WASHINGTON, Okla. (KFOR) — As the saying goes, if you build it, they will come. In Washington, Oklahoma, they built the ball fields and the crowds did come. But so does a man named John, who spends hours every day tending these fields for free.
The signs welcoming you to Washington celebrate the Warriors’ excellence in sports. One reason for their success? Immaculate ball fields.
The signs welcoming you to Washington prove that the Warriors know their sport! Photo: KFOR.
John Farquharson is the warrior of the fields. The veteran and former professional motorcycle racer now rides a different kind of pig gear.
He has been maintaining the grounds for over eight hours a day for eleven years for free.
“You’ll see him there every day like clockwork,” Duane Branham said. “John embodies the community. I think he is the definition of what it means to be a pillar of the community.”
City resident Mica Lunt added: “It is very sensitive to the moisture level in the ground to ensure the balls bounce properly. I mean, he’s an advocate for the kids.
John spends 8 hours a day maintaining ball fields for the Washington Warriors. Photo: KFOR.
That’s why Duane and Mica both nominated the selfless servant for a Pay It 4Ward award from First Fidelity Bank.
“It’s great to be able to recognize someone as selfless as John, who gives so much of his time back to his community. On behalf of First Fidelity Bank, we are happy to help you pay this $400 in advance,” said bank representative Haley Allred.
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News 4 surprised John at the ball fields, along with Duane and Mica.
Duane began, “We nominated you, John, because of all the time and effort you put into our community, and because of the good heart you have, man. You’re really a stand-up guy.
“Jan, you are great!” Mica said. “I just want to thank you so much for being such an incredible role model for everyone in the city.”
John replied softly, “Thank you.”
John will be honored with a $400 Pay It 4Ward Award from First Fidelity Bank. Photo: KFOR.
When the fields were flooded in 2016, John had to start all over again.
“Imagine there’s six feet of water and three feet of silt,” Duane said. “They were completely destroyed.”
Floods devastated the fields in 2016. Photo: Duane Branham.
With help from the community, John rebuilt the fields from the ground up.
“This is a mixture of sand and gravel,” John said, rifling through it with his hands. “I always put a design in there to make it look better.”
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His passion started several years ago when a slide to the base grazed his granddaughter’s leg. She’s in college now, but John continues to knock it out of the park.
“Instead of being a taker, I try to give, and down here I try to give to the kids,” he said.
John says the four fields of daily mowing, sweeping, hauling, watering, raking, collecting trash and cleaning the bathroom keep him young, but he keeps his real age a secret.
“If they knew how old I was, they would start treating you like an old person,” he said.
The city of Washington too honored John with a plaque and more than $2,000 in donations as a thank you to the man who is the real diamond – on the diamond.
“The softball field is dedicated to me and I’m not even dead yet!” John said laughing.
If you know someone who deserves this, you can nominate them for Pay It 4Ward by clicking the link below.
Pay it 4Ward is sponsored by First Fidelity Bank.
Nominate someone for Pay it4Ward
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