PLAY BALL: Winget tradition to come alive in annual tournament on Thursday
Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians pitcher Brenden Asher finishes off a batter to end an inning during a 2024 Glen Winget Memorial Tournament game. Play begins Thursday at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
July 2, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
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One wonders if wherever his spirit resides, Jospeh Glenn Winget might gain a little extra smile every July.
Even though it’s been almost 65 years since Winget skipped through the roof of mortality’s gravity and into a heavenly realm.
But each year around this time Winget’s essence brings a little bit of heaven into Bartlesville through the blessing of great baseball.
It’s called the Glen Winget Memorial Tournament and it takes place annually every July Fourth weekend.
This year will be the 66th edition of the event, which Winget created in 1959 — two years before the complications of acute leukemia claimed his life at age 42.
Other than 1963 — when the tourney was cancelled — the diamond spectacle, known affectionately by locals as simply The Winget, it’s been held every year since ’59.
Little has changed. The number of the teams has remained somewhere between eight to 12 teams (10 this year) and the format has varied from double elimination to round robin to pool play.
But the spirit of Winget’s brainchild remains as fresh and exciting as it was 66 years ago.
This year’s play is set to start on July 3 (Thursday) and wrap up on July 6 (Sunday).
A total of 21 games are planned, concluding with the championship contest at 5 p.m. on July 6.
A patriotic fireworks show also is planned Saturday night sometime after 9 p.m.
The host Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians have played in all 66 tournaments, winning the title 18 times.
The only other team to participate every year since 1959 has been Springfield (Mo.) Hillcrest.
Fittingly, the only Winget crown that ended in a tie (due to weather disruptions) was in 1971, when the Indians and Hillcrest were declared co-champions.
One of the unique aspects of the Winget tourney has been the willingness of organizers to adjust the schedule to rain delays. More than once, tourney games have played nonstop through the night until the next morning.
The only year without a champion was 2007, when the tourney was flooded out a couple of days into play.
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Doenges Toyota Indians pitcher Zane Stricklin pitches during the 2024 Glen Winget Memorial Tournament. Play begins Thursday at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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This year’s field represents four states.
— OKLAHOMA: Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians, Oklahoma Elk City Mudcats, Southern Elevation.
— MISSOURI: Branson Baseball Club, Springfield Hillcrest Merchants, Springfield Kickapoo Baseball Club.
— ARKANSAS: Bryant Black Sox, Fort Smith Sportsman, Mountain Home Lockeroom.
— TEXAS: Burkburnett Blacksox
The Indians will play the late game the first three days of pool games — 8 p.m. on July 3 (vs. Branson), 8 p.m. on July 4 (vs. Springfield Hillcrest) and 7:15 p.m. on July 5 (vs. Ft. Smith).
Five games a day are planned the first three days, starting at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. Check out the end of the article for the full pool play schedule.
The final day matchups will depend on what happens July 3-5. There will be games for ninth place, seventh place, fifth place, two semifinal contests and a championship showdown.
The Indians will be trying to capture their first Winget title since 2018, and the first for current manager/head coach John Pannell since 2003.
Pannell led the Indians from 2003-10, took a decade off, and returned as manager/head coach in 2020.
Pannell enjoys an intimate relationship with The Winget. He’s participated as a youth spectator, a bat boy, a player, an assistant coach, a tournament director and a manager/head coach.
Pannell has won the Winget both as a player and as a manager/head coach.
The competition for whoever wins this year’s title should be rugged.
The Oklahoma Elk City Mudcats are the defending champion. In fact the Mudcats have played in the championship final the past three summers.
There hasn’t been a back-to-back Winget winner since Fort Smith did it in 2013-2014.
The most successful teams since 2002 include: Fort Smith (7 finals, 6 titles), Bartlesville Indians (6 finals, 3 titles), Emporia, Kan. (2 finals, 2 titles), Rogers County (2 finals, 2 titles), Springfield Hillcrest (5 finals, 1 title), Enid Majors (4 finals, 1 title), Mountain Home Lockeroom (3 finals, 1 title), Elk City Mudcats (3 finals, 1 title), Lawrence (Kan.) (3 finals, 1 title), Three Rivers (2 finals, 1 title).
Five of those teams are in this year’s field. Some of the other 2025 participants have a solid Winget resume — Bryant won the title just three years ago (2022), Branson won it in 2015 and Springfield Kickapoo played in the 2018 final.
The bottom line is this year’s group of 10 teams includes eight Winget finalists within the last nine years and six Winget champions within the last 10 years.
The Indians have already played during June some of the Winget teams. The Indians beat Springfield Kickapoo, 4-0, and they split with Mountain Home Lockeroom in a 19-4 loss and 8-7 victory.
Meanwhile, the Winget legacy lives on. The tradition that keeps on giving.
Doenges Toyota Indians Jaxon Zaun has some fun prior to a 2024 Glen Winget Memorial Tournament. Play begins Thursday at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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Following is this year’s slate. Times might vary due mostly to weather or running behind schedule.
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JULY 3rd (Thursday)
11 a.m.: Fort Smith vs. Elk City
1:15 p.m.: Kickapoo vs. Southern Elevation
3:30 p.m.: Hillcrest vs. Mountain Home
5:45 p.m.: Burkburnett vs. Bryant
8 p.m.: Bartlesville vs. Branson
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JULY 4th (Friday)
11 a.m.: Southern Elevation vs. Bryant
1:15 p.m.: Kickapoo vs. Elk City
3:30 p.m.: Branson vs. Burkburnett
5:45 p.m.: Mountain Home vs. Fort Smith
8 p.m.: Bartlesville vs. Hillcrest
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JULY 5th (Saturday)
10 a.m.: Bryant vs. Elk City
12:15 p.m.: Burkburnett vs. Mountain Home
2:30 p.m.: Branson vs. Kickapoo
5 p.m.: Hillcrest vs. Southern Elevation
7:15 p.m.: Bartlesville vs. Fort Smith
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JULY 6th (Sunday)
8 a.m.: 9th place game (at another field)
9 a.m.: 7th place game
11 a.m.: 5th place game
1 p.m.: Semifinal
3 p.m.: Semifinal
5 p.m. Championship