Texas Rangers Unveil Pudge Rodriguez Statue at Globe Life Field
ARLINGTON, Tx. – Pudge will now be cemented behind home plate for good.
A statue honoring Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez will now reside at the home plate entrance of Globe Life Field, the new home of the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez was the catcher for the Rangers from 1991-2002 and again in 2009, making the home plate entrance the most fitting spot for Pudge to be enshrined at Globe Life Field.
"I just want to say thank you to all of you to come over here today on a rainy day today," Rodriguez said. "Having my statue outside of this ballpark for years to come is a dream and an honor for me. I want to say thank you to the Rangers organization for all the support they've given me throughout the years."
The sun broke through the clouds right at the time the media made its way outside for Pudge to unveil his statue. It was if the baseball gods gave Pudge a little wink for that special moment for him and his family.
"Today is a very happy day for me," Rodriguez said. "I know every time I come into this beautiful facility, I'm going to have something that I love very much sitting outside so all of the fans and the media can stop, take pictures and enjoy. I'm very happy."
Rodriguez is arguably the greatest player in the history of the Texas Rangers. He's a career .296 hitter, with 311 career home runs and 1,332 career RBIs. He's a 14-time All Star, he won 7 Silver Sluggers and 13 Gold Gloves, 10 of which were with the Rangers from 1992-2001. He was also named the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1999.
Rodriguez was named to the franchise's Hall of Fame in 2013 and was enshrined in Cooperstown in 2017. He continues to be connected with the team, serving as a special assistant to General Manager Jon Daniels and as a broadcaster on FOX Sports Southwest.
The Rangers other statues will be installed in the coming days leading up to Opening Day. The Nolan Ryan statue will now reside in Rangers Plaza on the north side of the ballpark. The Tom Vandergriff and "Going To The Series" statues will reside at the northeast entrance of the stadium. All of the statues will be placed outside of the stadium, allowing fans to view and access them all year long.
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