Tom Holliday told Kingfisher Rotarians that even the grass inside Oklahoma State University’s new baseball stadium will be worth the price of admission to a game this season.

Holliday, a former longtime OSU baseball coach, spoke Tuesday to the Kingfisher civic group. He’s the father of current Cowboys head coach Josh Holliday and assistant Matt Holliday.

The elder Holliday told of the status of the OSU baseball program and of his excitement over the new baseball stadium and practice facilities that will be ready for play this season.

“It’s a big-league baseball park in Stillwater, Okla.,” he said. “It has everything you want. It seats 5,000 and is immaculate on every level.”

Holliday had high praise for OSU Athletic Director Mike Holder and staff for their efforts to “make it all happen” and he invited those in attendance to travel to Stillwater to experience a game in the new park.

“You’ll be impressed. The grass alone is worth seeing,” he said. “It’s perfect. I can’t find the facilities wanting for a single thing. It will be a definite recruiting tool for Josh and his staff.”

OSU has 35 players on the team this year, Holliday said, with three freshman pitchers that, in his estimation as a longtime pitching coach, will “definitely be playing in the big leagues” when their time at the university is over.

“I think all three of these young men will be there for three years at least and they are also great kids and good students. With the players we have at the other positions, I am very excited about where OSU is headed in baseball,” he said.

Holliday said he was also excited that former OSU star and big leaguer Robin Ventura has returned to Stillwater to complete his education and help his sons coach the team.

He said he was frustrated by the NCAA rules that allow colleges to only distribute a total of 11.7 athletic scholarships among their players.

“We’re handicapped in baseball, because that creates a hardship for many parents who have to sacrifice to allow their sons to get a college degree. I think it’s a terrible rule, but it’s what we have in NCAA baseball,” he said.

He noted that Oklahoma State players and parents understood that the coaching received by his sons and their coaching staff would be a definite benefit in their preparation to playing professionally if they chose to pursue baseball careers after their collegiate experience.

Both of Holliday’s sons were drafted after stellar OSU careers and played professionally.

Holliday was at Oklahoma State for 26 of his 40 years as a college coach.

After leaving OSU as the head coach of the baseball program 14 seasons ago, he went to the University of Texas, University of North Carolina and Auburn University as pitching coach.

He is currently coaching the Chatham Anglers two months each summer in the Cape Code League, a summer baseball league located in Massachusetts.

It is one of the nation’s premier collegiate summer leagues and boasts over 1,000 former players who have gone on to play in Major League Baseball.

“I don’t know how long we’ll keep doing that. We’ll do it one more season for sure and then see what happens,” Holliday said.

He said Matt’s son, Jackson, currently a Stillwater High School baseball player, has committed to Oklahoma State for the class of 2022.

“That’s a big deal for us. He’s a great kid, and we’re delighted he’s going to be a Cowboy,” he said.

Holliday concluded by stating that Stillwater will always be home to him and his wife and they were delighted to be involved with his sons and their families on a daily basis.

Holliday was introduced to the club members and guests by John Johnson who arranged for the presentation.