Texas Rangers Jon Gray gives back to his alma mater this Thanksgiving

Black Friday normally is a day for buying gifts for your loved ones or for taking advantage of deals not seen throughout the year. This Black Friday was about giving for a World Series champion. The University of Oklahoma was taking on Texas Christian University in the final college football game of the regular season for both teams. It also held special significance for OU as it was also their last Big 12 regular season game at Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium. That brought out such players as Adrian Peterson and Brian Bosworth, both former football icons. It also brought out World Series champion and OU baseball great Jon Gray. He was making his first appearance on campus since winning the World Series over three weeks ago. He was not there just to take in the game from the sidelines. Gray came with a special donation to the OU baseball program.

Jon Gray gives back to the OU Baseball Program

Gray pitched for OU back in 2012 and 2013. He was on the team when OU went to consecutive super regionals under Sunny Golloway but did not make it to the College World Series. They were swept by South Carolina in 2012 and then LSU in 2013. Gray was their best pitcher. He was 8-4 with 3.13 ERA in 2012 and then 10-3 with a 1.64 ERA in 2013. In 2013 Gray pitched two shutouts and had 147 strikeouts and just 24 walks. He parlayed that dominant 2013 season into being drafted 3rd overall by the Colorado Rockies in the 2013 MLB Draft.

Gray came back on Friday and made a $25,000 donation to the OU baseball facility.

OU is in the process of raising money for improvements of L. Dale Mitchell Park as the team is transitioning from the Big 12 into the SEC. OU will be joining the best baseball conference for the 2025 season. They want to make their home stadium a more fan-friendly environment while also giving the baseball players everything they need to succeed.

Gray presented the check to coach Skip Johnson prior to the start of the game. He was then recognized during the game as World Series champ Jonathan Gray. He got a great ovation from the fans and proudly took it in.

OU won the game 69-45 over TCU. So it was good day for Jon Gray and his wife as they gave back to the baseball program that he played for and saw the football team come out on top in their final Big 12 home game.