Will Rogers College Middle and High School held a baseball field dedication ceremony in March to honor the late Gordon Morgan, who led the Ropers to four state championships during his illustrious coaching career. The field’s name will be changed to Coach Gordon Morgan Field in recognition of his impact on the Rogers community both on and off the field.
The Will Rogers High School Community Foundation hosted the reception for the event, with over one hundred friends, family, former baseball players, and alumni in attendance.
“Coach Morgan’s years of leadership, commitment, and passion for the Will Rogers baseball program left a lasting impact on generations of Ropers,” said Krystel Markwardt, Deputy Director of Athletics at Tulsa Public Schools. “This special event will honor his legacy and the many student-athletes whose lives he helped shape.”
Morgan compiled a 500-191 record as Rogers’ head baseball coach from 1968-87. The Ropers won state championships under his leadership in 1968, 1973, 1978 and 1979. In that time, he also helped coach 17 all-state baseball players.
Morgan also coached the Golden Hurricanes baseball team as a student while earning his degree at the University of Tulsa. He later coached at Bishop Kelley from 1990-98, where he went on to coach three state softball championships.
This special event will honor his legacy and the many student-athletes whose lives he helped shape.
A 1953 graduate of Rogers, Morgan embodied what it meant to be a Rogers Roper, always instilling discipline into his players. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1984 and into the WRHS Hall of Fame in 2013.
The Foundation makes every effort to honor the legacy of Ropers and to encourage current students to aspire to pursue their passions and their dreams.