1995 through 2011.
“Not a game day goes by without a Rangers fan letting me know that some of their best memories at The Ballpark in Arlington were hitting wiffle ball home runs at a Rangers game — it could be one of the best ideas I have ever had,” said Chuck Morgan, long-time Rangers announcer.
In the 30 minutes prior to the game's scheduled first pitch, Oatly Park will be open to children 12 years old or younger. Kids will be able to take five swings free of charge.
“Wiffle ball was such a big part of my life growing up, so it really makes me feel good that in the 50th anniversary season, a Texas Rangers tradition of putting home run smiles on kids’ faces is coming to Globe Life Field with the new Oatly Park,” Morgan said.
In a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Rangers Youth Academy athletes were among the first to take swings in the new park from pitches thrown by Texas Rangers players Josh Smith and Joe Barlow.
Oatly Park is located in the upper-level center-field concourse above the Grand Slam Team Store. The fenced-in field measures 59 feet to center field, 51 feet down the right-field line, and 49 feet down the leftfield line.
Oatly Park be open starting July 8.
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