OSU donor Cecil O’Brate poses in front of the baseball stadium that dons his name.

Celebrating the legacy of baseball benefactor Cecil O’Brate

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | editor@okstate.edu

The jewel of college baseball, which can be found at the corner of Washington Street and McElroy Road in Stillwater, wouldn’t be possible without Cecil O’Brate.

The cheering crowds, the concourse concessions with its peanuts and Cracker Jacks, the immaculate grass and the state-of-the-art video board blasting The Gap Band after a Cowboy home run wouldn’t exist without O’Brate.

Oklahoma State University lost the man whose name dons Cowboy baseball’s new home on Jan. 20 when O’Brate died at the age of 95.

O’Brate gave $35 million toward the construction of O’Brate Stadium, which opened in 2021 and is one of the top facilities in college baseball.

“Cecil O’Brate was a remarkable person, and I was blessed to know him,” OSU Athletic Director Chad Weiberg said. “He was a fearless entrepreneur, a pioneer in business, a difference maker in his community and an extremely generous philanthropist that changed the lives of hundreds of underprivileged and orphaned youths by providing college educations, mentoring and support.

“Cecil was the ultimate game changer for the Cowboy baseball program, our players and fans alike, for generations to come. He lived by his creed of ‘Make It Happen,’ and that is exactly what he did every single day.

Born in Enid, Oklahoma, in 1928, O’Brate attended then Oklahoma A&M College from 1946-48 before becoming a self-made serial entrepreneur. He was the owner, developer and operator of multiple businesses in numerous and diverse industries, among them agriculture, banking, manufacturing, energy, hospitality, real estate, alternative energy, medicine and food science.

O’Brate and his wife, Frances, were married for over 70 years and spent much of their lives in Garden City, Kansas, which they helped develop into a hub for business and shopping between Wichita, Kansas, and Denver. Among his many endeavors, O’Brate helped build American Warrior, Inc., one of the largest independently owned oil and gas production companies in Kansas.

Cecil O’Brate and former U.S. President George W. Bush throw out the first pitch at O’Brate Stadium in 2021.

With the establishment of the O’Brate Foundation in 2013, the O’Brates helped provide over $6 million in scholarships to more than 600 students who are graduates of the foster care system or those who come from households with income below the poverty level.

O’Brate received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from OSU in 2018, and he was inducted into the OSU Hall of Fame in 2023.

“Cecil was extraordinary with a capital E,” said Mike Holder, OSU athletic director emeritus. “He did impossible things and made them look easy. He cared about others, especially those less fortunate, and invested significantly in helping them dream of a better life.”

Since opening for the 2021 season, O’Brate Stadium has welcomed over 435,000 fans and ranked among the national leaders in attendance for three consecutive years.

O’Brate Stadium was dedicated on Aug. 14, 2020, with the O’Brate family along with friends and OSU players and coaches in attendance.

The first game at O’Brate Stadium was played on Feb. 24, 2021, with the Cowboys defeating Little Rock by a 7-2 score.

On May 20, 2021, O’Brate Stadium was officially dedicated in front of a then-OSU baseball record crowd of 6,362. George W. Bush — the 43rd president of the United States and a friend of the O’Brates — threw out a ceremonial first pitch.

“Cecil O’Brate changed the lives of so many, where do you even begin?” OSU baseball coach Josh Holliday said. “He has an amazing family of loved ones who will forever cherish their loving and caring leader. There are countless individuals and organizations who benefited and will continue to benefit from his generosity, kindness and belief in what people can accomplish if they work hard. He had an amazing business career and was a part of so many creative and successful endeavors over the years.

"As for OSU baseball, our university, our players, fans and staff will forever be grateful for this amazing new home he made possible. O’Brate Stadium changed our lives, and we will honor his name and his mission in life to ‘Make It Happen’ each and every day.”

Photos by: Bruce Waterfield

Story by: OSU Athletics | STATE Magazine