Scott Nishimura
Arlington's Globe Life Field during Game 1 of the 2020 National League Championship Series
Who's on first? The Texas Rangers and the cities of Arlington and Fort Worth, that's who.
Some pretty exciting news broke this morning in the realm of Major League Baseball. The league announced that the Rangers would host the 2024 All-Star Game at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
It is formally Baseball’s 94th Midsummer Classic on July 16, 2024. The announcement was made after the conclusion of the owners’ meetings in New York on Thursday.
This seems like as good a place as any to remind you that one of baseball's best hitters grew up in Fort Worth. Before he began his Hall of Fame career, mostly with the St. Louis Cardinals, Rogers Hornsby, "The Rajah," played on semipro teams in the Stockyards. Suffice to say, he would have made his share of Midsummer Classics had there been a Midsummer Classic in his day. The game didn't begin until 1933, late in his career. Hornsby attended North Side High School for a bit before leaving to go work as an office clerk for the superintendent of the Swift & Company.
OK, back to the topic at hand.
“Major League Baseball is pleased to award the 2024 All-Star Game to the Rangers and the cities of Arlington and Fort Worth, which presented a robust bid for All-Star Week,” says baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement. “The Rangers stepped up under difficult circumstances and Globe Life Field served as terrific host for the 2020 postseason, including the World Series. We are excited to once again feature Baseball’s newest ballpark on a global stage next summer.”
The Rangers also hosted the All-Star Game in 1995 at the “old” The Ballpark in Arlington. The National League edged the American League 3-2 on Jeff Conine’s go-ahead pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning.
The 2023 game will be played in Seattle at T-Mobile Park.
“With the opening of Globe Life Field in 2020 and the incredible development that continues to take place around the park, Arlington is an ideal location to host Major League Baseball and the Midsummer Classic,” says Rangers owner and managing partner Ray Davis. “We want to thank Commissioner Rob Manfred, the state of Texas and the Governor’s Office, the cities of Arlington and Fort Worth, and all of the dedicated officials from the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau and Visit Fort Worth for their efforts in bringing this showcase event to the area.”
In October, the Rangers and The Cordish Companies broke ground on One Rangers Way, a luxury residential community in the heart of the Arlington Entertainment District. One Rangers Way continues the next phase of more than $1 billion of new development under construction in the Entertainment District that includes the forthcoming Loews Arlington Hotel & Convention Center, National Medal of Honor Museum, and Spark Coworking.
Globe Life Field, still in its developmental years after opening in 2020 — the opening was delayed because of you-know-what — has already been part of some baseball history. The World Series was conducted there that year, unfortunately without the Rangers, and Aaron Judge this year hit his 62nd home run for the New York Yankees, breaking Roger Maris' American League record.
“We look forward to welcoming the most talented baseball players to show off their skills in one of the best stadiums in the country,” says Jim Ross, mayor of Arlington. “Globe Life Field and Arlington’s Entertainment District are ready to put on a spectacular 2024 All-Star Week for baseball fans from all over the world.”
Says Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker: “The city of Fort Worth and the city of Arlington work well together to attract these high-profile events to benefit Tarrant County. We are thrilled to offer our world-class amenities to support the hosting of the All-Star Game and All-Star Week festivities in Arlington.”