40 people to become U.S. citizens before Oklahoma City Dodgers game

OKLAHOMA CITY – Baseball is known as America’s pastime, and teams across the country are embracing that title through a new event.

On Wednesday, 40 people will become U.S. citizens as a federal judge hosts a naturalization ceremony on the field of the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Organizers say Chief Justice Timothy DeGiusti, with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, will administer the Oath of Allegiance to the applicants before the first pitch of the game.

Officials say it is all part of the federal courts’ annual educational outreach program to prepare the public for Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.

Between Aug. 15 and Sept. 18, federal judges are naturalizing 800 new citizens at major league and minor league games.

In addition to the Oklahoma City Dodgers, other minor league teams participating are the Auburn Doubledays, Hartford Yard Goats and the Dayton Dragons. Major league teams that are hosting naturalization ceremonies include the Tampa Bay Rays, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres.

After the ceremony, the Oklahoma City Dodgers will take on the Iowa Cubs.